Urbanism does not stand in one place and is rapidly developing worldwide. Now more frequently, people can see huge buildings in the middle of megacities and small towns. But there is also a threat to this type of urbanism, which is unexpected. The point is not about talking about people who defend the values of their cities and advocate the preservation of their original appearance. The problem lies elsewhere, in the migration of birds, which interferes with both the construction and the people who live in skyscrapers.
Not surprisingly, these migrations occur periodically, and it is not difficult for scientists to track the timing and direction of the birds. The problem is to adapt to this phenomenon and avoid the direct threat to nature. Since such migrations are an immediate necessity because, in this way, birds can survive by flying to warmer countries, many of the species at the moment are on the verge of extinction. Few people consider the fact that the global gene pool is being spoiled by its actions to improve urbanism.
According to the graph in the article “Bird Migration Advances Stronger in Urban Environments,” most bird species have difficulty migrating. The chart shows that out of 15 species, 13 are in the negative trend, and their number is decreasing rapidly (Tryjanowski et al., 2013). This is directly related to the development of cities and the vast overcrowding of people. It may seem that the problem is in the people spreading over the world, but the fact is that it is not that obvious.
It is interesting that not only people are developing, but also birds. You can notice that the dates of migration have changed a lot recently. Despite the confusing schedule, birds are still migrating and adjusting to the needs of people. In addition, according to work cited, these studies cannot be called entirely reliable (Tryjanowski et al., 2013). All the data were collected in relatively small towns in Poland, and a minor animal rights organization monitored the birds. As the data was collected only partially and not globally, it can be concluded that this study is not reasoned and cannot claim to be objective. It is rather difficult to construct a holistic study using data from only a small area in one region, so the data is insufficient.
What is certain is that migration is influenced not by urbanization but by pollution. The article suggests that the birds were able to continue their migrations despite external interference from the people, such as global warming because of air pollution, and change their habits for the sake of survival. Much more important is the fact that meteorological conditions have a more detrimental effect on migration and the ability to breed. Comparing the flight schedules of birds of different species, birds of prey, and domestic birds, it was concluded that they are not significantly different. Neither were the migration schedules before the development of urbanism and after. As it turned out, the problem does not lie in improving the quality of life of people but in the emission of vast amounts of heat and waste into the atmosphere.
The solution to this problem is to limit the consumption of energy resources and the development of alternative energy sources. These factors directly affect the migratory movements of birds and reduce their number. If you look at urbanism from people’s point of view, it only improves their lives and makes it possible to reduce the space occupied for life. This space can be spent on installing solar panels and developing the energy industry in a more rational way, which will positively affect the lives of both people and other living creatures around them.
Reference
Tryjanowski, P., Sparks, T. H., KuĆșniak, S., Czechowski, P., & Jerzak, L. (2013). Bird Migration Advances More Strongly in Urban Environments. PLoS ONE, 8(5), e63482. Web.