Evolution in an Urbanizing World
New Orleans is a great city — good food, good people, good drinks. But the best part about New Orleans? LIZARDS! Keep your eyes open and you're likely to see lizards crawling on the trees, fences, buildings, and trashcans. Two species are common to the city: Anolis carolinensis, which are native to the Southeast USA,... Continue Reading →
If you're reading this blog you probably enjoy watching wildlife. There is a thrill that comes with seeing a wild animal sharing space with you. However, in my time researching urban wildlife I've come across dozens of people who seem to think that urban wildlife need humans to survive. In his book, The Global Pigeon,... Continue Reading →
It's turtle hatchling emergence time in Massachusetts, as this recent article in The Boston Globe pointed out! And right on cue, this week I came across two tiny hatchling turtles running the gauntlet across the bike path in Boston's Emerald Necklace to get to the water. Both turtles are native species to Massachusetts: the Painted... Continue Reading →
When you think of urban birds, you probably don't think of a flock of 20 lb wild turkeys. A friend of mine shared his recent encounter with a group of these modern dinosaurs in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Photo credits: Louis Neidorf Do you have a photo or video of an urban species doing something unusual? What... Continue Reading →
Although we need to social distance and wear masks for safety, wild animals (even domestic ones) are exempt from these during the pandemic. So a bunch of corvids get together and have a nice little party on your power lines. I'm thinking our observer may have tasted a hint of jealousy? Stay safe and healthy!... Continue Reading →
Earlier in 2020, murder wasps were a thing. Thankfully they went away, but there are a number of endemic wasps and hornets that occasionally show up in urban areas. One of these is the mud dauber, a wasp that builds is home from mud. This one decided to build its nest right next to a... Continue Reading →
As some of you may know by now, one of our co-editors/founders of this blog, Kristin Winchell, researches anoles adapting to urban areas. So of course we get excited to see anoles caught on camera in urban areas. This week's observation is a green anole on campus at Loyola University in New Orleans, captured by... Continue Reading →
Urban birders strike again! This week we bring a pair of house sparrows at a field station in Louisiana catching food for their young. Do you have a photo or video of an urban species doing something unusual? What about a rare plant or animal that you were surprised to find in a city?... Continue Reading →
The more that we build our homes up against pristine habitat, the more likely we are to encounter what we previously thought were rare species. Here is an example of a wild bobcat in Northern Phoenix on the hunt. We've seen more instances of bobcats in our urban observation posts and in our new research.... Continue Reading →
Usually urban bees are pollinating on your garden flowers or have a colony by a local beekeeper. Here we have a door jamb that was broken, then co-opted as a cozy home for a bee. Do you have a photo or video of an urban species doing something unusual? What about a rare plant or... Continue Reading →
Once on the brink of extinction, thanks to conservation efforts the Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) has made a comeback. This predator can be found across North America to Northern Mexico and once had an estimated population size of 300,000-500,000. However, the use of DDT disrupted the bird's ability to metabolize calcium and resulted in birds... Continue Reading →
https://twitter.com/brown_birds/status/1276523670530224128?s=20 I was recently browsing through Twitter and came across this fantastic tweet by Rafael Marcondes showing a flock of white-eyed parakeets (Psittacara leucophthalmus) gathering on a building in the Tatuapé neighborhood of São Paulo. Maisa Infante wrote the original post and explains that the parakeets eat the clay off the building's facade. White-eyed Parakeets... Continue Reading →
Pigeons are pretty common in urban areas. In fact, they are human commensals, so you are most likely to see them in the city, as opposed to other types of birds. You'll usually see them in the park where someone feeds them seeds and bread. Sometimes, you'll see them on the streets eating scraps. It... Continue Reading →
Back in the quarantine, we could go for walks or gaze out of our windows. This cardinal could be seen on a walk or out the window! The red cardinal is perched on a blooming Magnolia tree. Now that's a great sight! Do you have a photo or video of an urban species doing something... Continue Reading →
I am starting to think that foxes are more common in urban areas than we thought... Today's urban observation is another fox! We have had a few previous observations of foxes, one with a magpie, then one in a garden feeding its babies. There is research being done on red foxes in Berlin, featured here... Continue Reading →
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