Classics Revisited: “The evolution of nests and nest-building in birds”, by Dr Nicholas E Collias (1964) American Zoologist 4(2): 175–190

Abstract

Although one of the most studied organisms in other disciplines, the role of birds as zoogeomorphic agents has been somewhat overlooked in geography literature. Bird nests serve as a manifestation of the reciprocal relationships that birds have with their environment. Dr Nicholas E. Collias’s “The evolution of nests and nest-building in birds”, published in American Zoologist (1964), was one of the first to hypothesize the intimate connection between bird nests and their landscapes. Researchers interested in understanding the role birds have as zoogeomorphic agents should view Collias (1964) as an essential resource for information and inspiration for further exploration.