Cities are driving evolution

[Catherine]

If the observations are accurate then evolutionary changes can happen faster than we thought. We always think of animals adapting over a long period of time. This seems to suggest otherwise. 

There must be some natural variation within a species. The better food supply is in the feeders. Birds that are better able to eat from the feeders are more likely to survive the winter and produce offspring. Maybe it is that simple and direct. 

There are so many things that we do in the city it would be impossible for us to know how we are effecting the evolution of other species. We figure into this too. How are we evolving? I have no idea. I know that birds that are wild, but do not fly away from human presence will have more time at a bird feeder. The birds in my garden stayed and ate even when I was doing a fall cleanup. That meant that I couldn't prune the trees and shrubs where they were feeding. Those shrubs will be bigger next year. 
There is a lot of influence happening in both directions. Birds that like to eat what I planted will also do better.

I wonder how the colours of birds will change. Will we see more birds that blend in with city colours. I don't think birds will get brighter. Cities are usually not as colourful as the country. We may just have to watch and wait to see what happens.