Celebrating City Birds

BirdNote^®
Celebrating City Birds
Written by Nicole Jackson

This is BirdNote. I’m Nicole Jackson, an environmental educator and nature enthusiast.

     [Sounds of a bustling city; people talking on the sidewalk, cars honking in traffic]

I want to take a moment to appreciate some of our most overlooked neighbors — the urban birds. You know — pigeons, geese, gulls; species that often get a bad rap among city dwellers. But these cosmopolitan birds are worthy of admiration too.

     [Pigeon cooing]

Pigeons, often called 'rats with wings,' are actually remarkable navigators. They were used to deliver crucial messages during wars. Their resilience in bustling cities is a testament to their adaptability.

     [American Herring Gulls squawking]

And what about gulls? While they may seem pesky at beaches and parking lots, gulls help control insect populations and scarf down food waste. Geese, though sometimes confrontational, are devoted parents and help maintain green spaces by grazing on grass and weeds.

     [Gentle honking of geese]

By thriving in urban areas, birds remind us that nature is adaptable. Yet they still face many of the same environmental challenges as people do, like pollution and climate change. So, how can we show appreciation for our feathered friends? Start by respecting their space and supporting local conservation efforts. Because they’re not “just” birds — they’re part of what makes our cities vibrant.

For BirdNote, I’m Nicole Jackson.

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Senior Producer: Mark Bramhill
Producer: Sam Johnson
Managing Editor: Jazzi Johnson
Managing Producer: Ariana Remmel
Content Director: Jonese Franklin

Bird sounds provided by The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Canada Goose ML499239851 recorded by Ashley Hopkins. American Herring Gull ML133311 recorded by Martha Fischer. Rock Pigeon ML144324561 recorded by Paul Marvin.
BirdNote’s theme was composed and played by Nancy Rumbel and John Kessler.
© 2025 BirdNote June 2025
Narrator: Nicole Jackson

ID# urban-02-2025-06-11      urban-02