An excellent interactive brochure by Humphries et al (2024), examines the impact of urbanisation on backyard native bird species. The impact of housing density, importance of local protected bush areas, and importance of canopy trees all are addressed.

In their words:

“Urban areas can support a wide range of native plants and animals, including some threatened species.

This is especially true for birds which are often widespread and abundant in cities and towns. However, it’s
clear that some neighbourhoods provide better habitat for birds than others. Some species have adapted
well to life in the suburbs, while others struggle to persist.

This brochure summarises the impacts of urbanisation on bird communities in Melbourne, Australia, and
outlines actions we can take to improve habitat for native birds. Let’s start by identifying the birds that
regularly occur in your garden to see how your neighbourhood compares with other suburbs of Melbourne!”

Well worth a look for the glorious images alone.