CANBERRA, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Australia's smaller birds of prey have adapted better to urbanization than larger species, research has found.

In an international study published on Tuesday, researchers from Flinders University's BirdLab and the University of Vienna evaluated the urban tolerance of 24 Australian raptor species.

They found that the 13 smaller birds of prey, including kites and falcons, have adapted to increasing urbanization than 11 larger-bodied species.

The eastern barn owl, which grows up to only 39 centimeters (cm), was the best adapted of the 24 species, while the wedge-tailed eagle, which can grow over a meter long, was among the least tolerant to urban areas.

As raptors are vital for ecosystem functioning, prioritizing feeding and breeding habitat for urban-tolerated raptor species is essential to enable biodiverse urban landscapes, Taylor Headland, co-author of the study from Flinders University, said in a media release.

"While we see evidence of small Australian raptors persisting in urban environments, conservation management initiatives focusing on habitat protection and restoration of wilderness areas need also to focus on the needs of larger-bodied raptor species given the rise in urban expansion and their avoidance of city zones."

"We are concerned for the raptors of Australia and the Southern Hemisphere, which are far less studied than those in the Northern Hemisphere."

The findings were based on 276,674 observations of the raptors in urban areas across Australia.

Their body mass, nest and habitat types, feeding, and migratory status were analyzed to assess their urban tolerance. Enditem

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