Why do birds use green nest material? A systematic review and meta-analysis of experiments

Shreya Dimri, Tuba Rizvi , Alfredo Sánchez-Tójar , Julio M. G. Segovia, Meinolf Ottensmann

Many animals construct nests. Nests are often considered extended phenotypes that shape survival and reproduction beyond the builder’s body. Birds are key examples of nest builders, and many add fresh green plant material to their nests. Yet, the adaptive value of this behaviour remains debated. Non-mutually exclusive hypotheses propose roles in courtship signalling, parasite defence, or direct enhancement of offspring condition. Here, we conducted a pre-registered systematic review and meta-analysis of 28 experimental studies (published and unpublished), spanning seven bird species and 274 effect sizes, to test whether green nest material influences fitness, and to evaluate the competing functional explanations. Our synthesis shows that while green nest material can enhance avian fitness, this effect depends on the fitness proxy used, and its functional role remains unresolved. The strongest predictor was experimental design, strongly influencing the outcomes, challenging the role of aromatic compounds in the fitness benefits of green nest material. Our meta-analysis supports the importance of green nest material on fitness, but calls for more research to elucidate its mechanisms.