Image by: Dan Rowlands SWNS
These amazing photographs show how an ingenious bird has built a cosy nest for its chicks – inside a set of city centre traffic lights.
An industrious mistle thrush piled up a cluster of leaves and twigs on a visor below the middle amber light at the top of a metal post.
It was built in Leeds, West Yorks, and is home to five young chicks.
It’s thought the unusual spot was chosen by the bird because of the warmth given off from the light, as chicks need supplementary warmth until they are fully feathered.
Image by: Dan Rowlands SWNS
Image by: Dan Rowlands SWNS
Image by: Dan Rowlands SWNS
Dozens of passersby and motorists have been spotted inspecting the nest, which sits at the centre of a busy junction close to Leeds Beckett university.
The mistle thrush is a large songbird with pale grey-brown upper parts, a greyish-white chin and throat, and black spots on its pale yellow and off-white under parts.
Generally found if wood and parkland, the creature feeds on a variety of invertebrates, seeds and berries.
Their favoured food is mistletoe fruit, which is reflected in its name.
Mistle thrush’s incubate their eggs for around two weeks, which is when chicks are usually mature enough to fledge.
Video by: Gabriella Petty
