Randahl Fink2d ago

The war in Ukraine has now gone on for so long that, birds in the Donbas region have adapted and are using strains of Drone control fiber optic cables to build their nests.

A post from Ukraine claims that this half-finished nest was found after a tree fell during a Russian glide bomb bombing.

Let us make it our goal, that our children will inherit a world in which birds once again build nests out of twigs and stalks.

Show threadErik Jonker2d ago
@randahl it also shows that nature always adapts and finds a way, regardless the fibre pollution we have to clean up
Show threadSu_G2d ago

@ErikJonker
So true! In the treeless wastelands of Australia eagles make nests out of barbed wire & site them on the top of electricity poles. Sad that these & Ukrainian birds have had to adapt but they do. 😐

@randahl

Show threadChristian Schwägerl
@Su_G @ErikJonker @randahl In contrast to barbed wire or the laundry hangers used by Japanese crows, I fear the risk of ingestion is much larger here. Nevertheless, the image shows the masterly skilfulness birds apply when building their nests.
Jun 7 at 1:47pmToot!
Show threadRobotistry1d ago

@christianschwaegerl @Su_G @ErikJonker @randahl Does make me wonder whether birds that build nests with fibre optic cable will discover they are much more durable and produce a Ukrainian subspecies that invests more in mating and child-rearing than in nesting? Maybe a nest will become a generational resource that's used over and over again instead of a consumable that needs to be rebuilt.

What will the impact be on disease transmission (more long term or chronic illness from the fibers themselves? More shared environments for increased transmission?) and on behavior (Will birds fight over particularly sturdy nests? Will they start improving them from one season to the next?)

Show threadChristian Schwägerl1d ago
@Robotistry @Su_G @ErikJonker @randahl That's a lot of ifs. Perhaps nests will plug into Birdy TV? On a more serious note, there are bird species which recycle their own nests or move into pre-existing nests by other species. Would be interesting to study under which condition species where new nests are built every year move to re-use. I would not recommend fieldwork in the areas where drones leave these fibre optic trails, though. Something for better times and after thorough clearing of mines