magpies make cozy nests of 1500 sharp pins (which were actually meant to bully the birds away)

And the magpies appear to be utilizing the pins precisely as people meant: to maintain different birds away from their nests!

You could find anti-bird pins on many Dutch buildings lately. These are sharp, steel spikes meant to scare away birds and stop them from constructing nests there. However the birds do not care a lot about this, a brand new examine reveals. In actual fact, they even make actual nests from the hen spikes which are purported to scare them off. “These are the craziest hen’s nests I’ve ever seen,” says biologist Auke-Florian Hiemstra of Naturalis.

Nest in Antwerp
It began with the invention of an enormous nest in Antwerp. A hospital affected person noticed within the courtyard of the hospital how magpies constructed a nest the dimensions of 1 sq. meter, consisting of at least 1500 steel spines. The birds had pulled 50 meters of anti-bird pins from the eaves for this nest. “An impregnable fortress,” says Hiemstra. “As a result of the magpies appear to make use of the pins precisely as they’re meant by people: to maintain different birds away from their nests!”

Spiky nests
Magpies typically put a roof on their nest to forestall different animals from stealing the eggs and younger. They due to this fact search for particular thorny vegetation in nature. Nonetheless, these aren’t all the time obtainable within the metropolis, forcing them to search for options. And the anti-bird pins are an excellent substitute. “They’re actually made to maintain birds away,” says Hiemstra. “And that is how they appear to be utilized by birds as effectively.”

Different birds
And it isn’t only one pair of magpies partaking on this exceptional habits. The researchers have discovered a number of magpie nests, within the Netherlands, Belgium and Scotland, which encompass anti-bird spikes. Some magpies additionally use different sharp supplies, resembling barbed wire and knitting needles, for the roof of their nest. And should you suppose it is only a quirk of the magpie, you are incorrect. In Rotterdam, crows’ nests have additionally been discovered which are additionally product of anti-bird pins.

Nest materials
By the way, it was already recognized that not all birds are deterred by the pins. You’ll have ever had the ‘Parkdale Pigeon’ heard, who was not dissuaded by it both. There are additionally a number of movies on the web of rebellious birds tearing the pins from the roofs. What makes the present examine totally different is that that is the primary irrefutable proof that some birds really use the anti-bird spikes as nesting materials.

Adaptation to the town
The analysis, printed within the journal Deinsea, reveals that the adaptability and creativity of city birds is aware of no bounds. In accordance with the researchers, the bizarre hen nests present the last word adaptation to life within the metropolis. Metropolis birds apparently do not let themselves be bullied so simply and use materials that’s meant in opposition to them, exactly to their very own benefit. “Simply whenever you suppose you have seen all of it after half a century of pure historical past, these ingenious crows and magpies actually shock me once more,” says Kees Moeliker, director of the Pure Historical past Museum Rotterdam and co-author of the scientific publication.

Certainly, as a result of we’ve got recognized for a while that birds construct nests from essentially the most loopy objects. Hiemstra has come throughout a number of exceptional issues in his profession, resembling nests consisting of face masks, plastic faux vegetation, sun shades, windshield wipers and even condoms, fireworks and cocaine envelopes. However the anti-bird spikes take the cake. “If even bird-repellent sharp pins are used as nesting materials, apparently something can find yourself in a hen’s nest lately,” Hiemstra notes. “Cannot get crazier than this, can it?”

The massive magpie’s nest of anti-bird pins from Antwerp might be seen from 11 July as a brand new masterpiece within the LiveScience room of Naturalis, which might be visited freed from cost. The Pure Historical past Museum Rotterdam reveals the crow’s nest of anti-bird pins within the lately opened exhibition ‘Nationwide Park Rotterdam’, together with numerous different exceptional constructions of city animals.