Advertisement Subscribe now Life Puzzlingly, many birds add human-made material to their nests with no obvious function – now there is evidence that these home improvements might ward off predators 23 May 2025 Red kites sometimes put plastic objects in their nestsMike Read / Alamy Stock Photo Birds may decorate nests with artificial objects and feathers to deter magpies and ravens from taking their eggs. Many birds have been observed placing human-made objects in their nests, such as plastic, wires or even anti-bird spikes from buildings. Often, these things seem to have no role as insulation or structural support, and may make nests more conspicuous to predators. Magne Husby at Nord University and Tore Slagsvold at the University of… Advertisement Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox! We'll also keep you up to date with New Scientist events and special offers. Sign up Advertisement More from New Scientist Explore the latest news, articles and features Popular articles Trending New Scientist articles Advertisement