Most bird nests are temporary homes, but not for the bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus). The threatened species assemble their abodes in the rocky shelters and cliff caves of various mountain ranges around the world, offering shelter for generations. If especially well protected from the elements, a bearded vulture nest can host the animals for multiple centuries.
Like many other birds, the bearded vulture isn’t picky about the building materials, either. Objects made by humans, including paper litter and plastic bags often find their way into the nesting components. For creative archaeologists, this means that the harmless scavengers’ residences can unintentionally double as time capsules. And after surveying multiple sites in Spain, researchers determined that some of these accumulated artifacts are almost 700 years old. The findings are detailed in a study recently published in the journal Ecology.
Although bearded vultures are still found in certain regions of Europe like the Pyrenees, ecologists believe they disappeared from southern Spain somewhere between 70 and 130 years ago. However, some of their nests still remain in this part of the country, thanks to their strategic placement and solid construction. Over six years, a team including collaborators from the Institute for Game and Wildlife Research and the University of Granada had an opportunity to perform archaeological surveys in 12 of those long-abandoned nests.
Among the centuries’ worth of eggshells, prey remains, and natural nesting material, researchers identified 226 objects that were either made or altered by humans. These included weaponry like a crossbow bolt and wooden lance, decorated sheep leather, and parts of a slingshot.
Using carbon dating, the team determined that the items also had a huge age range. For example, a shoe made from twigs and grass is around 675-years-old, while a basket is estimated to have been woven about 150 years ago.
Beyond the manufactured relics of our species’ past, archaeologists also catalogued 2,117 bones, 86 hooves, and 43 eggshells. They even located 11 hair remains among the nesting layers. More analysis will provide a look into the surrounding area’s past environment, as well as its various flora and fauna.
“Thanks to the solidity of bearded vulture nest structures and their locations in the western Mediterranean… they have acted as natural museums, conserving historical material in good condition,” the researchers wrote in their study.
Like so many other species, the bearded vulture currently faces a dire situation due to ecological destruction and the climate crisis. It remains Europe’s most threatened vulture, with only 309 breeding pairs documented across the continent. Without effective conservation work, the last bearded vulture nests may include some of the very human artifacts that explain their extinction.
More deals, reviews, and buying guides
