Birds’ nests in Amsterdam are made up of plastic from 30 years ago

Amsterdam’s Eurasian coots have found a unique way to adapt to the changing environment caused by plastic pollution. Covid-19 face masks, a chocolate wrapper from 1994, and a 30-year-old polystyrene burger box are just some of the items these birds are incorporating into their nests.

Normally, Eurasian coots (Fulica atra) construct their nests using natural, biodegradable materials like rushes, reeds, and leaves. However, in the urban setting of Amsterdam’s city center, these materials are scarce along the riverbanks. As a result, the coots have turned to plastic litter to build their nests, according to research by Auke-Florian Hiemstra at the Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden.