Study: How Urban Redlining Impacts Bird Populations

An article by Dorany Pineda on Phys.org describes how bird population distribution in Los Angeles is shaped by historic development and discrimination patterns.

As Pineda explains, researchers from Cal State Los Angeles are studying the presence of birds in various neighborhoods to understand how density, tree canopy, and other factors impact where different species of urban birds can successfully live. The research was “a vivid illustration of the so-called luxury effect—the phenomenon by which wealthier, and typically whiter, areas attract a larger and more diverse population of birds.”

According to the researchers, “Historically redlined nonwhite communities, such as Boyle Heights, have less tree canopy and greater housing density than greenlined neighborhoods. As a result, these areas have less bird biodiversity and larger populations of synanthropic birds—species adapted to dense urban environments such as house finches and sparrows, European starlings, common pigeons and northern mockingbirds.” By contrast, ‘greenlined’ areas have more trees and thus a greater diversity of bird species.

The study is another example of the lasting impacts of redlining and other discriminatory policies that continue to affect American cities. “Other researchers have found strong links between historically redlined communities and increased risks of diabetes, hypertension and early mortality from heart disease. Redlined communities are also hotter and have more pollution and less canopy cover and green spaces than non-redlined regions, studies show.”

The study authors note that to promote urban biodiversity equitably, “cities across the U.S. and the world must work to understand their racist and segregationist histories, which is a necessary step toward creating conditions that support urban wildlife along with a more equitable experience of wildlife for a city's inhabitants.”