Song in the Sprawl: Yucatán's Birds in a Changing Landscape

This StoryMap explores the relationships among urbanization, Maya culture, and bird biodiversity across the Yucatán Peninsula by combining satellite-derived land-cover data, spatial analysis, and avian survey data. Through maps, ecological metrics, and visual comparisons of landscapes and species, this project investigates the types of bird species most prevalent in the region, how Maya culture and use of the land relate to these species, and how land cover and patterns of habitat fragmentation influence community composition. This project was created out of an appreciation for all birds and for the respect with which the Maya community treats native, endemic, and migratory species, often including them in stories and structures. We are especially proud of our ability to weave in many different types of media, including text, photos, graphs, maps, and audio clips into our project design, as well as how we incorporated many different aspects of ecology and biodiversity.