Author Archives: Rob Fergus

Why should bird conservationists work with homeowners associations?  San Diego Audubon has a great workbook answering this question, and providing guidelines for creating and implementing sustainable, nature-friendly landscaping projects within planned communities administered by a homeowners association.  The 20 page guidebook also includes a … Continue reading →

In dense urban environments, were there isn’t a lot of open space for habitat, pioneering urban ecologists have been constructing green walls of vegetation to serve as habitat and improve the air quality and thermal properties of the city.  This … Continue reading →

BirdLife Netherlands has published the proceedings of an Urban Bird Conservation workshop held last year in Auckland, New Zealand as part of the International Congress on Conservation Biology.  I was privileged to be a part of the workshop, and was one of … Continue reading →

Pest Control Technology, the pest control industry magazine, recently featured me in an interview about urban bird control. Check it out.

In 2005, New Jersey Department of Transportation began implementing a Grassland Eco Mow Zone (GEMZ) program to cut down on roadside mowing expenses. As indicated on the sign, these mowing regimes not only save money, they do provide additional habitat … Continue reading →

My favorite sign from a recent trip to Austin, TX. A local humor writer once quipped that the Great-tailed Grackle should be the official bird of Austin, and huge roosts in parking lot trees are a big part of living … Continue reading →

Walmart may turn out to be the biggest protector of urban wildlife habitat yet. Check out the latest Walmart efforts, involving $500,000 in grants to projects in DC, Chicago, NYC, and LA. Walmart’s Acres for America program has already protected … Continue reading →

What are they doing up there? Check out my latest online article on birds on buildings, and what to do about them when they are causing trouble.

When we think of urban birds, we usually think of pigeons, starlings, and house sparrows. Maybe some robins, crows, and gulls. Urban bird habitats might be parks, or yards. But pretty much any habitat can be urbanized–including beaches, as my … Continue reading →

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reported in July that it will award 10 U.S. cities with a total of $650,000 in funding to develop bird conversation projects. The following new Urban Bird Treaty Cities will each receive a grant … Continue reading →