3 ms·
Birds have already been observed to use cigarette butts for nest building, and no resultant population crash has happened for them. https://www.newscientist.co
by undersuit 9y ago
Birds have already been observed to use cigarette butts for nest building, and no resultant population crash has happened for them.
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2138655-birds-use-cigarette-butts-for-chemical-warfare-against-ticks/ https://www.newscientist.com/article/2138655-birds-use-cigar...
Maybe the food being given to the crows is more beneficial than any of the downsides of the exposure to the butts.
- rhombocombus 9y agoIt seems to offer some sort of advantage in pest resistance, and I would assume over the (sometimes) shorter lifespan of the birds that do this that advantage outweighs the toxicity of the butts.
- jackgolding 9y agoIf you read through to a linked article you'll find there is indeed long term health effects to the birds https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22730341-600-birds-love-of-cigarette-butts-in-nests-has-two-sides-for-chicks/ https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22730341-600-birds-lo...
- undersuit 9y agoI never said there weren't. I specifically worded my comment to suggest that the benefits might outweigh the harm.
- anotherevan 9y agoFor instance, if the crows are picking up enough, then there will be less birds using them for nesting material, which is a more prolonged exposure.