When it comes to making green space for wildlife in cities, quantity is as crucial as quality. Bichi and colleagues studied how different urban environments affect bird populations in Malaysia’s cities. The team looked at two types of areas: grassy fields and roadsides with trees. They found over 2,000 birds from 75 different species, but there was a striking difference between the habitats.
The difference between habitats was clear: grass fields supported far more birds than roadsides, with 1,252 birds from 66 species in grassy areas compared to 849 birds from 52 species along roads. Birds that eat a varied diet were most common, while predatory birds were rarest. Weather played a big role too – both the number and types of birds changed between wet and dry seasons. This pattern held true across different seasons, suggesting grass fields consistently provide better bird habitat in urban areas.
How do you count birds in a busy city? The research team had a plan. They set up 60 observation points spread evenly between grassy areas and roadsides. Each morning between 7-11am, when birds are most active, they spent exactly 10 minutes at each point counting every bird they could see or hear within 50 metres – about the length of an Olympic swimming pool. To capture seasonal changes, they visited each spot twice: once in the dry season (August-September) and once in the wet season (October-November). They stayed away during heavy rain or strong winds, as this would make spotting birds much harder.
Cities are spreading worldwide. By 2050, an extra 2.5 billion people will be living in urban areas – that’s like adding over 300 Londons to our planet. This rapid growth puts pressure on wildlife, but cities don’t have to be concrete deserts. Birds are particularly good at adapting to urban life, and they do vital jobs in our cities: they eat pest insects, spread plant seeds, and pollinate flowers.
Previous studies have shown that roads can be tough places for birds to live. Traffic noise makes it harder for them to hear each other’s songs and warnings, while moving vehicles pose obvious dangers. Studies like this one, from different cities around the world, help us understand which urban features help wildlife thrive – and which ones create problems.
Bichi, H. M., Azhar, B., Yahya, M. S., Hadi, M. A., Ogunjinmi, A. A., Kamarudin, N., & Norhisham, A. R. (2024). Grass fields play a greater role in maintaining avian biodiversity in urban landscapes than roadsides. Urban Ecosystems, 28:0. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-024-01621-2 ($)
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