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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Anthropogenic nest materials in two distinct populations of migratory bird in Europe.
ClearWhy do some bird species incorporate more anthropogenic materials into their nests than others?
This review examines why certain bird species incorporate plastic and other human-made materials into their nests more than others, considering factors like habitat, diet, and nesting style. While the materials can sometimes provide benefits like pest deterrence, they also carry risks including entanglement and reduced insulation. The study illustrates how pervasive plastic pollution has become in natural ecosystems, with wildlife interactions serving as indicators of environmental microplastic contamination.
The prevalence of anthropogenic nest materials differs between two distinct populations of migratory birds in Europe
Researchers found significant differences in anthropogenic nest material use between two white stork populations in Poland and Spain, with incorporation of plastic and other human-made materials linked to local Human Footprint Index and land use patterns.
Do birds select the plastics debris used for nest construction? A case study in a Mediterranean agricultural landscape
Researchers studied plastic debris in the nests of two Mediterranean bird species and found that both magpies and serins actively select plastic filaments over other plastic shapes — likely because filaments resemble natural nesting fibers — with 71–96% of nests containing plastic, raising concerns about wildlife behavioral adaptation to pervasive pollution.
Plastic debris in bird nests: sources, ecological impacts, and bioindicator potential for monitoring microplastic pollution
This review examines how birds increasingly use plastic debris as nesting material, and the ecological consequences of this behavior. Researchers found that the most common plastics in nests are polypropylene and polyethylene, which fragment into smaller pieces over time, exposing birds to entanglement, ingestion, and toxic chemical additives. The study suggests that birds can serve as useful bioindicators for monitoring the extent of microplastic pollution in their surrounding environments.
Variation in the use of anthropogenic materials in tit nests: influence of human activities and pandemic restrictions
Researchers studied the nesting materials of great tits and blue tits in a suburban area of Portugal and found that nearly 10% of materials in great tit nests were human-made, including synthetic fibers and plastic fragments. More anthropogenic materials were found in nests closer to roads and developed areas. This research illustrates how plastic pollution infiltrates even the nesting behavior of wild birds, demonstrating the pervasiveness of microplastic contamination in the environment.
The extended avian urban phenotype: anthropogenic solid waste pollution, nest design, and fitness
Researchers studied how urban garbage pollution affects bird nesting behavior in great tits and blue tits, finding that birds in areas with more human activity incorporated more plastic and synthetic materials into their nests while using fewer insulating natural materials like fur and feathers. Increased plastic in nests was linked to lower reproductive success in blue tits, showing that urban solid waste pollution can harm wildlife fitness.
Ecological interactions influencing microplastic loading in small terrestrial birds
Researchers examined how ecological interactions among soil organisms influence microplastic loading in small terrestrial bird nests, finding that foraging behavior and habitat use create pathways for plastic accumulation in nest materials.
Differences in microplastics in passerine feces across species, diet, and foraging location
Researchers analyzed fecal samples from five passerine bird species and found microplastics in all of them, with ground-foraging species carrying higher particle loads and insectivores ingesting more fragment-shaped particles than omnivores — suggesting that feeding behavior and habitat determine which bird species face the greatest microplastic exposure risk.
Birds and plastic pollution: recent advances
This review summarizes how plastic pollution affects birds across both aquatic and terrestrial habitats, covering ingestion, entanglement, and chemical exposure from macro- and microplastics. Researchers found that hundreds of bird species have accumulated plastic in their tissues, with effects ranging from physical injury to hormonal disruption and reproductive harm. The study positions birds as valuable indicator species for monitoring the broader environmental impact of plastic pollution.
Plastics and other anthropogenic debris in freshwater birds from Canada.
This study quantified plastic debris ingestion in 17 freshwater and one marine bird species across Canada, finding that over 11% of individuals had ingested anthropogenic debris. The results show that plastic pollution in freshwater environments affects birds at rates comparable to marine species, highlighting the need to extend plastic pollution monitoring beyond the ocean.
Microplastic accumulation in the gastrointestinal tracts of nestling and adult migratory birds
Researchers examined microplastic accumulation in the gastrointestinal tracts of both nestling and adult migratory birds across six species, finding widespread plastic ingestion with fibers predominating, suggesting that microplastic exposure begins early in avian life stages.
Plastic Debris in Nests of Two Water Bird Species Breeding on Inland Saline Lakes in a Mediterranean Biosphere Reserve
Researchers found anthropogenic debris, primarily macroplastics, in 2.4% and 12% of nests of two waterbird species breeding on inland salt lakes in a Spanish biosphere reserve. The results demonstrate plastic pollution reaches freshwater and terrestrial breeding habitats far from the ocean.
Using Social Media to Determine the Global Distribution of Plastics in Birds’ Nests: The Role of Riverine Habitats
Using systematic searches of social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, researchers mapped the global distribution of plastics in bird nests, finding widespread incorporation of plastic materials across species and geographic regions, with riverine habitats showing particularly high rates.
Microplastic accumulation in various bird species in Turkey
Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in 12 bird species in Turkey, providing the first data of its kind for the country. They found microplastics in all species examined, with variations in particle types and concentrations across different birds. The study contributes to the growing evidence that microplastic pollution affects wildlife across diverse habitats and feeding strategies.
A methodology for the sampling and identification of microplastics in bird nests
Researchers developed and tested a green (chemical-free) method to extract and identify microplastics from bird nests, finding an average of 250 microplastic items per nest in urban Great-tailed grackle nests, mostly synthetic polyethylene and polypropylene fibers. Bird nests offer a practical, non-invasive way to monitor microplastic contamination in urban and terrestrial environments.
How do life history and behaviour influence plastic ingestion risk in Canadian freshwater and terrestrial birds?
Researchers examined 457 wild birds in Canada and found that about 5% had visible plastic debris in their digestive tracts, with non-raptor species being nine times more likely to ingest plastic than raptors. When they looked more closely at raptor intestines, they found microplastic particles in all 54 birds tested, even though few had larger plastic pieces. The study identifies certain bird species as potential sentinels for monitoring microplastic pollution in freshwater and land environments.
Microplastic abundance in gull nests in relation to urbanization
Microplastic counts in herring gull and great black-backed gull nests at three US colonies showed higher proportions of microplastics in urban nests than in remote ones, linking urbanization to greater microplastic accumulation in coastal bird nesting habitats.
Microplastics presence in wild bird species through an environmental forensic lens
This study examined microplastic presence in wild bird species using an environmental forensics approach, finding plastic particles across multiple bird taxa in ecosystems ranging from urban to remote. The results highlight wild birds as both sentinels of and victims of plastic pollution.
Ingestion of Unusual Items by Wetland Birds in Urban Landscapes
Researchers surveyed regurgitated pellets from colonial wetland birds in two Indian cities, finding that over half of pellets in Coimbatore contained rubber bands, rubber balloons, and small plastic debris, demonstrating widespread ingestion of anthropogenic litter by urban birds.
Microscopic anthropogenic waste ingestion by small terrestrial European passerines: evidence from finch and tit families
Researchers examined the stomachs and intestines of nine common European songbird species — finches and tits — to see how much microscopic waste they were ingesting. Of 149 birds tested, 31 contained particles including 7 confirmed microplastics (polyethylene, PET, and polystyrene), along with cellulosic fibers like cotton and rayon. Finches ingested more than tits, and ingestion rates were higher outside the breeding season. Because these small birds are prey for larger animals, they may be passing microplastics up the food chain.
Exposure to microplastics by pelagic and coastal seabirds from temperate and tropical environments
Researchers examined microplastic exposure in pelagic and coastal seabird species from temperate and tropical marine environments, using the birds' broad spatial distribution and feeding behavior to assess microplastic distribution and concentration patterns across oceanic regions.
Birds as bioindicators of plastic pollution in terrestrial and freshwater environments: A 30-year review
This 30-year review of 106 studies examines how birds in freshwater and land environments are affected by plastic pollution. Most research has focused on larger plastic pieces, while microplastic exposure in these bird species is understudied and nanoplastic exposure has not been investigated at all. The authors urge researchers to develop standardized methods for measuring small plastic particles in birds, which could serve as valuable warning signs of plastic pollution across ecosystems.
Plastic pollution in a special protected area for migratory birds
This study measured plastic pollution — including microplastics — in a special protected area designated for migratory birds, finding widespread contamination despite the area's protected status. The presence of plastics poses ingestion and entanglement risks to bird species that rely on the habitat.
Microplastic ingestion: Are seabirds more affected than other marine species?
This review examines whether seabirds ingest plastic more frequently than other marine species, finding they are among the most affected groups with high rates of plastic ingestion documented across species. The review discusses factors including foraging behavior, habitat, and ocean plastic concentrations that explain why seabirds are particularly vulnerable.