For many birds, cities are not just places to pass through, they’ve become permanent homes, and for those species who migrate, urban green spaces can mean the difference between life and death on long journeys.
Cities may seem like unlikely refuges for birds, with their glass towers, traffic noise, and concrete sprawl. Yet across the U.S. and beyond, a quiet transformation is thankfully underway. Urban planners, architects, and conservationists are embracing “biophilic design”, a philosophy that brings nature into the built environment, not only for human wellbeing, but for the countless bird species that share our cityscapes.
Biophilic cities focus not just on environmental sustainability but also on the health and well-being of residents by incorporating nature into the urban fabric, involving various strategies that integrate nature at every level: street trees, community gardens, rainwater-fed wetlands, and even living walls and green roofs on skyscrapers. While the concept of biophilic cities is relatively recent, the term “biophilia” has been around for a while. Psychologist Erich Fromm first used the term in the 1970s to describe a love of life and living things, and then later, biologist E.O. Wilson popularized the term through his work, including his book “Biophilia” in 1984, which explored the idea that humans have an innate connection to nature.
In the U.S., several cities are leading the charge. Chicago, Owen’s hometown, has embraced the principles of biophilic urbanism through its actions and initiatives, making it a strong example of a city actively working towards a more nature-integrated urban environment. The city and the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service jointly signed an Urban Conservation Treaty for migratory birds in 2000, and back in 2008, Cook County in Chicago adopted a bird-friendly requirement for all new construction and major renovation projects in County-owned buildings. The city has actively worked to reduce bird collisions with buildings and promotes bird-friendly design through initiatives like the Chicago Bird Collision Monitors and the Bird Friendly Chicago coalition. Its Lake Michigan shoreline is also a critical migratory route, making the city a hotspot for birdwatchers each spring and fall.
New York City is home to Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge and The High Line, an elevated park built on a former rail line, where warblers, sparrows, and even kestrels can be spotted. Over on the west coast, Portland, Oregon boasts an extensive network of urban forests and greenways, linking neighbourhoods while creating safe corridors for wildlife. These green interventions don’t just benefit birds, as they also improve air quality, manage stormwater, and create cooler microclimates in heat-prone neighbourhoods.
Some birds have adapted so well to city life that they’ve become urban icons. Peregrine Falcons nest on bridges and skyscrapers, taking advantage of the tall ledges to hunt pigeons and starlings. Chimney Swifts roost in old industrial stacks; American Kestrels perch on traffic lights, scanning for prey in vacant lots. Others are drawn in by restored habitats, and wetland projects within city limits attract migrating shorebirds and ducks. Pocket parks, also known as vest-pocket parks or mini parks, are small, publicly accessible green spaces, designed to offer respite and a recreational area within a compact space. Often created on underutilized or derelict land, even these smaller spaces can transform into a valuable community asset with native plants bringing in warblers, tanagers, and hummingbirds during migration season.
One of the greatest threats to urban birds is glass. Each year, an estimated billion birds in the U.S. die from window collisions. But good news can be heard here, too, as bird-friendly glass and building retrofits are on the rise. Ottawa, Chicago, San Francisco, and several smaller cities across North America have adopted bird-safe building guidelines and incorporate designs using fritted, frosted, or patterned glass help birds recognize solid surfaces. Citizen science projects like Audubon’s “Lights Out” and Canada’s Fatal Light Awareness Program (FLAP) are helping more cities follow suit.
Research shows that exposure to birdsong and greenery improves mental health and reduces stress in urban residents. This makes the case for biophilic design even stronger: it’s not just about protecting wildlife; it’s about making cities healthier for everyone.
Owen has photographed birds in some of the greenest cities in the U.S., and his images tell a hopeful story. Owen’s photos emphasize that, while everyone should if they get the opportunity, you don’t have to travel to a remote rainforest to connect with nature. The birds are right there in your own neighbourhood, sometimes just outside your office window.
You can help too: even the smallest actions can turn a city into a friendlier place for birds. Planting native flowers and trees on balconies or in gardens, dimming outdoor lights during migration nights, or lending your voice to support parks, greenways, and bird-friendly building policies. Together, these simple choices stitch urban life more closely to the rhythms of the natural world.
As more cities embrace green infrastructure, birds gain the safe habitats they need, and we benefit from cleaner, cooler, more beautiful places to live, alongside some of the world’s most enchanting creatures there are.
