Episode
Okay, but why do some birds thrive in cities?
- Podcast
- Okay, But... Birds
- Published
- Jan 29, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 1866
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://okaybutbirds.com
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Summary
E8. Cities can look like a concrete nightmare for wildlife… yet some birds are absolutely crushing it, while others vanish. In this episode of Okay, But... Birds , host Dr. Scott Taylor is joined by Dr. Fran Bonier, Professor at Queen’s University, to unpack what “urban birds” really are, why cities create winners and losers, and what it actually costs a bird to live the high-rise life. In this episode, you’ll hear about: Which birds tend to become “city birds,” and why some species thrive in urban spaces while others disappear The concrete benefits and hidden costs of city living, plus the traits that predict an urban “winner” How scientists test whether birds are adapting and learning fast vs. being filtered by city conditions, and what the biology says about stress in urban birds All audio, video, and images in this episode are either original to Okay, But... Birds (© Okay Media, LLC) or used under license/permission from the respective rights holders. Bird media from the Macaulay Library is used courtesy of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology as follows: House Sparrow audio contributed by Wil Hershberger, ML539706 Peregrine Falcon audio contributed by Mike Andersen, ML136378 Rosy-faced Lovebird audio contributed by Derek Solomon, ML168222 Sulphur-crested Cockatoo audio contributed by Mark Robbins, ML529861 White-crowned Sparrow audio contributed by Bob McGuire, ML207181 Sharp-shinned Hawk (Northern) audio contributed by David McCartt, ML137605 Chimney Swift audio contributed by Wil Hershberger, ML107413 Chimney Swift video contributed by Timothy Barksdale, ML440546