Where have all the shrubs gone?
Our urban parks are full of open lawns and scattered canopy trees – great for a picnic, but not so great for the birds, reptiles, and small mammals that depend on a dense, layered midstorey to shelter, feed, and breed. That crucial middle layer of vegetation, the shrubs, understorey trees, and tangly thickets between the grass and the canopy, is largely missing from urban greenspaces across Australia.
In this Birds Meet webinar, Dr Nicola Sockhill investigates why the midstorey has disappeared from our cities and makes the case for bringing it back, not just for birds, but for all urban wildlife (and for us, too). Drawing on her PhD research at the University of Queensland, Nicola shows that vegetation complexity matters, and that a patchwork of parks with varying structure across a city can support a far wider range of species than uniform open greenspace.
Whether you’re a council planner, a community group greening your local park, or a gardener wondering what to plant next, this talk will give you the evidence and inspiration to champion the missing midstorey in your neighbourhood.
About the speaker
Dr Nicola Sockhill is a researcher, birder, and ecologist based in Brisbane. Her research focuses on how urban greenspaces can, and should, support biodiversity, with the goal of helping all animals exist happily and healthily in cities. Nicola brings her passion for research, large-scale statistical analysis, and birding to her current role as an ecologist in the renewable energy industry.
Date: Wednesday 22 July, 2026
Time: 6pm-7pm AEST
Meeting times in your time zone:
Register here to join us on 22 July. Please note: places for this webinar are limited, so register early to secure your spot.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Urban sprawl has a huge impact on native birds. BirdLife Australia's Urban Bird Program protects birds and their habitats across our rapidly changing and expanding cities.
You may not know it, but there’s a lot you can do for Australia's birds from the comfort of your own home — from creating a bird-friendly garden to submitting a seasonal survey — you can make a difference by taking action in your own backyard. Find out more about the Birds in Backyards project.
Learn how you can support native Aussie birds by creating a habitat garden at home.
