Urban landscapes experiencing population loss often maintain high quantities of vacant land which cause social stress but also create opportunities for conservation of wildlife, including birds. Understanding how features of the urban environment affect bird communities is needed to support planning and policy that creates more effective biodiversity outcomes. Using acoustic recorders, we explored the factors that affect bird communities in Detroit, MI, based on features in surrounding neighborhoods. We compared Shannon diversity, richness, and acoustic detection of birds at 110 recording sites from 2021 to 2023. We used a generalized linear model approach to determine the moderating effect of variables including Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and density of vacant lots around recording sites on bird community space use. We found increased bird diversity at recording sites surrounded by higher densities of vacant land and evidence that some habitat specialists use these areas more than others. Our results indicate habitat preference for areas with more vacant lots, and general preferential habitat selection for certain features of the urban environment. Understanding how urban bird communities use space in a post-industrial, urban landscape will help inform more effective nature-based solutions and urban plans that balance conservation, health, and social justice goals.