Tag: urban wildlife
Blog news (3) Books (2) Citizen Science (21) Conference Proceedings (73) Defining Urbanization (6) Guest Post (9) How To (14) Museums/Natural History Collections (3) Natural History Notes (10) New Lit Abstracts (101) New Research (181) New Research Tools (7) Notes from the field (15) Public Outreach (22) sustainable development (2) Uncategorized (42) Urban Environments (59) Urban Evolution in the Media (12) Urban observations (88) Urban Wildlife (16)
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A guide to biodiversity in Central Park: native vs. introduced species
Strolling through Central Park is a staple New York activity. You could spend a whole day exploring the 843 acres of land and enjoying…
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From fields to sewers: how rats thrive in the city
Cities are not as empty at night as they seem. When humans go to sleep, another species becomes active. They move through walls, drains,…
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Human disgust is quietly driving urban evolution
When people think about urban evolution, their first thought tends to be how animals adapt to urban environments by dealing with pollution, traffic, noise,…
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If not pet, why pet shaped?
Everyone is familiar with this image, either from popular media or maybe even from real life: you’re walking through a North American city at…
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A concrete hunting ground: a new environment for raptors
Within cities, the number of trophic levels present in the community can change when animals migrate there. Smaller predators can end up at the…
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The Urban Spider Survival Guide
An introduction to the city spider Spiders are the most diverse and abundant terrestrial predators on earth. This group of species is, in turn,…
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Black bears in the Backyard: Adapting to a New Kind of Wild
Cities are a special environment regulated by humans: planted green spaces, paved streets, large buildings, constant light and traffic. Some animals like meadow birds…
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Urbanization’s Hidden Pleiotropic Effect on Pigeon Plumage Color and Blood Cholesterol
Some fries left on the ground, a half-eaten sandwich, or some breadcrumbs kindly given by someone on a park bench. Pigeons (Columba livia) in…
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The Effect of Feral Cats on Urban Wildlife
When people consider the causes of the decline in bird or small mammal populations most will first think of pesticides or vehicle deaths. However,…
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The Superpowers of Urban Rats: How urban life transforms rodents
Our typical urban rats, mainly brown rats (Rattus norvegicus), have undergone adaptations that enable them to thrive in urban environments. These adaptations distinguish urban…
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Artificial light at night may make African mouse species vulnerable
When thinking about a city at night, chances are that you include some twinkling streetlights in your mental image. Billboards, streetlamps, and neon signs…
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They Know Who You Are: How City Animals Recognize People
In the heart of the city, dominated by human-made material, animals face more than cars and concrete—they face humans. And to survive, some of…
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How the Rose-Ringed Parakeet Conquered the Western World
“Dad, what are those birds? I’ve never seen them before” I remember asking my dad when I was younger. We were outside having a…
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The rise of Culex molestus: True Urban Evolution or a mere eco-type?
A number of years ago there was quite a lot of media attention regarding a possible case of in situ evolution of Culex pipiens…
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Why the long neck? Signs of avian botulism to look out for!
Have you ever seen a duck, goose, coot or any other waterbird laying long out on the ground or surface of the water? Do…