Urban Bird Ecology and Conservation

Urban Bird Ecology and Conservation is number 45 in the series Studies in Avian Biology, which dates back to 1978.
Most of the research covered in the book has been conducted in the United States, with two studies focused on European populations, and just one from the UK. The book consists of a series of peer-reviewed chapters that will appeal particularly to people with a research interest in urban bird ecology, for whom this will be a core text for years to come. To more casual readers, the book will be pretty heavy going, although it is accessibly written and presented.

The book builds on the rapidly growing body of literature about urban bird ecology, highlighting the importance of such research in our urbanising world. Key topics that are covered include: factors determining urban bird communities; the demography of urban birds; and how biologists can work with developers, planners and policymakers to help conserve birds. Other chapters explore the relationship between people and birds in urban areas, including research into bird feeding habits in the UK, and also discuss urban bird citizen science – an increasingly valued resource.

The book concludes with a chapter by John Marzluff on how urbanisation, including our interactions with birds, might change their evolutionary trajectories. This provides much food for thought and sets the scene for research that will surely follow.

Book reviewed by Tim Harrison