Robins Nest On Moving Solar Arrays

This is Bird Note.

Solar panels are a popular source of renewable energy,

but large groupings of them, called arrays,

can take up a lot of space,

so as aologist, Chelsea Prather.

People are interested in making that area

underneath solar arrays into usable habitats,

so it's really important to know

who is using it and how they're using it.

At two solar arrays in Ohio,

Chelsea and her students found American Robbins,

or rather their cup-shaped nests.

The first site was a fixed array with panels

that are locked in place.

The second was a tracking array,

where panels tilt to follow the sun.

Chelsea noticed that Robin Nests on the tracking array

looked weird.

Measurements confirmed that these nests were

unusually tall and mounted to the support beams at odd angles.

And we think that was just because the nest was moving

throughout the day,

when they were trying to make the nest.

And the solar walls may have stopped the eggs from falling out, too.

It's a new example of how birds are adapting to a changing world.

Nature finds a way.

These birds are making their nest that contained their precious eggs

on a structure that is moving all the time,

and they have found a way to do it,

which I think is just remarkable.

For bird note, I'm Ariana Rimmel.