In a surprising turn of events, researchers in Amsterdam have discovered that common coots have been using plastic waste to construct their nests for over 30 years. This revelation not only highlights the extent of plastic pollution in the environment but also showcases how wildlife can adapt to the presence of human-made materials.
Auke-Florian Hiemstra, a biologist at the Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden, Netherlands, has been studying nesting materials used by city birds for years. He has observed coots incorporating plastic food wrappers, masks, and other waste into their nests, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, he has found magpies and crows using antibird spikes as building materials for their nests. It seems that many birds have adapted to using human trash for their nest-building activities.
In 2021, Hiemstra and his team excavated a common coot nest built on a wooden beam in Rokin canal in Amsterdam. The nest was comprised of multiple layers of plastic waste, with a significant amount of food packaging. By analyzing the expiration dates on the plastic items found in the nest, Hiemstra was able to reconstruct the history of the nest layer by layer, much like an archaeologist would with fossils.
Typically, coots build their nests using plant materials that decay quickly, making it impossible to reuse the nests year after year. However, with the incorporation of plastics, the nests become more stable, allowing the coots to return to old nests and build upon them. Hiemstra’s team discovered 15 nests with plastic dating back multiple years, indicating that the birds have been reusing them.
Although using expiration dates to understand nest history can be imprecise due to the longevity of plastic, Hiemstra found wrappers dating back to the early 1990s in the deepest part of the Rokin nest. One notable discovery was a Mars Bar wrapper promoting the 1994 FIFA World Cup, which appeared to be in pristine condition despite being 30 years old. This finding underscores the long-lasting nature of plastic in the environment.
Overall, the use of plastic waste by common coots to build their nests sheds light on the impact of human activities on wildlife. It also serves as a reminder of the importance of reducing plastic pollution to protect both the environment and the creatures that inhabit it.
