Urban Cavities Project

Our knowledge about bird biology comes predominantly from studies based on nestboxes and natural breeding spaces. Yet, as birds adapt to the Anthropocene, they increasingly use human-made structures for nesting.Openings in buildings, power towers, bridges, and other elements of urban infrastructure may play an important role in avian reproduction. However, the scientific literature on this topic remains scarce.

To address this knowledge gap, we launched the Urban Cavities Project, a global citizen-science initiative on the iNaturalist platform that documents bird breeding in and on human-made structures. So far, more than 1000 observations representing over 200 bird species across six continents have been validated. By collecting observations from around the world, we aim to better understand how birds use human infrastructure for reproduction and how this may shape their adaptation to changing environments.

Contribute your observations and help us build a global dataset of avian breeding in the Anthropocene by joining the project!