You are talking about preferences for genre. Landscape or unpopulated urbanscape, versus "street" or environmental portrait genres. Frankly, I don't think that one can conclude much comparing popular response to individual photos in different genres. I think that a comparison of viewer response photos within genres would be more revealing.
As for the bird photography comparison - nowadays, the ability to get decent ID shots ("bird on a stick" shots) of exotic species is a function of MONEY and not skill - because tour operators (usually former pro wildlife photographers who have lost the market to freebies from amateurs) have now done the work of identifying the habitat and good shooting locations for the client photographers. I am actually more impressed by good behavioral shots, life-cycle series, outstanding BIF shots of common species, or at least relatively local species, in which the photographer has done their own habitat scouting, blind setup, etc. My idea of a really good wildlife photographer is a local (Missouri) guy, worked as photographer for state conservation department for many years, and did a book project on his own time about sage grouse, prairie chicken family of birds in the USA: "Save the Last Dance" Noppadol Paothong. He seems to know every grouse biologist, pertinent conservation department ranger, and landowner with a lek (dancing / mating grounds) on his land in the USA. Plus, his book and site images are used for stirring up interest in saving the birds' habitat.
http://www.savethelastdancebook.com/http://www.nopnatureimages.com/
