2025/09/04 by Vinothini Govindharaj, Padur Sankaranarayanan Anisha, Mildred Berlena Blessy Herald Victor +3 · 1 voice
Environmental Science · Psychology · #Primate Behavior and Ecology #Wildlife Ecology and Conservation #Wildlife-Road Interactions and Conservation
paper · doi:10.1080/15594491.2025.2546720
openalex publication_date 2025/09/04 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/14
Urbanization significantly alters the natural environment and provides anthropogenic materials that wildlife can exploit. Corvids, known for their behavioral flexibility, are particularly adaptable to urban habitats. We documented the nesting material collection of Large-billed Crows (Corvus macrorhynchos) in a suburban area in Salem, India, for three consecutive breeding seasons. Our analysis of 15 nests revealed a diverse variety of nesting materials: 27 types of plant materials (20.65%), three animal-source materials (0.26%), and five types of anthropogenic materials (79.09%). Among anthropogenic materials, metal wires and galvanized iron strips were predominant. We found significant differences among four categories of nests with differing proportions of metallic items, suggesting that factors such as availability and reusability may influence material selection. These findings attest the adaptability of Large-billed Crows to urban environments, and their flexible use of available nesting materials.