Urbanization and Raptors: Trends and Research Approaches

Urbanization presents a major global issue for the conservation and survival of many different species. With the increasing footprint of cities and intensification of our use of urban areas, wildlife faces extremely difficult challenges to live there. Understanding how species respond to urban processes and how to design urban landscapes that facilitate species’ presences are major emerging research and management priorities. Despite general negative responses to increasing urbanization, some animal taxa, both native and introduced, appear to benefit from urban environments by capitalizing on novel environments and abundant resources.1 Those that are common in urban systems display particular physical characteristics and ecological traits.2,3,4 They also frequently display a level of behavioral plasticity or tolerance, adjusting their behavior to interact with, and survive in, urban environments.5,6 Termed urban-adaptors,7 these species may exhibit altered spatial,8,9,10 foraging,11,12 and breeding behaviors,13 as detailed in chapter 2.