Wildlife Artist's Nestbox Livestreams Become YouTube Sensation

The Rise of Robert Fuller's Wildlife Livestreams

Having enjoyed setting up bird boxes with his father as a child, the wildlife artist Robert Fuller wanted to go one step further. While he happily spent hours making the boxes and dotting them around the Yorkshire Wolds, he found it tantalising that he was unable to see exactly what the nesting owls, kestrels and kingfishers were up to.

From Nestboxes to YouTube Stardom

Fuller's YouTube channel, which livestreams footage from his artificial habitats and documents his love of British nature, is about to hit a million global subscribers. His channel now generates on average 2.8m monthly views.

The Allure of Wildlife Livestreams

“I started building nest boxes for me to photograph and film from, which were in fallen-down trees,” he said. “I’d get my chainsaw out and make them into a natural nest box. The frustration was I couldn’t see what was happening inside, so I started placing cameras.”

The Impact of Lockdown on Viewership

He then decided to stream the footage live on YouTube. “I didn’t have any expectations at all,” Fuller said. The viewers did not initially flock to the footage, but lockdown fuelled interest.

The Future of Wildlife Storytelling

One viewer described the livestreams as “like watching nature’s soap opera”. As many as 70% of livestream watchers are repeat viewers. “There’s no other way you see this secretive life,” Fuller said.

Concerns About AI-Generated Content

While Fuller is clear that YouTube has allowed him to present British wildlife to a global audience, he also has concerns about its approach to AI-generated material.