Plastic spider webs: How Halloween decorations harm Australian birds

The proliferation of fake spider webs in the lead-up to Halloween is the real stuff of nightmares, according to bird lovers who are urging people to ditch the plastic ahead of October 31.

Man-made materials now comprise 30 per cent of the matter found in Australian bird nests, but plastic spider webs create a particularly nasty problem.

In Australia, Halloween coincides with breeding and nesting seasons. The stretchy but strong fibres that make up plastic spider webs can entangle nestling and fledgling birds in the nest, leading to serious injury and even death.

Fake spiderwebs are widely sold in major supermarkets and have been steadily growing in popularity since bursting onto the market more than 20 years ago.

Animal ecologist Associate Professor Kathy Townsend from University of th