Medellín: The Historical Effect of Urbanization on Bird Life

Abstract

Since the second half of the 19th century, various naturalists have researched the bird life of the Aburrá Valley, drawn by its great avian richness. From 1980 onward, interest grew among local residents themselves, reflected in numerous bird studies conducted by regional institutions and individuals. Inventories carried out over these decades revealed the disappearance of a significant number of bird species from the region. The causes of this loss must be sought in the transformations the territory underwent through urbanization, human intervention on local flora, water and air pollution, and the noise pollution characteristic of cities, all of which decisively affected bird habitat.