Blog

We’re noticing more birds weaving bits of human-made materials—like plastic bags or fishing line—into their nests, and we’re curious about what that means for their success. Could plastic pose risks, or might it offer some unexpected benefits? This summer, we’re teaming up with a Cornell University student to find out, and we’d love your help. If you find and monitor an American Robin, Gray Catbird, or Northern Mockingbird nest, you can snap a couple of quick photos (from the side and above) and upload them to NestWatch. By comparing nests with and without plastic, we can learn more about how these materials affect birds.

Sometimes building a nest near predators can be a good thing! Let’s explore the different ways some birds take advantage of nesting near to animals that are a few steps higher up on the food chain—in other words, their predators’ predator.

When it comes to feeding baby birds, some prey species are the ideal superfoods. That’s why Eastern Bluebirds feed caterpillars to their nestlings 40% of the time—they’re rich in protein, fats, and vitamins! But birds need our help to reverse insect declines and turn “food deserts” into “food oases.” Read on to learn how you can help bring back the insects…so birds can feed them to their young.

Bird nests come in all shapes and sizes, some lasting for a season, while others last years, decades, or even centuries! A recent study on Bearded Vultures takes a fascinating look into their ancient nests that are still in use and the items found within that helped researchers determine how long they’ve been present in the environment. These discoveries highlight a valuable insight into our biocultural history and how we can shape future conservation goals.

What can you do this fall to build better habitat for your nest box inhabitants? Plant native! Native plants are a boon for wildlife, especially birds; they’re a great source of food and shelter, and they provide ample nesting material during the breeding season. Our guest Mhairi McFarlane dives into several different activities you can do right now to help create ideal nesting space for your birds come springtime.

Trail cameras are a fun and low-impact way to monitor bird nests and discover fascinating behaviors without disturbing the birds. With the right setup and a few safety considerations, you can collect great data while minimizing time in the field. It’s a great tool for NestWatchers who want a more intimate view of the nesting cycle.

Have you ever experienced mysterious, almost perfectly circular holes appearing in your nest boxes? If so, you might have other winged creatures trying to lay eggs in your nest box—carpenter bees! These pollinators have a habit of boring into wood to lay their eggs, which can damage nest boxes. We explore carpenter bee identification and habits, plus share some tips to prevent and repair the damage.

Building safe and healthy communities for both birds and people has never been more necessary, but it doesn’t happen by chance. It happens when we join forces to identify a need, pool resources to accomplish a goal, and communicate the successes—and challenges—with the broader community. Read our thoughts on how to scale up your NestWatching to the community level.

The familiar Barn Swallow is an agile, active flier that nests in close association with humans. However, their numbers have been declining recently due to several factors. In this blog post, swallow conservationist Mara Silver shares some insights on how she helped resurrect a colony in a disused barn site.