Cities provide key resources for migratory birds
Research from the Neotropics shows urban areas can provide vital refuges for migrating birds in landscapes otherwise dominated by intensive human activity.
Rethinking cities as bird habitat
A new study challenges the assumption that urban environments are inevitably bad for migratory birds. Focusing on a heavily modified region of the Neotropics, researchers found that many migratory species were more abundant in urban green spaces than in surrounding rural landscapes.
Rather than acting as ecological traps, cities in this region appeared to offer important feeding and resting opportunities during migration, particularly where natural habitats outside urban areas had been extensively degraded.
Studying birds along an urban–rural gradient
The researchers surveyed bird communities across a gradient ranging from dense urban centres to agricultural and semi-natural habitats. By comparing species richness, abundance and migratory status across these zones, they were able to assess how birds respond to different levels of human disturbance.
The study distinguished between resident and migratory species, revealing striking differences in how the two groups used the landscape. While resident birds tended to decline with increasing urbanisation, migratory birds often showed the opposite pattern.
Migrants outnumber residents in cities
One of the clearest findings was that migratory birds were significantly more abundant in urban areas than in rural ones. In contrast, resident species were generally more common outside cities.
This pattern suggests that migratory birds may be particularly adept at exploiting the patchy resources found in urban environments, such as gardens, parks and tree-lined streets. For birds arriving from long journeys, these green pockets may provide reliable food and shelter in otherwise inhospitable landscapes.
Why cities can work for migrants
The authors suggest several reasons why cities may benefit migratory birds. Urban areas often contain a diversity of flowering and fruiting plants, many of them non-native, which can extend food availability beyond natural seasonal limits.
Cities can also offer warmer microclimates, reduced predator pressure and predictable resources, all of which may help migrants refuel efficiently during stopovers. In regions where deforestation and agricultural intensification dominate the wider countryside, urban green spaces may stand out as comparatively rich habitats.
Not all birds benefit equally
Despite these positive effects for migrants, the study makes clear that urbanisation is not universally beneficial. Many resident species declined sharply with increasing human disturbance, highlighting a trade-off between groups.
The findings underline that cities may act as refuges for some birds while simultaneously contributing to losses elsewhere in the avian community.
Implications for conservation planning
The study has important implications for how conservation is approached in highly modified regions. Protecting and enhancing urban green spaces could play a meaningful role in supporting migratory birds, particularly during critical stopover periods.
Urban planning that incorporates native vegetation, connected green corridors and reduced pesticide use could further increase the value of cities for birds on the move, without undermining efforts to conserve remaining natural habitats.
A broader message beyond the Neotropics
Although the research was conducted in the Neotropics, its message resonates far beyond the region. As human pressure intensifies worldwide, migratory birds may increasingly depend on novel habitats to complete their journeys.
The study adds to a growing body of evidence that conservation cannot afford to ignore cities. For some species, especially long-distance migrants, urban landscapes may already be an essential part of their annual cycle.
January 2026
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