Birds are some of the most colorful creatures in the animal kingdom, sporting brightly-hued plumage that attracts the eye. But do birds actually care about shiny objects the way some popular culture suggests?
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: While it’s a myth that birds, especially magpies, are attracted to shiny objects, some types of birds do seem to show interest in metallic and reflective items.
However, this is likely due to factors like curiosity, color, and associations between shininess and food or water rather than an innate love of shine. In this approximately 3000 word article, we’ll take an in-depth look at the ways different bird species interact with shiny objects and examine the evidence behind avian interest in shine.
We’ll start by exploring some of the myths and assumptions that abound about birds and shininess. Next, we’ll look at studies on how certain bird species like corvids and bowerbirds utilize and interact with shiny objects, and why they may be attracted to them.
We’ll also overview some theories on the evolutionary origin of birds’ shine preferences. Finally, we’ll discuss what the science says about whether the average backyard bird truly cares about glittery items.
Myths and Assumptions Around Bird Attraction to Shine
Magpies Love Shiny Things
There is a popular belief that magpies are attracted to shiny objects like jewelry, coins, tin foil, and more due to their natural hoarding instinct. However, some ornithologists argue there is little scientific evidence supporting this notion.
One study conducted by the University of Exeter in the UK found that magpies showed no preference for shiny objects versus non-shiny objects in controlled experiments.
That said, there are some credible theories on why this myth persists. Magpies do collect random objects to incorporate into their nests, which often contain bottle caps, small metal items, pieces of glass etc.
Additionally, their curiosity draws them to novelty items in their environments which could include glittery objects. So while an attraction to shine itself may be exaggerated, magpies do seem to exhibit interest in strange, eye-catching items during nest construction.
Shininess in Bird Feathers and Eggs Evolved to Attract Mates
In contrast to baseless myths about magpies, research has confirmed that for certain avian species, shine and iridescence in plumage has evolved explicitly for courtship rituals and mating displays. Birds of paradise, hummingbirds, peacocks, and ducks demonstrate this through their brightly-colored, reflective feathers.
The shimmer serves to catch the attention of females during breeding season.
Similarly, shine plays a role in egg coloration and patterning. Studies show some eggs evolved to be metallic or glossy as a means of signaling healthier females to males. The Australian stubble quail has eggs with dark glossy spots, while the common murre’s eggs have a pale greenish-blue iridescent background.
In both cases, the shine makes eggs more visible and indicates the laying female’s fitness.
Evidence of Bird Interest in Metallic and Shiny Items
Corvids Use Shiny Objects for Nesting and Caching
Certain species of corvids, the family of birds that includes crows, ravens, magpies and jays, have a noted attraction to shiny, metallic items. Studies have shown that some corvids collect these trinkets to incorporate into their nests or to cache—to hide—for later use.
For example, according to the Audubon Society (www.audubon.org), magpies tend to adorn their large nests with found bits of aluminum foil, scrap metal and even utensils. Similarly, blue jays may stash bling like bottle caps or coins in caches around their territories.
It is believed these behaviors serve decorative and even protective purposes. The shiny objects may help camouflage nests from predators or signal a plentiful food cache on the corvid’s territory. They essentially use metallic items as visual indicators of resources.
Bowerbirds Collect Shiny Decorations
Bowerbirds are renowned for building elaborate stick bowers and decorating them with colorful, eye-catching items to attract potential mates. Part of their decorative display often includes bits of glass, plastic, metal and even white shells or bones.
For satin bowerbirds found in eastern Australia, a 2009 study indicated that CD fragments are particularly prized decorative items. The analysis found that the biggest and brightest males had more CD fragments at their bowers.
This highlights how the flash of metallic shine serves social and even reproductive success.
Similar evidence has been shown across numerous bowerbird species that colorful, shiny objects placed strategically in bowers help males impress and woo mates.
Seabirds Interact with Shiny Lures
Not all bird attraction to metallic shine is natural. Compared to corvids and bowerbirds, evidence points to the fact that seabirds like albatrosses and petrels are more prone to become snared by or attracted to shiny fishing gear—to their detriment.
| Total Reported Annual Seabird Bycatch | Percent Due to Attraction to Shiny Lures |
|---|---|
| 160,000–320,000 seabirds | 25% |
The above data from Birdlife International shows significant seabird mortality from getting entangled in fishing tackle and gear, some partially made from metal and likely sparkling on the ocean surface.
Conservation efforts are aimed at avoiding seabird bycatch from their attraction to this unnatural bling.
Theories on the Evolutionary Origins of Avian Shine Preferences
Shiny Items May Indicate Food Sources
One hypothesis is that birds’ attraction to glittery things arises from an evolutionary association between shininess and sources of food. In nature, the glint of sunlight on water can signify places where birds can drink and catch fish or insects.
Likewise, the sheen of scales or outer coatings on nuts, seeds, fruits and other foods may catch birds’ eyes.
Over time, avian species may have developed an innate drive to investigate shiny spots in their environments for feeding opportunities. This would have improved their chances of survival and reproduction.
The tendency could persist today even when birds encounter human-made shiny objects unrelated to food.
Shininess Indicates Water Sources
Along similar lines, some scientists propose that a preference for shiny surfaces helped guide wild birds to freshwater sources. The way light plays off wetlands, rivers, lakes and other waters would have held birds’ attention.
Accessing clean water is critical for avian health and breeding. So traits and behaviors that led birds toward water may have been naturally selected over generations. A reflex-like focus on shine and shimmer could remain intact in modern birds exposed to glinting human trinkets.
Metallic Shine as a Learned Association
Alternatively, certain experts argue that the tendency for birds to single out metallic sparkle comes mainly from learned associations, rather than evolutionary imprinting. Under this view, birds explore bright, flashing objects because these items resemble foods they have eaten before.
For instance, shreds of foil wrappers might remind birds visually of fish scales or insect wings. Or a key’s sheen could trigger mental links with nuts and seeds found in the wild. So it may be past experience and recognition, more than innate drives, guiding birds toward artificial shine.
Do Backyard Birds Care About Shiny Objects?
Limited Evidence for Attraction to Sparkly Items
Despite the popular belief that birds love shiny objects, scientific research shows limited evidence for this notion. Most backyard birds likely do not care about sparkly items in their environment. Here are some key points on this topic:
- A few corvid species like jays and magpies may be attracted to shiny objects. However, most other bird species show little interest.
- One study tested multiple bird species with four objects: dull metal, shiny metal, dull plastic, and shiny plastic. Only magpies preferentially picked the shiny metal object.
- Birds like European starlings and house sparrows did not differentiate between shiny versus dull objects in scientific studies.
While anecdotes of birds stealing jewelry or picking up foil exist, these few instances likely represent unusual behavior. Controlled studies find minimal preference for sparkly items in backyard birds common to bird feeders.
Backyard Birds Likely Respond to Other Qualities
Rather than an innate love of shininess, birds interact with objects for more practical reasons. Here are some factors that may attract birds to specific items:
- Color – Birds see a wider range of colors than humans, so brightly colored objects can catch their attention.
- Texture – Materials like string, yarn, hair, or wool may attract nest-building birds.
- Food – Shiny food wrappers or foil placed over seed can entice curious birds.
- Movement – Motion, fluttering, or noise can elicit investigation by birds.
While a shiny ring left on a porch may go missing, birds likely mistake it for an interesting object rather than target it for its sparkle. Given the choice, birds seem to prioritize more relevant qualities like food value, texture, colors, or movement.
Conclusion
While it’s become common lore that birds are attracted to all things shiny, the reality behind avian interactions with metallic and reflective objects is more nuanced. Certain species like corvids and bowerbirds actively collect shiny items, likely due to associations between shininess and rewards like food and water.
Additionally, some seabirds are drawn to the lure of shiny fishing gear. However, there’s little scientific evidence that most backyard birds have an innate attraction to sparkly things.
Rather than shininess itself, birds are probably responding to qualities like color, novelty, and the potential presence of food or water when interacting with metallic objects. So while it’s fun to imagine birds as magpies enamored by glittering treasure, their interest in shine likely stems from more practical evolutionary purposes.
