Why do mistle thrushes nest in traffic lights?
In
February, a pair of mistle thrushes in Leeds became online stars as they reared their chicks in an unlikely looking traffic-light nest. Traditionally, the species chooses a comfortable position at the base of a branch, close to the trunk. In treeless landscapes, however, mistle thrushes will use rocky ledges and holes in walls, so traffic lights provide a suitable equivalent, offering that same sheltered platform. They also happily nest on window-ledges, streetlights and drainpipes, as well as in farm equipment. Blackbirds do too, but as mistle thrushes are larger, paler and noisier, their breeding behaviour is more obvious to passersby. The species has always nested early, usually in March, though you might expect this tendency to become stronger in urban settings, which are warmer than the surrounding countryside. Despite this, mistle thrushes sadly are ‘Red’ (the most threatened status) on the UK Red List of species of conservation concern.