Groups of weavers have their own nest building styles

A team of biologists from the United Kingdom and Canada has discovered that at least one type of bird has its own unique nest-building style. In their study, published in the journal ScienceThe group conducted a two-year study of nest building by weaver sparrows in the Kalahari Desert.

Previous research has shown that different species and groups of birds have their own singing styles, and some also have their own migration and foraging styles. In this new study, the research team found that at least one type of bird has groups with their own nesting strategies.

The work involved studying white-browed sparrows for two years, observing and filming them as they built their nests and measuring the results. They chose this species because these birds are known to build multiple single-occupancy nests, all made of grass, throughout a given year, providing plenty of opportunities for observation.

Birds are also known to be a social species: they help each other build nests together in roosts. The researchers observed up to eight birds working together to build a single nest. In total, the team observed 43 groups building nearly 450 nests. They noted that the groups lived in the same general area and had similar habitat conditions and genetics.

By studying the nests, the researchers discovered patterns among the groups: some built short, thick nests, for example, while others built their nests with long, elaborate entrances and exit tunnels.

The differences were observed in nests built over time by birds from the same groups, demonstrating that the differences in style were not due to chance. The researchers also found no evidence of natural variables such as wind or temperature variations that could explain these differences.

The research team suggests that at least some of the differences in nest building were passed down from generation to generation, demonstrating a behavioral inheritance that was not genetic in nature.

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