Evolution in an Urbanizing World
Do you enjoy spotting urban birds but need some help with identifying what you find? This is something I constantly encounter (often with family members sending me photos and videos for identification). Luckily, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology has a fantastic guide to help you. A few weeks ago my brother sent me this video... Continue Reading →
It is getting wild in Scotland cities! Last week we brought you canal otters of Edinburgh and this week we bring you a fox and a magpie in Glasgow. A bit of shrubbery between a car park seems to attract several urban wildlife creatures. Do you have a photo or video of an urban species... Continue Reading →
We usually find otters in rivers, so you might not see one unless there is a river that runs through the city. But sometimes, we create our own rivers via canals and wildlife can occupy these man-made rivers. This female otter was spotted in the Union Canal in Edinburgh, Scotland. Do you have a photo... Continue Reading →
Last week we brought you a bald eagle in Manhattan, this week we present you with a woodpecker found in Union Square Park in NYC. Urban birders win again! Parks are a great refuge for many organisms that find themselves living inside the big cities. Check out the other animals found near Union Square Park.... Continue Reading →
Thanks to the collective efforts of urban birders, we have been able to bring a suite of urban observations of birds. Here is the majestic bald eagle, hanging out in a tree in the East River Park of Manhattan, NY. Do you have a photo or video of an urban species doing something unusual? What... Continue Reading →
Throughout the city of Toronto, there are a number of old canoes that have been repurposed as pots to grow plants. In fact, several have milkweed planted in them to help local pollinators. Now that we are in the middle of winter, only the stems remain. Can you identify what was planted in this canoe?... Continue Reading →
It is breeding season for Northern Elephant Seals (Mirounga angustirostris) which means elephant seals are coming onshore to give birth and mate. Because elephant seal breeding grounds are also popular destinations for humans seeking to observe this once nearly extinct marine mammal, precautions are needed to ensure the safety of both the humans and the... Continue Reading →
Wildfires have been devastating southeastern Australia, and along with these fires comes an increase in anthropogenic noise as firetrucks race to the scene. Gregory Andrews spotted this Australian Magpie in Newcastle, New South Whales mimicking the sound of a fire truck. https://twitter.com/isobelroe/status/1212500562102505472?s=20 Do you have a photo or video of an urban species doing something... Continue Reading →
Many people imagine a pristine desert in the Southwest US, with the iconic saguaro cacti in the foreground, mountains in the background. In recent years, these deserts have become highly urbanized. Thankfully, there are protections in place for these majestic, century-old cacti. If you plan to build where there is a saguaro, you have to... Continue Reading →
Now that winter is upon us, it may seem like there is less urban wildlife around. But there's a chance to spot some really cool mammals like the one for this week's observation. Here we see a bobcat in a back alley chasing a hare! Thanks to LITC contributor Mason Stothart for catching this tweet!... Continue Reading →
A medium-sized mammalian predator seems like an odd find in cities, but around the world sightings of urban coyotes, bobcats, and even mountain lions are becoming more common. Setting up a camera trap also known as a trail camera is a great way to spot these urban animals. A camera trap is a camera that... Continue Reading →
In Mississauga, ON, Canada, we have a slew of different birds that cause a nuisance. I'm sure most of you know about our geese, they are mean and will chase you down the street if you get too close. There haven't been many pigeons in my grocery store parking lot, probably because these shorebirds are... Continue Reading →
With the US Thanksgiving tomorrow, here's a turkey treat! Wild turkeys were found earlier this month terrorizing Holiday City, a New Jersey neighborhood. Wild animals can be dangerous, so keep your distance. Sadly, packs of wild animals get pushed into urban neighborhoods as we continue to develop our cities on their territory. They can cause... Continue Reading →
Here we go again NYC, urban birds! I am always amazed at how many of our observations come from NYC. Before this blog, I had thought that such a large city would only support pests, like pizza rat. Here's a pair of hawks nesting near a clock tower in Marcus Garvey Park (Harlem). A special... Continue Reading →
As the largest city in the United States, New York City seems to be full of all sorts of urban wildlife! This week, we bring you the smoking cockroach. If your pesticides won't kill it, neither will smoking cigarettes. Urban birds are known to incorporate cigarette butts into their nests, which may function as... Continue Reading →
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