Big City Birds

Big City Birds aims to learn about species behavioural adaptations.

We, humans, are capable of dramatically altering the landscape. Cities are a familiar and extreme example of this change. Intriguingly, some animals can adapt to these changed environments by flexibly changing their behaviour. The project focuses on five bird species that have done so successfully: Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Australian Brush-turkey, Australian White Ibis, Little Corella, and Long-billed Corella. Additional species can be reported by selecting “other.”

The five focal species have all been observed adapting to human modified areas , and are increasing their population in urban areas. Occasionally they are considered a nuisance, yet they are all Australian native birds that are doing their best to survive in human altered landscapes. The data collected will help scientists understand these species’ behaviour, movement, reproduction, distribution, and habitat use in suburban areas. We aim to use this information to help understand the behavioural traits that have allowed some species to adapt to the challenges and opportunities of city living.

The Big city Birds app is running on the SPOTTERON Citizen Science Platform, supporting research being conducted by the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, and The University of Sydney.