Birds build hanging-nests to help protect their offspring against invaders like snakes and parasites.
The relationship between nest design and the length of time offspring spend in the nest was examined by researchers.
The offspring of species with long entrance tunnels are more likely to have a longer development period.
Longer entrance tunnels are more effective at limiting access by invaders than shorter ones, and thus limiting the exposure of offspring to nest invaders.
According to researchers, the nest's structural features can help protect offspring from parasites.
The consistency of these findings is due to the fact that the weaverbirds and icterids have their own unique nest styles.
The full analysis of the study can be found in the journal.
Sally Street of Durham University is the lead author of the study.
It has been assumed that tree-climbing snakes are deterred from attacking by the nest. We are excited to show that these ideas appear to be correct, and that the most elaborate nest, particularly those with long entrance tunnels, have more slowly developing offspring, which is exactly what we should expect if the nest protects the chick from predator and other nest invaders.
Birds and other species can control their exposure to environmental hazard by building protective structures such as the elaborate nest, according to researchers.
The scientists obtained data on nest design, life history, body mass and latitude from multiple sources for the purpose of the study.
Their study shows how animal architects can change the way their offspring develop.
The role of shelter-building in human evolution may be helped by this.
Sally Street and her colleagues studied the evolution of elaborate nest as structural defences in birds. Royalsocietypublishing.org/doi....1098/
Journal information: Proceedings of the Royal Society B
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