https://doi.org/10.4081/rio.2025.765
[Birds trapped in structures or materials of anthropogenic or natural origin]
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
Published: 10 December 2025
Five cases are reported, observed in northern Italy, of birds trapped in telephone or high-voltage cables, either by chance or possibly during foraging activity; the species involved are: Bittern Botaurus stellaris, Grey Heron Ardea cinerea, Buzzard Buteo buteo, Moorhen Gallinula chloropus. Four cases are also reported, observed in northern Italy and the Netherlands, of birds being trapped, in different ways, in materials used for nest construction; the species involved are: Swift Apus apus, Pallid Swift Apus pallidus, Jackdaw Corvus monedula, Hooded Crow Corvus corone cornix.
[Short Communication in Italian]
Downloads
Antczak M., Hromada M., Czechowski P., Tabor J., Zablocki J., Grzybek J. & Tryjanowski P., 2010 – A new material for old solutions - the case of plastic string used in Great Grey Shrike nest. Acta Ethologica, 13: 87-91. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10211-010-0077-2
Blettler M. C. M., Gauna I., Andreault A., Abrial E., Lorenzon R. E., Espinola L. A. & Wantzen K. M., 2020 – The use of anthropogenetic debris as nesting material by the greater thornbird an inland – wareland associated bird of South America. Environmental Sciences and Pollution Research, 27: 41647-41655. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-10124-4
Briggs K. B., Deeming D. C. & Mainwaring M. C., 2023 – Plastic is a widely used and selectively chosen nesting material for Pied Flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca) in rural woodland habitats. Science of the Total Environment, 854: 158660. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158660
Clemens T., Hartwig E. & Heckroth M., 2007 – Plastic debris as nesting material in a Kittiwake (Rissa Tridactyla) colony at the Jammerbugt, Northwest Denmark. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 54: 595-597. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2007.01.027
Espinoza M. J., Laviada I., Taberner Cerezo A., Luna A., Gil Delgado J. A. & Bernat Ponce E., 2024 – Do birds select the plastic debris use for nest construction? A case study in a Mediterranean agricultural landscape. Environmental Research, 255: 119117. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2024.119117
Ferrer M., Morandini V., Baumbusch R., Muriel R., De Lucas M. & Calabuig C., 2020 – Efficacy of different types of “bird flight diverter” in reducing bird mortality due to collision with transmission power lines. Global Ecology and Conservation, 23: e001130. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e01130
Florisvaldo Batisteli A., Guillermo Ferreira R. & Sarmento H., 2019 – Abundance and prevalence of plastic twine in nests of neotropical farmlands birds. Wilson Journal of Ornithology, 131: 201-205. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1676/18-24
Gallitelli L., Battisti C. & Scalici M., 2023 – Using social media to determinate the global distribution of plastics in birds’ nests: the role of riverine habitats. Land, 12: 670. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/land12030670
Grant M. L., Lavers J. L., Hutton I., Alexander L. & Bond A. L., 2021 – Seabird breeding islands as sinks for marine plastic debris. Environmental Pollution, 276: 116374. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2021.116734
Grant M. L., Lavers J. L., Stuckenbruck S., Sharp P. B. & Bond A. L., 2018 – The use of anthropogenic marine debris as a nesting material by Brown Boobies (Sula leucogaster). Marine Pollution Bulletin, 137: 96-103. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.10.016
Guil F., Angeles Soria M. & Ortega V., 2021 – Prioritizing strain insulators for raptor conservation. Bird Conservation International, 31: 379. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0959270921000253
Jagiello Z., Dylewski L., Aguirre J. I., Bialas J. T., Dylik A., Lopez Garcia A., Kaluga I., Olszewski A., Siekiera J. & Tobolka M., 2023 – The prevalence of anthropogenic nest materials differs between two distinct populations of migratory birds in Europe. Environmental Sciences and Pollution Research, 30: 69703-69710. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-27156-1
Kang K., Nam K., Jeong B., Kim J. & Yoo J., 2023 – The use of plastic litte ras nesting material by the Azure Winged Magpie (Cyanopica cyanus) in an agricultural environnement of South Korea. Environmental Sciences and Pollution Research, 30: 84814-84821. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-28409-9
Mostini L., 2013 – I cavi telefonici: potenziali trappole per alcune specie di uccelli. Picus, 39: 36.
Mostini L., 2018 – Uccelli intrappolati in cavi telefonici. Rivista Italiana di Ornitologia, 88: 57-58. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4081/rio.2018.317
Pazzuconi A., 1977 – Uova e nidi degli uccelli d’Italia. Bologna: Ed. Calderini.
Pirovano A. & Cocchi R., 2008 – Linee guida per la mitigazione dell’impatto delle linee elettriche sull’avifauna. Roma: Ministero dell’Ambiente e della Sicurezza Energetica – ISPRA.
Radhamany D., Das K. S., Azeez P. A., Wen L. & Sreekala L. K., 2016 – Usage of nest material by House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) along an urban to rural gradient in Coimbatore, India. Tropical Life Sciences Research, 27:127-134. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21315/tlsr2016.27.2.10
Tincher M. C., Dwyer J. F., Gail E. & Kratz G., 2020 – Perch management may reduce raptor electrocution risk on horizontal post insulators. Journal of Raptor Research, 54: 186. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3356/0892-1016-54.2.186
Tincher D. J., Dwyer J. F., Harness R. E. & Kratz R., 2016 – Testing a supplemental perch designed to prevent raptor electrocution on electric power poles. Northwestern Naturalist, 97: 1-6. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1898/1051-1733-97.1.1
Wang L., Nabi G., Yin L., Wang Y., Li S., Hao Z. & Li D., 2021 – Birds and plastic pollution: recent advances. Avian Research, 12: 59. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40657-021-00293-2
How to Cite

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
PAGEPress has chosen to apply the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0) to all manuscripts to be published.