Oscar Brown • March 20th, 2024 • Read Time: 3 minutes
Imagine waking up to the sound of birds chirping, not from the trees in a distant forest, but from the balcony of your city apartment. It’s a reminder that, even in our concrete jungles, nature finds a way. Urbanization, a term we often associate with traffic jams and skyscrapers, is playing a surprising role in shaping the bird populations around us. This story isn’t just about birds adapting to city life; it’s about how our urban landscapes are becoming unexpected sanctuaries for these feathered friends. This is where the term synanthropy comes adherently important in this discussion; an organism that lives near and benefits from humans and their environmental modifications.
Urbanization, characterized by increased building density and the expansion of infrastructure, is often viewed through the lens of environmental degradation. Yet, this groundbreaking research tells a different story—one of adaptation and resilience. A study by N. S. Morozov titled The Role of Predators in Shaping Urban Bird Populations: 1. Who Succeeds in Urban Landscapes outlines the intriguing story over the last two decades and how cities have had a particular “ecological vacuum” towards bird species despite a fairly universal ideology regarding a cities harm towards global climates and ecosystems. Although there are countless negatives to urban hubs such as fragmentation of habitats and much more–this is the story of how birds arguably hit gold.
A New World for Winged Wanderers
As cities expand, swallowing up the countryside, one might expect nature to retreat. However, many bird species are not only adapting but thriving in urban settings. From the peregrine falcon, the fastest bird in the world, making its home on skyscrapers to the common sparrow nesting in subway stations, urban areas are buzzing with avian activity. There are also certain positively associated species with urban tolerance. Birds with the greatest level of synanthropy tend to be ones with breadth in diet and habitat generalism but also the birds degree of sociality as it tends to be high. This was noted in the 2023 study by the authors of Current Biology in their piece titled Traits shaping urban tolerance in birds differ around the world. Interestingly, birds who typically are ground nesters avoid urban areas while the tree nesters tend to thrive in cities. (Current Biology. 2022) Figure 1.0 below shows visually the correlation between breadth, size, elevation limit, and nesting height with almost 4,000 bird species over 137 global cities.
Figure 1.0 The relationship between Urban Association Index (UAI), species traits, and city variables for 3,768 birds species across 137 cities https://doi-org.proxy1.lib.uwo.ca/10.1016/j.cub.2023.03.024
The Architectural Jungle and Its Inhabitants
Typically in a conversation about urban effects on environments the word of fragmentation comes up quickly, however, urban environments offer a mosaic of microhabitats for birds. Parks, gardens, and even green roofs mimic natural environments, providing food, shelter, and nesting sites because birds, unlike other animals, do not require corridors with their flying abilities. However, it’s not all smooth sailing. Glass windows, vehicles, and pollution pose significant threats to our winged co-inhabitants. The challenges they face are a stark reminder of the complex relationship between urbanization and wildlife.
A Call to Coexistence
When Charles Darwin famously outlined the genetic evolution of finches little did he know their degree of synanthropy but these two studies do fit together like a pigeon on a street corner. The story of birds in the city is a narrative of resilience, adaptability, and the unexpected ways in which urbanization shapes nature. It’s a call to recognize our role in this shared ecosystem and to act responsibly. By designing cities with green spaces in mind, reducing hazards like glass windows, and minimizing pollution, we can create urban environments where birds don’t just survive, but thrive.
References
Morozov, N. S. (2022). The Role of Predators in Shaping Urban Bird Populations: 1. Who Succeeds in Urban Landscapes? Biology Bulletin of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 49(8), 1057–1080. https://doi.org/10.1134/S1062359022080118
Neate-Clegg, M. H. C., Tonelli, B. A., Youngflesh, C., Wu, J. X., Montgomery, G. A., Şekercioğlu, Ç. H., & Tingley, M. W. (2023). Traits shaping urban tolerance in birds differ around the world. Current Biology, 33(9), 1677-1688.e6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2023.03.024
Zhang, J. (Ed.). (2015). Environmental Protection and Sustainable Ecological Development: Proceedings of the 2014 International Conference on Environmental Protection and Sustainable Ecological Development (EPSED 2014), Wuhan, Hubei, China, October 24-26, 2014 (1st ed.). CRC Press. https://doi-org.proxy1.lib.uwo.ca/10.1201/b18507
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