From chipmunks to coyotes, from blue jays to turkeys, many different forms of wildlife make their home in the cities and towns of Georgia.

Perhaps the most abundant class of animal found in our cities is birds. In one leafy Atlanta neighborhood there can be seen dozens of feathered friends including wild turkey!! Humans spend more than 170 million dollars a year on bird feed and those efforts pay off. One properly placed birdfeeder can attract finches, wrens, nuthatches and warblers – and those birds may in turn attract a hawk!

The seemingly unappealing downtown cityscape is home to other types of birds like the peregrine falcon and the pigeon. The peregrine falcon is accustomed to nesting on cliff faces but these city-dwellers substitute high-rise office towers. They soar above our streets and parks hunting smaller birds on the wing; birds like the abundant pigeon.

Mammals also make their home in the city. Coyotes creep along our suburban streets hunting rodents and insects. Beavers are ever busy, building dams and creating habitat for ducks, geese and otter. Black bears wander in looking for new territory and find instead that birdfeeders and trashcans are easy places to uncover a meal. You may never see one of these critters but they're out there.

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