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Foreword
Urban-Suburban Landscapes
More than 97 million acres, or roughly 4%, of land in the U.S. is in urban or suburban
Overview
areas, with 95% of this land privately owned. Although many grassland and forest
birds avoid urban areas, more than 100 native bird species, including hawks,
The State of the
hummingbirds, woodpeckers, and orioles find urban and suburban habitats suitable
Birds
for breeding. Many species also use these urbanized habitats during migration and
Private Lands winter. Homeowners’ yards, corporate parks, and other private urban greenspaces
Conservation (owned by groups such as land trusts) can provide vital habitat for birds, especially if
Spotlight patches of native vegetation are maintained.

Chimney Swift Distribution

Opportunities for
Improving
Conservation

Urban-Suburban
Landscapes

Conservation
Programs

Bird Distributions on
Private Lands

Our Approach

Citation &
Acknowledgments

News Room

Contact Some bird species, such as Chimney Swift, are now highly adapted to urban
environments. Chimney Swift breeding distribution is highly concentrated
around major cities in the eastern U.S. (Brighter areas on map indicate higher
probability of occupancy. Occupancy estimates were based on bird
observations from eBird and characteristics of the local environment from
remote sensing data.) Chimney Swift populations have been declining steeply
due to changes in chimney designs on homes and other buildings. Chimney
Swift by Tom Johnson.

Urban Greenspace

Urban areas can be more bird-friendly and bird deaths can be reduced through
measures to prevent collisions with glass windows, adjust nighttime lighting so as not
to attract birds, and encourage pet owners to keep cats indoors.

Several programs guide municipalities in managing and restoring habitat for birds.
Many cities have adopted the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Urban Conservation
Treaty for Migratory Birds to provide zoning recommendations that benefit bird
habitat and conservation. Land trusts also play key roles in preserving valuable bird
habitat in urban areas. For example, the Central Indiana Land Trust worked with
landowners Bob and Mary Lou Rice to protect 56 acres of hardwood forest in
Indianapolis with a conservation easement. This property, now open to the public for
hiking and birding, adjoins an Audubon Important Bird Area and is an important
habitat for Neotropical migrant birds as well as many resident birds.

Corporate office grounds have a role to play in bird conservation, too. Office
buildings can earn credit toward Leadership in Environment and Energy Design
(LEED) certification by using bird-safe exterior glass. The nonprofit Wildlife Habitat
Council's "Wildlife at Work" program has worked with employers and employees at
more than 650 sites to create, conserve, and restore wildlife habitats on corporate
lands.

YardMap, a citizen-science project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, uses

social networking and mapping technologies to help people create bird-friendly
landscaping on their properties and share ideas with neighbors. Homeowners
are also contributing long-term monitoring data to Project FeederWatch,
NestWatch, and eBird.

Backyard Habitats

Homeowners can enhance backyard habitats by landscaping with native plants and
providing nesting sites as well as supplemental food and water sources. The National
Wildlife Federation's Certified Wildlife Habitat™ program has helped people with
more than 150,000 bird-friendly backyards.

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