Nesting birds can act as thermal ecosystem engineers by providing warm habitats that may attract arthropods to colonise the nest structure. This cohabitation of birds and nest-dwelling invertebrates may foster symbiotic relationships between them, but evidence is lacking. We investigated whether ants are attracted to bird nests by the heat generated by the hosts, and/or the nests’ structural insulation properties, to raise their broods (larvae and/or pupae) in advantageous thermal conditions. We found that the endothermic activity of birds within their nests created ‘heat islands’, with thermal conditions potentially promoting the survival and development of ant larvae in cool environments. We experimentally confirmed that the presence of heat within bird nests, and not the structure itself, attracted the ants to colonise the nests. As ants might benefit from exploiting warm bird nests, this may be a previously overlooked commensal, mutualistic or parasitic relationship which may be ecologically significant and globally widespread among various nesting birds and reproducing ants. Similar interspecific interactions may exist with other arthropods that reproduce in avian and mammalian nests. Further research is needed to reveal the nature of these relationships between such taxa, and to understand the role of warm-blooded animals as thermal ecosystem engineers.

筑巢的鸟类可以通过提供温暖的栖息地来吸引热土生态系统的工程师，这些栖息地可能会吸引节肢动物来筑巢。鸟类和居住在无脊椎动物中的这种同居可能促进它们之间的共生关系，但缺乏证据。我们调查了蚂蚁是否通过宿主产生的热量和/或鸟巢的结构绝缘特性被鸟巢吸引，从而在有利的热条件下提高其巢（幼虫和/或p）。我们发现，鸟在其巢中的吸热活动形成了“热岛”，热条件有可能促进在凉爽环境中蚂蚁幼虫的生存和发育。我们通过实验证实，燕窝内部存在热量，而不是结构本身，吸引了蚂蚁将其定居。由于蚂蚁可能会从开发温暖的鸟巢中受益，因此这可能是一种以前被忽视的共生，互惠或寄生关系，这种关系在生态上很重要，并且在各种筑巢的鸟类和繁殖的蚂蚁中广泛分布。与在鸟类和哺乳动物巢中繁殖的其他节肢动物可能存在相似的种间相互作用。需要进一步的研究来揭示这些类群之间这些关系的性质，并了解温血动物作为热生态系统工程师的作用。与在鸟类和哺乳动物巢中繁殖的其他节肢动物可能存在相似的种间相互作用。需要进一步的研究来揭示这些类群之间这些关系的性质，并了解温血动物作为热生态系统工程师的作用。与在鸟类和哺乳动物巢中繁殖的其他节肢动物可能存在相似的种间相互作用。需要进一步的研究来揭示这些类群之间这些关系的性质，并了解温血动物作为热生态系统工程师的作用。