[Posted by Chuck Almdale]

In a ‘perfect comeback,’ some birds use antibird spikes to build their nests.

Article by Luis Melecio-Zambrano at Science News Magazine, 17 July 2023.

Some Eurasian magpies and Carrion Crows may use the spikes as they were originally intended — to ward off other birds. It’s the Mad Max dream of a bird’s nest: A menacing composite of metal, clay, twig and plastic.

Spotted in a sugar maple tree in Antwerp, Belgium, the gnarly architecture brims with at least 1,500 long, sharp antibird spikes pointing out from its center. “That is really like a bunker for birds,” says biologist Auke-Florian Hiemstra. “Like this fortress which cannot be taken.”

This article contains links to other interesting articles.

Many other sources carried similar articles.
Science – 12 Jul 2023
The Guardian – 11 Jul 2023
Audubon – 13 Jul 2023