Hidden Cameras Capture Birds Stealing Shiny Things - Labroots

Login here Register Free Trending / Plants & Animals / Hidden Cameras Capture Birds Stealing Shiny Things OCT 08, 2019 5:32 PM PDT Share Hidden Cameras Capture Birds Stealing Shiny Things WRITTEN BY: Anthony Bouchard

It’s no secret that some birds like to collect shiny things. In the case of the humble bowerbird, males often build impressive twig structures and then decorate them with shiny objects that have been collected along their travels to attract and impress female mates.

In this video, we see a male doing just that. A suspecting female appears to swoop down in interest, but after several courtship attempts, it becomes clear that the bird isn’t a female at all. Instead, it’s another male that attempts to steal some of the original male’s bling.

Researchers carefully placed an animatronic bowerbird with a hidden camera placed in its eye socket and several other hidden cameras placed inside of the shiny objects surrounding it. In doing so, they were able to capture rare footage of birds stealing shiny objects from another.

It soon becomes obvious that the birds work as teams, with one bird acting as a distraction to the victim as others swoop in to take objects.

Indeed, these conniving birds are no better than burglars to one another.

Share About the Author Anthony Bouchard Other Fascinated by scientific discoveries and media, Anthony found his way here at LabRoots, where he would be able to dabble in the two. Anthony is a technology junkie that has vast experience in computer systems and automobile mechanics, as opposite as those sound. You May Also Like SEP 04, 2025 Earth & The Environment Plastic Pollution as a 'Conveyor Belt' for Toxic Chemicals What long-term threats does plastic pollution have on the Earth, and specifically marine life? This is what a recent stu ... Written By: Laurence Tognetti, MSc 3 SEP 23, 2025 Earth & The Environment Ocean Hot Spots Drive Rapid Hurricane Expansion Why do some hurricanes grow much larger than others? This is what a recent study published in the Proceedings of the Nat ... Written By: Laurence Tognetti, MSc 4 SEP 23, 2025 Drug Discovery & Development Apple-based Compound May Protect Against Periodontal Disease A natural compound extracted from apples, fig peels, and guava leaves has shown promise against bacteria that cause peri ... Written By: Annie Lennon 3 JAN 29, 2026 Plants & Animals Evolutionary shift in flower shape linked to bird pollinators How do plants evolve into new species to accommodate other species? This is what a recent study published in New Phytolo ... Written By: Laurence Tognetti, MSc 4 FEB 24, 2026 Earth & The Environment Scientists identify climatic signals of natural events How do wildfires and volcanoes influence the Earth’s temperature? This is what a recent study published in the Pro ... Written By: Laurence Tognetti, MSc 4 FEB 27, 2026 Earth & The Environment Wastewater Methane Gaps Found in National Climate Reports Are national climate reports missing crucial data points regarding wastewater greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions? This is wh ... Written By: Laurence Tognetti, MSc 2 Loading Comments... Content Tags

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