Understanding the spatial heterogeneity of bird community distribution within urban greenways is crucial for optimizing ecological functions and supporting urban biodiversity. While ecological corridors enhance connectivity and biodiversity, specific mechanisms by which landscape composition and configuration influence bird diversity remain unclear. This study examines bird community distribution along the Qingshan Lake Greenway in Hangzhou during autumn and winter, using 17 observation points across wetlands, forests, and mixed habitats. The key findings indicate that wetlands have significantly higher species richness compared to forests and mixed habitats, underscoring wetlands’ critical role in supporting diverse bird communities. Greenways primarily facilitate short-distance bird movement with limited permeability between habitats. Additionally, greenway effectiveness in enhancing bird diversity depends heavily on design and structural characteristics. This research highlights the necessity of incorporating microhabitat design and diverse habitat configurations in greenway planning to enhance ecological connectivity and biodiversity. It provides essential insights for urban planners and ecologists, emphasizing detailed landscape composition and configuration analyses. Future research should include year-round studies and advanced ecological monitoring technologies to validate and expand these findings, ultimately contributing to more effective urban biodiversity conservation and sustainable development strategies.

Small towns in mountainous regions face significant challenges in formulating effective landscape zoning strategies due to pronounced landscape fragmentation, which is driven by both the dominance of large-scale forest resources and the lack of coordination between administrative planning departments. To tackle this problem, this study focused on Yuqian, a quintessential small mountainous town in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. The town’s layout was divided into a grid network measuring 70 m × 70 m. A two-step cluster process was employed using ArcGIS and SPSS software to analyze five landscape variables: altitude, slope, land use, heritage density, and visual visibility. Further, eCognition software’s semi-automated segmentation technique, complemented by manual adjustments, helped delineate landscape character types and areas. The overlay analysis integrated these areas with administrative village units, identifying four landscape character types across 35 character areas, which were recategorized into four planning and management zones: urban comprehensive service areas, agricultural and cultural tourism development areas, industrial development growth areas, and mountain forest ecological conservation areas. This result optimizes the current zoning types. These zones closely match governmental sustainable development zoning requirements. Based on these findings, we propose integrated landscape management and conservation strategies, including the cautious expansion of urban areas, leveraging agricultural and cultural tourism, ensuring industrial activities do not impact the natural and village environment adversely, and prioritizing ecological conservation in sensitive areas. This approach integrates spatial and administrative dimensions to enhance landscape connectivity and resource sustainability, providing key guidance for small town development in mountainous regions with unique environmental and cultural contexts.