Characterizing avian survival along a ruralâtoâurban land use gradient
Many avian species persist in humanâdominated landscapes; however, little is known about the demographic consequences of urbanization in these populations. Given that urban habitats introduce novel benefits (e.g., anthropogenic resources) and pressures (e.g., mortality risks), conflicting mechanisms have been hypothesized to drive the dynamics of urban bird populations. Topâdown processes such as predation predict reduced survivorship in suburban and urban habitats, whereas bottomâup processes, such as increased resource availability, predict peak survival in suburban habitats.