Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)

Amazing Animal Homes

- By Cecilia Hewavithar­ana

Complex architectu­ral designs are often associated with humans but some animals have been shaping the landscape with awe-inspiring structures long before humans.

Here are a few such extraordin­ary examples:

Bowerbird Nests

These nests built by the male bowerbird to woo a female include a ‘front yard’, which is stylishly decorated with various things they can get their beaks on.

Sociable Weaver Nests

These large nest structures, with hundreds of separate nesting chambers, can house up to 400 birds and have sharp straw spikes lining the entrances to ward off predators.

Prairie Dog Burrows

Prairie dog burrows are clustered to create towns, which can span acres, housing 5 to 35 of these rodents per acre.

Built to withstand extreme temperatur­es include chambers at the ‘nursery’ chamber is situated deeper, so that the young are as predators.

 ??  ?? Vogelkop Bowerbird Nest
Vogelkop Bowerbird Nest
 ??  ?? Sociable Weaver Nests
Sociable Weaver Nests
 ??  ?? Prairie Dog Burrows
Prairie Dog Burrows

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