Eurasian magpies typically build their nests from thorny branches, but some birds have discovered anti-bird spikes work just as well—if not better
“That’s just a brilliant way to fight the system. Nice to see some birds fighting back.”
However, a new study shows that not only are some birds unbothered by long strips of barbs, but they’re actually ripping the skewers off buildings and using them to build armored nurseries for their chicks. Perhaps this is why, in three separate instances described between 2021 and 2023 from the Netherlands, Belgium, and Scotland, Hiemstra found magpie nests that incorporated anti-bird spikes in the top of the dome. And this is intriguing, because magpies typically construct their roofs out of hawthorn, blackthorn, and rose stems.
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