Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Worldwide urbanization and its effects on birds

  • Chapter
Avian Ecology and Conservation in an Urbanizing World

Abstract

Human populations are increasing and becoming predominantly urban. Resulting land cover changes reduce, perforate, isolate, and degrade bird habitat on local and global scales. I review: 1) urbanization of the Earth, and 2) published studies of bird responses to human settlement, and then: 3) suggest how and why birds respond to settlement. In a slight majority of studies, bird density increased, but richness and evenness decreased in response to urbanization. The most consistent effects of increasing settlement were increases in non-native species of birds, increases in birds able to nest on buildings (esp. swifts and swallows), increases in nest predation, and decreases in interior- and ground-nesting species. Effects of urbanization on hawks, owls, and cavity nesters were less consistent, in part being dependent on the surrounding habitat. The factors favoring species in urbanizing areas appear simpler than those reducing species. Increased availability of food was primary among factors benefiting species; predator reduction, reduced human persecution, and habitat enhancement were less important. Decreased habitat availability, reduced patch size, increased edge, increased non-native vegetation, decreased vegetative complexity, and increased nest predation were commonly associated with bird declines in response to human settlement. Urban planners and policy makers can profoundly affect how and where cities grow. Avian ecologists can help inform these important decisions by: 1) quantifying how the pattern of settlement affects birds and 2) understanding how bird populations and resulting communities change along entire gradients of urbanization.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Alberti, M., E. Botsford, and A. Cohen. 2001. Quantifying the urban gradient: linking urban planning and ecology, p. 89–115. In J. M. Marzluff, R. Bowman, and R. Donnelly [EDS.], Avian ecology and conservation in an urbanizing world. Kluwer Academic, Norwell,MA.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Aldrich, J. W., and R. W. Cofin. 1980. Breeding bird populations from forest to suburbia after thirty-seven years. American Birds 34:3–7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arendt, R. G. 1996. Conservation design for subdivisions. Island Press. Washington,D.C.

    Google Scholar 

  • Askins, R. A., and M. J. Philbrick. 1987. Effect of changes in regional forest abundance on the decline and recovery of a forest bird community. Wilson Bull. 99:7–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Batten, L. A. 1972. Breeding bird species diversity in relation to increasing urbanisation. Bird Study 19:157–166.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Batten, L. A. 1973. Population dynamics of suburban blackbirds. Bird Study 20:251–258.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beissinger, S. R., and D. R. Osborne. 1982. Effects of urbanization on avian community organization. Condor 84:75–83.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berry, B. J. L. 1990. Urbanization, p. 103–119. In B. L. Turner II, W. C Clark, R. W. Kates, J. F. Richards, J. T. Mathews, and W. B. Meyers [EDS.], The earth as transformed by human action. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge,UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berry, M. E., C. E. Bock, and S. G. Haire. 1998. Abundance of diurnal raptors on open space grasslands in an urbanized landscape. Condor 100:601–608.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bezzel, E. 1985. Birdlife in intensively used rural and urban environments. Ornis Fenn. 62:90–95.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bird, D. M., D. E. Varland, and J. J. Negro [EDS.]. 1996. Raptors in human landscapes. Academic Press, London,UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blair, R. B. 1996. Land use and avian species diversity along an urban gradient. Ecol. Appl. 6:506–519.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blair, R. B. 2001. Creating a homogeneous avifauna, p. 461–488. In J. M. Marzluff, R. Bowman, and R. Donnelly [EDS], Avian ecology and conservation in and Urbanizing World. Kluwer Academic Press, Norwell,MA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blanco, G., and T. Velasco. 1996. Bird-habitat relationships in an urban park during winter. Folia Zool. 451:35–42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bloom, P. H., and M. D. McCrary. 1996. The urban buteo: red-shouldered hawks in southern California, p. 31–39. In Bird, D. M., D. E. Varland, and J. J. Negro [EDS.]. Raptors in human landscapes. Academic Press, London, UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bolger, D. T., T. A. Scott, and J. T. Rotenberry 1997. Breeding bird abundance in an urbanizing landscape in coastal southern California. Conserv. Biol. 11:406–421.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bosakowski, T., R. Speiser, D. G. Smith, and L. J. Niles. 1993. Loss of Cooper’s Hawk nesting habitat to suburban development Inadequate protection for a state-endangered species. J. Raptor Res. 27:26–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Botelho, E. S., and P. C. Arrowood. 1996. Nesting success of western burrowing owls in natural and human-altered environments, p. 61–68. In Bird, D. M., D. E. Varland, and J. J. Negro [EDS.]. Raptors in human landscapes. Academic Press, London, UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brinkhoff, T. 2001. The principle agglomerations of the world.http://www.Citypopulation.de/cities.html

    Google Scholar 

  • Brittingham, M. C.,and S. A. Temple. 1992. Use of winter bird feeders by Black-capped Chickadees. J. Wildlife Manage. 56:103–110.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brousseau, P., J. Lefebvre, and J. F. Giroux. 1996. Diet of Ring-billed Gull chicks in urban and non-urban colonies in Quebec. Colon. Waterbirds 19:22–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, L. R., Gardner, G., and B. Halweil. 1998. Beyond Malthus: sixteen dimensions of the population problem. Worldwatch Paper 143. Worldwatch Institute, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bullard, R. D. 2000. Anatomy of sprawl. p. 1–19 In R. D. Bullard, G. S. Johnson, and A. O Torres. [EDS.]. Sprawl City. Island Press. Washington, D.C..

    Google Scholar 

  • Buzbee, W. W. 2000. Urban sprawl and legal reform, p. 161–186. In R. D. Bullard, G. S. Johnson, and A. O Torres. [EDS.]. Sprawl City. Island Press. Washington, D.C.

    Google Scholar 

  • Butcher, G. S., W. A. Niering, W. J. Berry, and R. H. Goodwin. 1981. Equilibrium biogeography and the size of nature preserves: an avian case study. Oecologia 49:29–37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caccamise, D. F., L. M. Reed, L. S. DeLay, K. A. Bennett, and J. J. Dosch. 1996. The avian communities of a suburban grassland reugium: population studies at an airport in Northeastern United States. Acta Ornith. 31:3–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cicero, C. 1989. Avian community structure in a large urban park: controls of local richness and diversity. Land. Urban Plann 17:221–240.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Connell, J. H. Diversity in tropical rain forests and coral reefs. Science 199:1302–1010.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cramp, S. 1980. Changes in the breeding birds of Inner London since 1900. Symposium on Urbanization.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cramp, S., and A. D. Tomlins. 1966. The birds of Inner London 1951-65. British Birds 59:209–233.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crooks, K. R. and M. E. Soulé. 1999. Mesopredator release and avifaunal extinctions in a fragmented system. Nature 400:563–566.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dabert, J. 1987. Breeding ecology of the feral pigeon Columbia livia f. domestica in Poznan, Poland. Acta Ornith. 23:177–195.

    Google Scholar 

  • Danielson, W. R., R. M. DeGraaf, and T. K. Fuller. 1997. Rural and suburban forest edges: effects on egg predators and nest predation rates. Landscape Urban Plann. 38:25–36.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davis, A. M. and T. F. Glick. 1978. Urban ecosystems and island biogeography. Environ. Conserv 3:299–304.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DeGraaf, R. M. 1991. Winter foraging guild structure and habitat associations in suburban bird communities. Land. Urban Plann. 21:173–180.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DeGraaf, R. M, and J. M. Wentworth. 1986. Avian guild structure and habitat associations in suburban bird communities. Urban Ecology 9:399–412.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dowd, C. 1992. Effect of development on bird species composition of two urban forested wetlands in Staten Island, New York. J. Field Ornith. 63:455–461.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dulisz, B., and J. J. Nowakowski. 1996. The species diversity of the avifauna in built-up areas in the city of Olsztyn (NE Plonad). Acta Ornith. 31:33–38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Earlé, R. A. 1988. Reproductive isolation between urban and rural populations of cape sparrows and house sparrows. Acta Congressus Internationalis 19:1778–1786.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eden, S. F. 1985. The comparative breeding biology of magpies Pica pica in an urban and a rural habitat (Aves:Corvidae). J. Zool. 205:325–334.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Edgar, D. R., and G. P. Kershaw. 1994. The density and diversity of the bird populations in three residential communities in Edmonton, Alberta. Can. Field Nat. 108:156–161.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elvidge, CD., K. E. Baugh, E. A. Kihn, H. W. Kroehl, and E. R. Davis. 1997. Mapping city lights wit nighttime data from the DMSP Operational Linescan System. Photogramm. Eng. Rem. S. 63:727–734.

    Google Scholar 

  • Emlen, J. 1974. An urban bird community in Tucson, Arizona: Derivation, structure, regulation. Condor 76:184–197.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Emlen, J. T. 1974. An urban bird community in Tucson, Arizona: derivation, structure, regulation. Condor 76:184–197.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Engels, T. M., and C W. Sexton. 1994. Negative correlation of Blue Jays and Golden-cheeked Warblers near an urbanizing area. Conserv. Biol. 8:286–290.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • England, A. S., J. A. Estep, and W. R. Holt. 1995. Nest-site selection and reproductive performance of urban-nesting Swainson’s Hawks in the central valley of California. J. Raptor Res. 29:179–186.

    Google Scholar 

  • Erskine, A. J. 1992. A ten-year urban winter bird count in Sackville, New Brunswick. The Canadian Field-Naturalist 106:499–506.

    Google Scholar 

  • Erz, W. 1966. Ecological principles in the urbanization of birds. Ostrich Suppl. 6:357–363.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fonaroff, L. S. 1974. Urbanization, birds, and ecological change in Northwestern Trinidad. Biol. Conserv. 6:258–262.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fraissinet, M. 1989. Espansione della taccola, Corvus monedula, nei capoluoghi Italiani. Rivista Italiana Ornithologia 59:33–42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Friesen, L. E., P. F. Eagles, and R. J. MacKay. 1995. Effects of residental development on forest-dwelling neotropical migrant songbirds. Conserv. Biol 9:1408–1414.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gavareski, C A. 1976. Relation of park size and vegetation to urban bird populations in Seattle, Washington. Condor 78:375–382.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gehlbach, F. R. 1988. Population and environmental features that promote adaptation to urban ecosystems: the case of Eastern Screech-owls (Otus asio) in Texas. Proceedings Congressus Internationalis Ornithologica 19:1809–1813.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gehlbach, F. R. 1994. The eastern screech owl: life history, ecology, and behavior in the suburbs and countryside. Texas A & M University Press, College Station,TX.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gehlbach, F. R. 1996. Eastern screech owls in suburbia: a model of raptor urbanization, p. 69–74. In Bird, D. M., D. E. Varland, and J. J. Negro [EDS.]. Raptors in human landscapes. Academic Press, London,UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Germaine, S. S., S. S. Rosenstock, R. E. Schweinsburg, and W. S. Richardson. 1998. Relationships among breeding birds, habitat, and residential development in greater Tucson, Arizona. Ecol. Appl. 8:680–691.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gersh, J. 1996. Subdivide and conquer: concrete, condos, and the second conquest of the American West. Amicus Journal 18:14–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goszczynski, J., P. Jablonski, G. Lesinski, and J. Romanowski. 1993. Variation in diet of Tawny Owl Strix aluco L. along an urbanization gradient. Acta Ornith. 27:113–123.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gotfryd, A., and R. I. C. Hansell. Prediction of bird-community metrics in urban woodlots. p. 321–326 In J. Verner, M. L. Morrison, and C. J. Ralph [EDS.] Wildlife 2000: Modeling Habitat Relationships of Terrestrial Vertebrates. University of Wisconsin Press, Madison, WI.

    Google Scholar 

  • Green, R. J., C. P. Catterall, and D. N. Jones. 1989. Foraging and other behaviour of birds in subtropical and temperate suburban habitats. Emu 89:216–222.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guthrie, D. A. 1974. Suburban bird populations in Southern California. Am. Midl. Nat. 92: 461–466.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hogrefe, T. C, R. H. Yahner, and N. H. Piergallini. 1998. Depredation of artificial ground nests in a suburban versus a rural landscape. J. Penn. Acad. Science 72:3–6.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hohtola, E. 1978. Diferential changes in bird community structure with urbanisation: A study in Central Finland. Ornis Scand. 9:94–100.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hooper, R. G., E. F. Smith, H. S. Crawford, B. S. McGinnes, and V. J. Walker. 1975. Nesting bird populations in a new town. Wildlife Soc. Bull. 3:111–118.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hõrak, P. and J.-D. Lebreton 1998. Survival of adult Great Tits Parus major in relation to sex and habitat: a comparison of urban and rural populations. Ibis 140:205–209.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Horn, D. J. 1985. Breeding birds of a central Ohio woodlot in response to succession and urbanization. Ohio J. Science 85:34–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Houghton, R. A. 1994. The worldwide extent of land-use change. BioScience 44:305–313.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huhtalo, H., and O. Järvinen. 1977. Quantitative composition of the urban bird community in Tornio, Northern Finland. Bird Study 24:179–185.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hunt, G. L., Jr. 1972. Influence of food distribution and human disturbance on the reproductive success of Herring Gulls. Ecology 53:1051–1061.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnston, R. F. 2001. Synanthropic birds of North America, p. 49–67. In J. M. Marzluff, R. Bowman, and R. Donnelly [EDS], Avian ecology and conservation in and Urbanizing World. Kluwer Academic Press, Norwell, MA.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Jokimäki, J., and J. Suhonen. 1993. Effects of urbanization on the breeding bird species richness in Finland A biogeographical comparison. Ornis Fenn. 70:71–77.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jokimäki, J., J. Suhonen, K. Inki, and S. Jokinen. 1996. Biogeographical comparison of winter bird assemblages in urban environments in Finland. J. Biogeogr. 23:379–386.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones, D. N. 1981. Temporal changes in the suburban avifauna of an inland city. Aust. Wildl. Res. 8:109–119.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Józkowicz, A. and Górska-Klek. 1996. Activity patterns of the mute swans Cygnus olor wintering in rural and urban areas: a comparison. Acta Ornithologica 31: 45–51.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kentish, B. J., P. Dann, K. W. Lowe. 1995. Breeding biology of the Common Blackbird Turdus merula in Australia. Emu 95:233–244.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kerpez, T. A., and N. S. Smith. 1990. Competition between European Starlings and native woodpeckers for nest cavities in saguaros. Auk 107:367–375.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Knight, R. L. 1990. Ecological principles applicable to the management of urban ecosystems, p. 24–34. In E. A. Webb, and S. Q. Foster [EDS], Perspectives in urban ecology. Denver Museum of Natural History and Thorne Ecological Institute,Denver,CO.

    Google Scholar 

  • Konstantinov, V. M. 1996. Antropogenic transformations of bird communities in the forest zone of the Russian Plain. Acta Ornith. 31:53–58.

    Google Scholar 

  • Konstantinov, V. M., V. G. Babenko,and I. K. Barysheva. 1982. Numbers and some ecological features of synanthropic populations of the corvidae under the conditions of intensive urbanization. Zoologichesky Zhurnal 61:1837–1845.

    Google Scholar 

  • Konstantinov, V. M., W. Nowicki, and A. G. Pichurin. 1996. Birds in urban and suburban areas. Acta Ornithol. 31:59–66.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lancaster, R. K., and W. E. Rees. 1979. Bird communities and the structure of urban habitats. Can. J. Zool. 57:2358–2368.

    Google Scholar 

  • Landmann, A. 1991. Habitatpräferenzen, dynamik der raumnutzung und bestandsstruktur bei dorfamseln. J. Orn. 132:303–318.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Langen, T. A., D. T. Bolger, and T. J. Case. 1991. Predation on artificial bird nests in chaparral fragments. Oecologia 86:395–401.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Linehan, J. T. 1967. Breeding-bird populations in Delaware’s urban wodlots. Audubon Field Notes 21:641–647.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lo Valvo, M., T. La Mantia, and B. Massa. 1985. Bird population of Palermo’s urban and suburban areas. Boll. Zool. 52:347–354.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luniak, M. and R. Mulsow. 1988. Ecological parameters in urbanization of the European Blackbird. Proceedings Congressus International is Ornithologica 19:1787–1793.

    Google Scholar 

  • Major, R. E., G. Gowing, and C. E. Kendal. 1996. Nest predation in Australian urban environments and the role of the Pied Currawong, Strepera graculina. Aust. J. Ecol 21:399–409.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marzluff, J. M. 1997. Effects of urbanization and recreation on songbirds, p. 89–102. In W. M. Block and D. M. Finch [EDS.], Songbird ecology in southwestern ponderosa pine forests: a literature review. USDA Forest Service General Technical Report RM-GTR-292. USDA Forest Service, Fort Collins, CO.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marzluff, J. M., and K. Ewing. 2001. Restoration of fragmented landscapes for the conservation of birds: a general framework and specific recommendations for urbanizing landscapes. Restoration Ecology.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marzluff, J. M., and N. Hamel. 2001. Land use issues, p. 659–673. In S. A. Levin [ED.], Encyclopedia of biodiversity. Academic Press, San Diego, CA.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Marzluff, J. M., K. J. McGowan, R. Donnelly, and R. L. Knight. 2001. Causes and consequences of expanding American Crow populations, p. 333–365. In J. M. Marzluff, R. Bowman, and R. Donnelly [EDS], Avian ecology and conservation in and Urbanizing World. Kluwer Academic Press, Norwell, MA.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Marzluff, J. M., and M. Restani. 1999. The effects of forest fragmentation on avian nest predation, p. 155–169. In J. A. Rochelle, L. A. Lehmann, and J. Wisniewski, [EDS.], Forest wildlife and fragmentation: management and implications. Brill, Leiden, Netherlands.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marzluff, J. M., F. R. Gehlbach, and D. A. Manuwal. 1998. Urban environments: Influences on avifauna and challenges for the avian conservationist, p. 283–299. In J. M. Marzluff and R. Sallabanks [EDS.], Avian conservation: Research and management. Island Press, Washington,DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marzluff, J. M., M. G. Raphael, and R. Sallabanks. 2000. Understanding the effects of forest management on avian species. Wild. Soc. Bull. 28:1132–1143.

    Google Scholar 

  • Matthews, E. 1983. Global vegetation and land use: New high resolution data bases for climate studies. J. Climate Applications and Meterology 22:474–487.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meyer, W. B., and B. L. Turner, II. 1992. Human population growth and global landuse/cover change. Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 23:39–61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Middleton, A. L. A. 1988. The urban environment and its potential as a refuge from brood parasitism by the brown-headed cowbird. Proceedings Congressus Internationalis Ornithologica 19:1802–1808.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mills, G. S., J. B. J. Dunning, and J. M. Bates. 1989. Effects of urbanization on breeding bird community structure in southwestern desert habitats. Condor 91:416–428.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Milone, M., and M. Grotta. 1983. Year-to-year variation in numbers of Herring Gulls nesting in Campania. Boll. Zool. 50:25–27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mirabella, P., M. Fraissinet, and M. Milone. 1996. Breeding birds and territorial heterogeneity in Naples city (Italy). Acta Ornith. 31:25–31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Munyenyembe, F., J. Harris, and J. Hone. 1989. Determinants of bird populations in an urban area. Aust. J. Ecol. 14:549–557.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Natuhara, Y. and C. Imai. 1996. Spatial structure of avifauna along urban rural gradients. Ecological Research 11:1–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nilon, C. H., C. N. Long, and W. C. Zipperer. 1995. Effects of wildland development on forest bird communities. Landscape Urban Plann. 32:81–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nowakowski, J. J. 1996. Changes in the breeding avifauna of Olsztyn (NE Poland) in the years 1968–1993. Acta Ornith. 31:39–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nuorteva, P. 1971. The synanthropy of birds as an expression of the ecological cycle disorder caused by urbanization. Ann. Zool. Fennici 8:547–553.

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Meara, M. 1999. Reinventing cities for people and the planet. Worldwatch Paper 147. Worldwatch Institute, Washington,D.C.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parker, J. W. 1996. Urban ecology of the Mississippi Kite. p. 45–52. In Bird, D. M., D. E. Varland, and J. J. Negro [EDS.]. Raptors in human landscapes. Academic Press, London,UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pitelka, F. A. 1942. High population of breeding birds within an artifical habitat. Condor 44:172–174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Plesnik, J. 1990. Long-term study of some urban and extra-urban populations of the Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus L.). Bird Census and Atlas Studies. Proceedings XIth International Conference on bird census and atlas work. K. Stastiny and V. Bejcek. Prague:453–458.

    Google Scholar 

  • Richards, J. F. 1990. Land transformation, p. 163–178. In B. L. Turner II, W. C. Clark, W. R. Kates, J. F. Richards, J. T. Matthews, and W. B. Meyer [EDS.], The earth as transformed by human action. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge,UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rolando, A., G. Maffei, C. Pulcher, and A. Giuso. 1997. Avian community structure along an urbanization gradient. Ital. J. Zool. 64:341–349.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenberg, K. V., S. B. Terrill, and G. H. Rosenberg. 1987. Value of suburban habitats to desert riparian birds. Wilson Bull. 99:642–654.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosenfield, R. N., J. Bielefeldt, J. L. Affeldt, and D. J. Beckman. 1996. Urban nesting biology of Cooper’s hawks in Wisconsin, p. 41–44. In Bird, D. M., D. E. Varland, and J. J. Negro [EDS.]. Raptors in human landscapes. Academic Press, London,UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rottenborn, S. C. 1999. Predicting the impacts of urbanization on riparian bird communities. Biol. Conserv. 88:289–299.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rudzitis, G. and H. Johansen. 1989. Migration into western wilderness counties: causes and consequences. Western Wildlands 3:19–23

    Google Scholar 

  • Russo, C., and T. P. Young. 1997. Egg and seed removal at urban and suburban forest edges. Urban Ecosystems 1:171–178.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ruszczyk, A., J. J. S. Rodrigues, T. M. T. Roberts, M. M. A. Bendati, R. S. del Pino, J. C. V Marques, and M. T. Q. Melo. 1987. Distribution patterns of eight bird species in the urbanization gradient of Porto Alegre, Brazil. Ciéncia e Cultura 39:14–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt, K. H. 1988. Site fidelity and isolation of great tits (Parus major) in urban habitats. Proceedings International Ornithological Congress 19:1794–1801.

    Google Scholar 

  • Senra, A. and E. E. Alés. 1992. The decline of the white stork Ciconia ciconia population of western Andalusia between 1976 and 1988: causes and proposals for conservation. Biological conservation 61: 51–57.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sewell, S. R., and C. P. Catterall. 1998. Bushland modification and styles of urban development: Their effects on birds in southeast. Wild. Res. 25:41–63.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Snow, D. W. 1969. An analysis of breeding success in the blackbird, Turdus merula. Ardea 57:163–171.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sodhi, N. S. 1992. Comparison between urban and rural bird communities in prairie Saskatchewan Urbanization and short-term population trends. Can. Field Nat. 106:210–215.

    Google Scholar 

  • Soulé, M. E. 1991. Land use planning and wildlife maintenance. J. Amer. Plann. Assoc. 57:313–323.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soulé, M. E., D. T. Bolger, A. C. Alberts, J. Wright, M. Sorice, and S. Hill. 1988. Reconstructed dynamics of rapid extinctions of chaparral-requiring birds in urban habitat islands. Conserv. Biol. 2:75–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tatner, P. 1982. The breeding biology of magpies Pica pica in an urban environment. J. Zool. 197:559–581.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tella, J. L., F. Hiraldo, J. A. Donázar-Sancho, and J. J. Negro. 1996. p. 53–60. In Bird, D. M, D. E. Varland, and J. J. Negro [EDS.]. Raptors in human landscapes. Academic Press, London,UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Theobald, D. M, H. Gosnell, and W. E. Riebsame. 1996. Land use and landscape change in the Colorado Mountains II: A case study of the East River Valley. Mountain Research and Development 7:101–107.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tilghman, N. G. 1987a. Characteristics of urban woodlands affecting breeding bird diversity and abundance. Landscape Urban Plann. 14:481–495.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tilghman, N. G. 1987b. Characteristics of urban woodlands affecting winter bird diversity and abundance. Forest Ecol. Manag. 21:163–175.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tomialojc, L. 1979. The impact of predation on urban and rural Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus L.) populations. Polish Ecological Studies 5:141–220.

    Google Scholar 

  • U. S. Census Bureau. 2001. Urbanized areas in the United States.http://www.sprawlcity.org/studyUSA/USAexecutivesummary.html/studyUSA/USAexecutivesummary.html.

    Google Scholar 

  • United Nations. 1996. World urbanization prospects: the 1996 revision. United Nations, New York, NY.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vale, T. R. and G. R. Vale. 1976. Suburban bird populations in west-central California. J. Biogeogr. 3:157–165.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vitousek, P. M., H. A. Mooney, J. Lubchenco, and J. M. Melillo. 1997. Human domination of the earth’s ecosystems. Science 277:494–499.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vitousek, P. M., P.R. Ehrlich, A. H. Ehrlich, and P. A. Matson. 1986. Human appropriation of the products of photosynthesis. Bioscience 36:368–373.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wackernagel, M. and W. E. Rees. 1996. Our ecological footprint: reducing human impact on the earth. New Society Publishers, Philadelphia, PA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walcott, C. F. 1974. Changes in bird life in Cambridge, Massachussetts from 1860 to 1964. Auk 91:151–160.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wesolowski, T. 1983. The breeding ecology and behaviour of Wrens Troglodytes troglodytes under primeval and secondary conditions. Ibis 125:499–515.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Whitcomb, R. F., J. F. Lynch, M. K. Klimkiewicz, C. S. Robbins, B. L. Whitcomb, and D. Bystak. 1981. Effects of forest fragmentation on avifauna of eastern deciduous forest, p. 125–205. In R. L. Burgeos and D. M. Sharpe [EDS.], Forest island dynamics in man-dominated landscapes. Springer-Verlag, New York, NY.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Wilcove, D. S. 1985. Nest predation in forest tracts and the decline of migratory songbirds. Ecology 66:1211–1214.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Woolfenden, G. E. and S. A. Rohwer 1969. Breeding birds in a Florida suburb. Bull. Florida State Museum 13:1–83.

    Google Scholar 

  • WRI (World Resources Institute). 1996. World resources: a guide to the global environment: the urban environment. Oxford University Press. Oxford,UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yaukey, P. H. 1996. Patterns of avian population density, habitat use, and flocking behavior in urban and rural habitats during winter. Prof. Geogr. 48:70–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zalewski, A. 1994. Diet of urban and suburban tawny owls (Strix aluco) in the breeding season. J. Raptor Research 28:246–252.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Forest Resources, University of Washington, Box 352100, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA

    John M. Marzluff

Authors
  1. John M. Marzluff
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. College of Forest Resources, University of Washington, USA

    John M. Marzluff  & Roarke Donnelly  & 

  2. Archbold Biological Station, USA

    Reed Bowman

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2001 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Marzluff, J.M. (2001). Worldwide urbanization and its effects on birds. In: Marzluff, J.M., Bowman, R., Donnelly, R. (eds) Avian Ecology and Conservation in an Urbanizing World. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-1531-9_2

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-1531-9_2

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-5600-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-1531-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation