Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, KY16 9TH, UK.
Curr Biol. 2022 Oct 24;32(20):R1121-R1126. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.06.078.
Bird nests have long attracted human interest, both as beautiful creations and as important constructions. They are important constructions because avian parents use them to protect their developing eggs and young from the dangers presented by the elements and predators. Despite sharing these protective functions, however, bird nests can be remarkably structurally variable, being built from a wide diversity of materials, and placed in all manner of locations. For example, male Australian brush turkeys scrape material into large nest mounds, woodpeckers excavate holes, storks build stacks, sparrows and swallows build cups (but of different materials), while weavers weave their famous hanging baskets. Nests might be built in bushes or holes in trees, dangle from a branch, or sit on the ground. They might be solitary and hidden, or conspicuous, together housing hundreds of families (Figure 1).
鸟巢长期以来一直吸引着人类的兴趣，既是美丽的创作，也是重要的建筑。它们是重要的建筑，因为鸟类父母用它们来保护发育中的卵和幼鸟免受元素和捕食者带来的危险。然而，尽管它们具有这些保护功能，但鸟巢在结构上却可以有很大的差异，它们由各种各样的材料制成，并放置在各种位置。例如，澳大利亚灌木丛火鸡雄性会将材料刮成大巢丘，啄木鸟会挖洞，鹳会筑堆，麻雀和燕子会筑杯（但材料不同），而织巢鸟则编织著名的悬挂篮。鸟巢可能建在灌木丛或树洞中，悬挂在树枝上，或位于地面上。它们可能是孤立的和隐藏的，也可能是显眼的，容纳着数百个家庭（图 1）。
