Nest to impress:
The bird architects
of the Kalahari

In an incredible example of nature at its most versatile, a rather remarkable species called the sociable weaver bird is able to build enormous communal nests in virtually any sort of standing structure.

True to their name, these little brown birds are highly social, with each nest housing over a hundred birds. The nests can last for generations and new hatchlings stay on to help maintain the family home.

Fascinated by the relationship between humans and the environment, South African photographer Dillon Marsh dedicated an entire series to these nests in a project called Assimilation.

“I was struck by how these nests seem to defy reality. They often look way too big to be perched comfortably on the thin telephone poles. They also look like creatures themselves: their thatch resembles fur and their mass falsely implies hidden muscle and bone,” he says.

“For me this phenomenon highlights the fact that humans are not the only creatures capable of creative adaptation. We are using natural resources to our benefit, but in return, nature is also capable of using us to its advantage. I feel that this is a humbling realisation, and it can help us better appreciate the world around us.”