Bird Nests and Breeding

The inside of a nest box containing a nest of sticks, four small eggs, and a snakeskin.
Some Birds Adorn Their Nests With Snakeskin to Scare Off Predators, New Study Finds
November 26, 2024 — Nests with shed skins have long fascinated ornithologists, but researchers only recently confirmed their use as a deterrent by cavity nesters.
A small brown and gray bird perches at the entrance of its dome-like, moss-and-lichen nest, holding plant material in its beak.
Bird Nests Tell Extraordinary Stories, If You Learn How to Read Them
March 29, 2023 — Casey McFarland, author of “Peterson Field Guide to North American Bird Nests,” describes how paying attention to nests can improve your birding.
A round globular nest made of twigs and dry grasses with a hole for entry built in a cactus in a desert landscape.
Appreciate These Magnificent Avian Nests—and the Next One You Find in the Field
March 06, 2023 — Birds build an amazing variety of nest types, and each construction is a work of art.
A New Stunning Nest Guide Celebrates a Different Aspect of Birding
November 23, 2021 — The Peterson series displays the variety in crafted structures of a whopping 650 species. Co-author David Moskowitz shares insights from the field.
How Orioles Build Those Incredible Hanging Nests
August 06, 2019 — The delicate-looking structures are stronger than they seem, and come in a variety of shapes and materials.
Is It Okay to Remove Cowbird Eggs From Host Nests?
June 06, 2018 — It can be tempting to interfere with these brood parasites. But there are many reasons—legal and behavioral—to leave tampering to the pros.