A study from the University of Alcalá reveals that magpies, far from being just noisy birds, act as key seed dispersers in open spaces. Their work favors natural reforestation by transporting acorns and fruits to degraded areas, a process that humans have been trying to replicate for decades with mixed results.
The natural algorithm that outperforms any reforestation drone 🌿
Magpies combine spatial memory and storage habits to bury seeds in optimal locations for germination. Unlike drones or mechanical seeders, these birds select microhabitats with suitable soil and protection against herbivores. The study documents that a single magpie can disperse up to 500 acorns per season, with a germination success rate comparable to manual planting.
Meanwhile, the EU funds studies on carrier pigeons with GPS 🐦
It turns out the solution to deforestation was flying over our heads and dropping seeds at random. While humans hire consultants and design drones with artificial intelligence, magpies have been doing the job for millennia for free and without asking for subsidies. Of course, their method has a side effect: every now and then they mistake an acorn for a car's side mirror. Nobody's perfect.