Coastal cities in Europe are swarmed with gulls, to the annoyance of many of those cities’ inhabitants. Gulls (Larus spp.) are naturally cliff-nesting species, but are able to thrive in urban areas because of the high food availability, the suitable climate, the similarity of nest substrate, lesser risk of predation and the presence of conspecifics... Continue Reading →
City Gulls of Spain
One thing I always wonder when I see birds flying around cities is "where are they nesting???" Fortunately, the Audubon Society has an answer for that question - many birds nest in and on buildings and other anthropogenic structures. For example: Chimney swifts nest inside of chimneys Cliff swallows build mud nests on the sides... Continue Reading →
SICB 2019: Urban Gulls Alter FID and Flight Behaviors
Urbanization is a global form of habitat change that alters native habits and either excludes the animals that live there or forces them to acclimate to novel environments. Altering behavioral strategies can allow individuals to quickly acclimate and successfully colonize urban habitats, reproduce and live within them. In two studies presented at SICB, researchers, Dr.... Continue Reading →