Urban animal: Winged invaders

Many species of bird have made the urban landscape their preferred habitat. This could be due to changing farming practices which drove birds out of hedgerows and woodlands out of the countryside. Other species took advantage of a man-made environment which for some resembled their natural habitat in some way. With the added bonus of more available food sources some winged invaders successfully settled in our cities..

Gulls are specialised seabirds that nest on rugged cliffs and other inaccessible places. They have found the tops of flat buildings ideal to raise their young, so now we don't only see these birds in coastal areas but also inland. Especially the large species can muscle into an environment like an urban park and feast on all the food available. Also gulls seem to forage on waste as easily as they target fishing boats.

The Sparrow is one of the most common city birds. It is in fact a bird closely associated with human activity. As an opportunist it is more common in the city than in the countryside (there it is always to be found around farm buildings). They can be encountered everywhere in the urban landscape, but come up especially close on terraces of cafés and restaurants, hopping frantically amongst the tables and chairs. In recent years efforts to insulate our houses better have reduced the numbers significantly.

Pigeons are also associated with the city, every major city has a large urban square where these birds can be seen in flocks. Sometimes food is sold for tourists. All these urban pigeons are descendants of the Rock pigeon, that was domesticated as the carrier pigeon. Feral pigeon can exploit the urban landscape as they naturally nest on stone ledges and in rock crevices. In many cities the birds are seen as a pest and (unsuccessful) attempts are made to eradicate them.