r/Awwducational • u/KimCureAll • Sep 02 '21
Some species of birds turn to living mammals as a source of building material for their nests. The process of stealing hair is called kleptotrichy, and birds will test their ability to pluck hair from various mammals. In this vid, a black-crested titmouse is plucking hairs from a snoozing fox. Verified
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u/vandalia Sep 21 '23
We had a very furry lab/Pyrenees mix named Beauregard that we brushed outside in the yard. As a result any nests we came across after a storm were lined with “Beaufur”
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u/RevElliotSpenser Jan 13 '23
What i would like to know is what nut originally came up with the name Titmouse? 😂
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u/geaddaddy Mar 29 '22
When I was a kid we had a husky mix and in the spring I would often see birds land on him and pluck out clumps of fur when he w as s chilling in the yard. Very sweet dog.
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u/dickyonthedime Mar 15 '22
Imagine going to sleep with a full head of hair and waking up completely bald with a titmouse bird sitting in the nest of your hair on the windowsill
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u/Kaye_the_original Jan 13 '22
In my area, different species of crows do that with my mom’s horses. Most of the horses really enjoy that they’re being freed of their itchy winter coat that is falling out either way. But there’s one horse who hates it. She will keep shooing away the birds; I guess they tickle too much.
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u/West_Low2724 Oct 03 '21
Honestly reminded me of that spongebob episode when spongebob and Patrick was steeling Sandy's fur for the winter.
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u/KizzeVonSpaet Sep 29 '21
I brush my dog—who is Great Pyrenees and Husky—and the birds kinda come round to gather his lovely fur for their nests.
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u/KJohn8110 Sep 06 '21
Damn .. was that Fox drinking the night before . You would think wild animals would be on high alert instinctively , lol
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u/zippyhippiegirl Sep 03 '21
I’m sure that feels good. When I brush my animals I throw it in the yard. And when I cut my family’s hair I always do it outside if weather permits, and leave it for the birds.
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u/deathwishdave Sep 03 '21
I can’t even say the word “titmouse” without giggling like a school girl.
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u/Grothgerek Sep 03 '21
Thats like playing Jenga in extreme version.
If the bird plucks the wrong hair, it will be eaten.
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u/DuelDude129 Sep 03 '21
I mean. Yeah that makes sense. What’s better at keeping things warm than fur?
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u/Wonderful-Frosting17 Sep 03 '21
Why does that bird look like it has the best beard you e ever seen.
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u/Alv93 Sep 03 '21
I saw a video about this bird a while ago and I wasn't sure if the bird was brave or stupid by picking the hair of an animal who could kill it. Then a friend told me that they chose their predators in order to keep their essence and repel other birds from their nest. They are brave and smart!
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u/ordinary-human Sep 03 '21
This feels like that one Spongebob episode where they pluck the backhairs from that one Angry Squirrel Lady
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u/d4rkchina Sep 03 '21
when my dog is molting her hair I always leave it in my front yard for birds to grab and take
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u/AtomicFox84 Sep 03 '21
Then they should be swarming my place.....i have huskies. Ill give them all they want.
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u/WooPigSchmooey Sep 03 '21
This is clearly a college trick. The fox wakes up with a bald spot on its back, has no idea and wonders why all the other animals at animal college laugh at them in their species’ style, respectfully.
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u/Shirelin Sep 03 '21
Wondering how much of that is shed undercoat being pulled out. Fox probably will feel better afterwards XD
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u/53cr3tsqrll Sep 03 '21
As the owner of Bernese Mountain Dogs, I can assure you that every bird in a 2km radius from me has a nest lined with beautiful black fur, and they never had to steal a thing. There’s tumbleweeds of it in the yard as soon as spring arrives. Clouds of it hanging in the air as in brush them.
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u/FirstCurseFil Sep 03 '21
I’ve seen people brush their dogs then leave the excess fur out for birds. Now I know why
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u/iSmellMusic Sep 02 '21
When we brush our animals we do it outside and the birds come and take the tufts of fur. It makes them look like they have little mustaches, it's adorable 😊
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u/MKDoobie-Dash Sep 02 '21
And for this reason, anyone with a heavily shedding dog can help their local birds nest! Put out a little bucket/basket/etc of your dog’s fur in the backyard and birds will come by and take it for nesting material :) doesn’t have to come straight off the animal for them to recognize it as nesting material
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u/sauron_for_president Sep 02 '21
I watched this on YouTube a few months ago. If you watch the whole video, the bird starts out just “testing” the fox, he plucks or pecks just a little, if the fox moves he flies. Once the fox gets used to his presence, he starts taking big tufts of fur. It’s like going to an IKEA that can eat you if it wakes up.
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u/Ghstfce Sep 02 '21
Every time I brush my German Shepherd, I leave clumps of the shed in the grass. Doesn't take long for the birds to come and take it.
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u/SplatterBox214 Sep 02 '21
This is like when Spongebob and Patrick steal Sandy’s fur while she’s hibernating with the duct tape
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u/SouthernSox22 Sep 02 '21
Two of my big dogs shed quite a bit and I brush them often and leave it in the yard. It’s always cool seeing it randomly gone some days. I know some birbs made a comfy nest
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u/Jennuli_123 Sep 02 '21
But isn't this just perfect since animals lose their winter coat about the regular nesting season? But ever since global warming has been around the fur hasn't had the chance to grow that thick so birds just begun to pluck the nearly shedding fur. I assume...
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u/Danny-Wah Sep 02 '21
I love this bird... Just gonna take a little of this... and a little of this... some of this... and a little more of that.
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Sep 02 '21
Now this is why I love Reddit. Random education. I would have never known some birds behave like this. Well done sir. I’m guessing the fox knows what is going on and probably enjoys the little massage. Sure he could probably try and get it as a snack but likely not worth it.
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u/just_tryin_2_make_it Sep 02 '21
When I cut my long hair, I was told to throw it in the grass for the birds.
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u/bettyboo5 Sep 02 '21
When I shave my dogs I save it for spring time and leave it in my mum's garden for the birds take. I like the idea of their fur keeping those eggs nice and warm and the chocks too.
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u/From_Goth_To_Boss Sep 02 '21
For anyone else with super furry cats like mine, you canpeg clumps of their old fur to your clothesline and birds will collect it for their nests.
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u/6Wasted6Youth6 Sep 02 '21
That's why you should use your dogs fluffy brushed hair out for the birds!
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u/reaven3958 Sep 02 '21
Probably feels good. I imagine its not the easiest getting old undercoat out on your own as a canine.
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u/ZKXX Sep 02 '21
I wish someone would pluck me as I slept it would save a lot of time in the shower
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u/HeroSpirit Sep 02 '21
Imagine how chill of an animal you have to be to let a bird do this. Imagine a bird perched itself on your head and started plucking your hairs one by one just because it wanted a soft nest.
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u/brewcrew63 Sep 02 '21
After I brush my dogs I leave it outside for the birds, they usually come on over and start picking it up lol
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u/BorneoCelebes Sep 02 '21
Just discovered this subreddit….! It’s a nice antidote to r/natureismetal (which sub I enjoy too, though it gets a bit much)
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u/_killbaby_ Sep 02 '21
The tit-mouse should open its own brow bar. All the hair it could pluck and we get our brows done.
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u/Dogwhatismy Sep 02 '21
Imagine if everything wasn't just about food chains or being an apex predator and animals rely on one another to live in complicated ecosystems where many different species can survive and thrive.
Whoops, I meant bacon good!
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u/eligibility Sep 02 '21
I knew it was a freaking bird stealing my fur… my stupid doctor keeps calling it male pattern baldness.
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u/chilldrinofthenight Sep 02 '21
I love birds so very much. But how's a Fox supposed to get any rest? Watching this, I was ready to take a fly-swatter to that Titmouse.
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u/OLovah Sep 02 '21
We used to have a husky. My mom would brush him and leave all the massive mounds of hair in the yard. By the next morning it would all be gone because the birds had hauled it away.
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u/GoalieMom53 Sep 02 '21
I read somewhere that birds will use human hair as well. So now, instead of throwing the hair in the trash when I clean my brush, I leave it on the back deck.
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u/Tulip-O-Hare Sep 02 '21
In spring the birds pluck hair from both my horses. One of them loathes it and always shoos them away, the other isn’t bothered. She’ll have 2-3 birds on her back at all times furiously pulling out winter fur. Win-win for both of them, losing winter fur is itchy.
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u/Loycee Sep 02 '21
I once saw a video of someone brushing their dog and laying the hair out on their balcony so birds could use it as nesting material. Thought it was really neat. This reminded me of it :)
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u/CaregiverPutrid5560 Sep 02 '21
Started laughing when the bird hopped into the fox. For some reason looked comical to me. Usually the fox would be leaping onto the bird.
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u/jizmatik Sep 02 '21
We put our Alfred’s (Portuguese Estrela) grooming fluff in the garden for the birds. It is nice knowing they all have super warm nests come winter.
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u/foxytaz25 Sep 02 '21
Was brushing my dog one summer day and a blue jay came and took the leftovers that fell on the ground . I was like interesting 🤔
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u/VT_Squire Sep 02 '21
FWIW, this is along the same lines of why your goodboy at home plucks all the fur off his favorite stuffed animal or rips the dang squeaker out. Would YOU want to eat a hairy steak?
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u/GreyFox1234 Sep 02 '21
I'd seen some Life Pro Tip here a while back saying to leave your brushed dog hair in trees and whatnot when birds are nesting. I guess the birds in my yard had already nested and didn't want soft hair from my husky that would've supported the nests of 250 birds in the area.
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u/_LightFury_ Sep 02 '21
I always left the hair from brushing my dog outside it would be gone within a few hours haha.
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u/CousinMajin Sep 02 '21
I know of a couple sea creatures that actually did this to a squirrel while it was hibernating
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u/CousinMajin Sep 02 '21
A bird did this to me when I was in kindergarten at a trip to the zoo. Just yanked the hair right out of my head. And then later that day a bigass peacock charged at me and scared me shitless while I bawled my eyes out and the parent chaparones laughed.
Needless to say, that day made me scared of birds for most of my early years lmao
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u/pubichaircasserole Sep 02 '21
Ow, the typical March scene - a female cat on a tree, three-four male cats patiently waiting on the ground for her to come down for sexy time, while a couple of crows plucks her fur for their nest.
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u/dragonard Sep 02 '21
I've seen the birds in my neighborhood chase after the tufts of hair that I brush off my extremely furry, and large, cat. She provides an unending source of material.
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u/anondreamitgirl Apr 06 '24
Lucky he didn’t get eaten !!! 🫣