Fear of Snakes Exploited by Birds To Protect Nests [Video]

Snakeskin decor is a bold interior design choice—but for some birds, it’s literally a matter of life and death.

This is the conclusion of researchers from New York’s Cornell University, who found birds that line their nests with snakeskin are less likely to have their eggs eaten by predators.

“We think that an evolutionary history of harmful interactions between small-bodied predators of birds that are often eaten by snakes should make these predators afraid of snake skin inside of a nest,” said Cornell biologist Vanya Rohwer in a statement.

“It might change their decision-making process of whether or not they’re going to go inside a nest.”

The use of shed snake skins in bird nests has been documented for centuries by birdwatchers—some of …