Category: Urban observations
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From Twigs to Trash: The Surprising Evolution of Bird Nests
Did you know that it has been estimated that the anthropogenic mass, representing all human-made objects, would exceed the living biomass in 2020 ±…
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Wall Lovers: Plants that can turn canal walls into urban ‘rock gardens’
Urban environments consist mostly of bricks, concrete, asphalt, metal and glass: not very alluring substrates for many terrestrial organisms. Certain mosses and lichens can…
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Dandelions by the Roadside
Do you remember when was the last time you blew dandelion seeds? Do you remember the last time you stopped your busy schedule and…
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Mating season is coming! Are you ready for the termite air raid?
Around May, enormous swarms of termites wing up, coming out from the ground, trying to find the perfect match and establish their own families.…
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Cats versus rats in the city – a surprising winner
Cats are a staple in human culture. They have been fed by us, housed by us, even worshipped by us, and are still helping…
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Colletes hederae: The new bee in town
At first glance, a city is a hodgepodge of buildings, busy streets and public squares, people, traffic, and overall bustle. Yet, if you manage…
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(Sub) Urban Observations: Greylag geese nesting in trees & nest hijack by a leucistic duck?
Knotted willows characterise many Dutch landscapes, where they are often seen in a row along creeks that have existed for decades. These willows are…
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Urban Observation: Little Ringed Plovers on Urban Tidal Marshes
Who would ever have expected to see plovers on the banks of the Huangpu River in Shanghai? The Huangpu River is the “mother river”…
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Urban Eastern Red-Backed Salamanders (Plethodon cinereus) and a New Kind of Leaf Litter
Lurking beneath the trash laden leaf litter of the 5 boroughs lurks a secretive little amphibian that exemplifies the struggle between the forces of…
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Urban Observation: Groundhogs in Central Park
Have you ever seen a groundhog in Central Park? Or any other urban park? According to @BirdCentralPark, these adorable rodents are not a common…
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Urban Observation: Asian Ladybeetle
The Asian Ladybeetle (Harmonia axyridis) is a common sight in many urban gardens, such as those on Governor’s Island in New York Harbor. They…
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Grey buildings, green birds
Native to the Indian subcontinent and the southern fringes of the Sahel, the ring-necked parakeet (Psittacula krameri) looks wonderfully out of place in the…
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Vintage nests: Birds turning trash into treasures
Sadly, plastics and litter have become part of the urban and often rural environment. It can be found almost everywhere and in any form…
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Urban Observation: Flamingo City
Flamingos are definitely not the first species that comes to mind when I think of urban birds, however, that might change if I ever…
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Urban Observation: Ringtail Possum
In Port Phillip City, this arboreal individual has found an urban alternative to climb! The Common Ringtail Possum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus) is a marsupial species,…