The ugly truth behind those “cute baby bird” Internet memes

This Florida egret doesn't mind tossing a few of its chicks to the alligators. (credit: Audobon Society)

Everybody loves a cute picture of a baby bird, which is why the Internet is packed with shots of these tiny balls of fluff, watched over by their adoring parents. Nature's reality, however, is a lot less adorable. Many wading birds—including egrets, herons, and storks—actually feed their babies to local alligators in exchange for protection from other predators.

A new study published in PLoS One explores the complicated relationship between colonies of wading birds and alligators in the Florida Everglades. Environmental scientists have known for a lot time that birds and alligators thrive in part thanks to a mutually beneficial arrangement that's called "facilitation." The birds choose to nest in trees right in the middle of alligator territories, and the reason seems obvious. Their nests are high enough to keep the birds out of chomping range, so the alligators focus on killing the raccoons and possums that would normally eat birds' eggs. Alligators keep tropical flooded islands and swamps safe from predators.

Rarely did anyone wonder what alligators got out of this deal. They can get raccoons anywhere, so why stick around bird colonies? Answering that question is the focus of this new study.