So Jun and I stopped at a rest stop on a highway the other day, and Jun found… this!
These are plates that get put up underneath swallow nests all around Japan to catch their droppings
so that they don’t poop on people walking underneath the nests.
These signs are coordinated by a non-profit organization called バードリサーチ or Bird Research.
According to their website, swallows often build their nests in public areas
where it can be inconvenient for people, so in order to prevent stations and service centers
from destroying the nests, they coordinated methods to make it easier for the swallows
and people to live together. Since 2012 they’ve been creating these plates,
which stations can then order and put up themselves.
Last year they sent out more than 1000 of them.
They also teach people how to make artificial nests, which stations can put up in areas
that are more convenient. These artificial nests encourage swallows to lay their eggs there
rather than build their own nests in bad locations, like right over bathroom entrances.
Jun and I really love animals so we think this project is really cool, and I hope it
keeps growing so all the little birdies can lay their eggs peacefully and have happy families!