A deep dive into bird survey data has found that some of Australia’s favorite backyard visitors considered ‘common’ are actually on the decline as cities and suburbs opt for less greenery. The study used citizen science data to examine the prevalence and diversity of bird species across Greater Brisbane, Greater Sydney, Greater Perth and Greater Melbourne. The team found that introduced species, historically prominent in Australian urban bird communities, were decreasing in prevalence in all four regions, while a small group of native urban exploiters were becoming more prevalent.
