Paris Park Restores Biodiversity with “Bird Field”

Why this is here: The park’s “Bird Field” includes hawthorn bushes currently covered in flowers, attracting insects that serve as food for local bird species.

Frédéric Mahler identifies bird songs at the Parc de la Villette in Paris, France. As a scientific delegate for the League for the Protection of Birds (LPO) Île-de-France, he observes species like the blackcap and chiffchaff within a newly established area called “Le Champ des oiseaux.”

This space, designed to allow biodiversity to flourish, features a clearing sown with seeds and a variety of shrubs like hawthorn. Mahler notes the hawthorn attracts insects that feed birds, and varied habitats support nesting. He suggests winter is the best time to learn bird identification, as bare trees make birds easier to spot and fewer species are singing.

The park also offers workshops on topics ranging from beekeeping to cyanotype printing. While “Le Champ des oiseaux” provides a promising habitat, long-term monitoring will be needed to understand how the space fully supports bird populations and biodiversity.