Redditors Learn That Some Urban Birds Use Cigarette Butts As A Form Of Pest Control For Their Nests, As It Keep Parasites Away
It may seem unhealthy to stuff cigarette butts into the lining of nests. However, a group of ecologists asserts that rather than being unnatural, city birds' use of cigarettes may represent a modern incarnation of a long-ago adaptation.
[ ADVERTISEMENT ]
It is well known that birds surround their nests with flora that contains substances that keep parasites at bay. Monserrat Suárez-Rodrguez, an ecologist at the National Autonomous University of Mexico in Mexico City, and her colleagues wondered whether city birds were using cigarette butts in the same way because chemicals in tobacco leaves are known to repel arthropods like parasitic mites.
The nests of two bird species that are widespread in North America were analyzed by the researchers. They counted how much cellulose acetate - a substance found in cigarette butts - was present in the nests and discovered that the more of it there was, the fewer parasitic mites were present.
Additionally, the team tested using heat traps if the nicotine concentration of the cigarette butts rather than their structure or other characteristics was responsible for the repelling effect. The team discovered that devices with smoked butts, which contain more nicotine (because cigarette smoke has passed through them) had significantly fewer parasites attached to them than devices with unsmoked butts.
In nests containing bird eggs, traps with unsmoked butts collected on average more than twice as many parasites.
More Info: Reddit, Nature
Meet u/Hilla007, a Redditor who has an interesting piece of information to share with the TodayILearned subreddit group
Some urban birds like finches and sparrows use cigarette butts as a form of pest control for their nests
According to Timothy Mousseau, an ecologist at the University of South Carolina in Columbia had this to say:
“It really makes me wonder: might these birds show a preference for cigarette brands high in nicotine? If they did, that might suggest this behaviour has truly evolved as an adaptive response to challenges from parasites."
And the comments roll in...
Life always finds a way
This Redditor doesn't believe birds are real
Do not use it as an excuse
You climate deniers are all the same
A way to filter out parasites
The actual purpose of nicotine in the tobacco plant
Who drinks and smokes has no worms
The chew on the cigarette butts
This Redditor is asking how they learnt this
Urban birds just doesn't feel right
It has detrimental effects for animals
An ashtray with a lid is a must
Nicotine is a natural insecticide
Life always does
The one guy who wasn't affected was a smoker
Urban areas have more butts lying around
They just like fluffy stuffs
An important question to ask
This Redditor regrets giving up smoking
Due to the fact that many of the compounds in cigarette butts are known carcinogens and some are pesticides, Suárez-Rodrguez warns there may be additional negative effects for the birds that are not yet known. These effects include those that are anti-parasite.
Let us know your thoughts about this information in the comments below and share this post as well.