Design X Nature: Walk - Home is where the nest is, Bird Ecology in Melbourne

Join urban ecologist Dr Jacinta Humphrey for a guided walk through Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne exploring the lives of native birds in the heart of the city. Inspired by Bethany Kiss's Design x Nature installation Peckable Architecture, this walk will examine the habitat, food and nesting resources birds need to survive, the pressures they face in urban environments, and how design can help support local birdlife.
Along the way, discover some of the bird species that call the Gardens home, learn how the Gardens manages habitat for wildlife, and hear how research is helping shape more bird-friendly cities. Timed to coincide with BirdLife Australia's annual Aussie Bird Count (19–25 October 2026), the walk invites participants to observe birds more closely and consider the role botanic gardens and urban design play in conserving biodiversity.
Dr Jacinta Humphrey is an Urban Ecologist and Senior Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne specialising in urban bird conservation and biodiversity-sensitive urban design.