Birds are also sensitive to landscape composition and configuration within the city centre

Maintaining biodiversity in urbanised landscapes has become a conservation issue. Although numerous studies have shown that avifauna decreases according to urbanisation level, little is known about the influence of urban characteristics on avifauna in densely urbanised areas. This study took place in the centre of a highly urbanised area, Paris, France, where we defined a grid of 94 cells of 1 km2 each. Using Bayesian model averaging, we examined the variation of diversity and abundance of breeding birds (41 species) through their feeding and nesting behaviours. We then analysed the responses of these guilds to composition (proportion of different types of buildings and green spaces) and configuration (heterogeneity, spatial arrangement of green spaces). The abundance of omnivorous and tree nester species was influenced by urban characteristics such as building heterogeneity. The positive influence of shrub cover on insectivorous species abundance was greater in areas with a high density of medium-height buildings. Omnivorous species abundance increased with the juxtaposition of vegetation when the bare soil cover was low, and decreased otherwise. Globally, the abundance of omnivorous, ground and tree nester species was sensitive to building characteristics, whereas insectivorous and granivorous species as well as roof nesters may benefit from green space management. We concluded that urban planning can also promote avifauna abundance in the city centre by varying the heights of buildings in urban renewal projects rather than clustering buildings of similar height, or by focusing on the spatial configuration of green spaces (especially their proximity) rather than their area.

► In heavily urbanised areas, the abundance of species varies not only with classical landscape metrics.
► The omnivorous, ground and tree nester species were sensitive to building height heterogeneity.
► Insectivorous, granivorous and roof nesting species were influenced by the green spaces spatial arrangement.
► Urban avifauna is likely to be influenced by urbanism design and green space management.