Male bowerbirds hope to dazzle females with bright human-made items

A University of Exeter study found that male bowerbirds in Australian cities use human-made items—including glass, plastic, and unconventional objects like handcuffs—to decorate their bowers and attract mates, collecting larger and more colorful decorations than their rural counterparts. When presented with both human-made and natural items, both urban and rural males strongly favored human-made objects.

Source: Ars Technica | 2026-06-02