Blog

NestWatch Blog Posts

  • twigs, sticks, and dried grasses in a suet cage, hanging from a feeder pole
    What Kind of Nest Materials are Best to Provide for Birds?

    Some birdwatchers and nature lovers like to celebrate the beginning of breeding season by providing nesting materials for use by the birds that will soon become their neighbors. Each spring we see a similar uptick in questions regarding which type…

  • a male northern flicker in the grass, munching on a cicada
    Will Brood X Benefit Nesting Birds?

    Brood X is an enormous cohort of periodical cicadas in North America and is emerging now! NestWatchers are asked to be on the lookout for impacts on the 2021 nesting season.

  • nest box on a tree with the guard installed, and a snake nearby; illustrated
    How to Protect Tree-Mounted Nest Boxes from Snakes

    Most predator guards that prevent climbing predators are built for nest boxes that are mounted on poles. New research supports the effectiveness of a simple DIY predator guard meant to deter snakes from tree-mounted boxes.

  • Does One Person Really Make a Difference?

    Once in a while, NestWatchers document something that is seldom seen. That’s what happened when Jo Roberts of western Texas recorded the first known instance of a Scott’s Oriole reusing the same nest for years. Jo reminds us that even one person can make a difference in what is known about a species.

  • Two American Dipper nestlings beg for food from within a streamside nest
    Troubled Waters: a Homegrown Effort to Track American Dipper Success

    American Dippers in southwestern Colorado are at risk from water pollution, wildfire, climate change, and microplastics. Concerned community members rallied to form The American Dipper Project, a nest monitoring effort to help the birds recover.

  • A male Eastern Bluebird feeds a mealworm to a fledgling.
    Does Supplemental Feeding Help Nesting Birds?

    NestWatchers have helped shed light on one of the most-asked questions of our participants: what are the biological consequences of providing extra food to birds? As is usually the case, results vary based on species.

  • Not Too Chilled To Build

    Nest box monitors in Florida and Texas have reported some extremely early Eastern Bluebird nests this month. Learn more about this exceptionally rare timing, and what may have triggered these unusual nesting attempts.

  • Seven speckled eggs lie in a fluffy nest
    From Pest to Pleasure: Solving a Neighborhood Bird Problem Peacefully

    When Pygmy Nuthatches were creating a nuisance in a Colorado community, one woman stepped in to advocate for a peaceful solution. That act of peace eventually changed the arc of her life—taking her from occasional birder to self-taught citizen scientist and community activist.

  • A female Tree Swallow perches at a tree hole nest entrance, in which 3 young can be seen begging for food.
    Chasing a Moving Target: When insects accelerate, birds must try to keep pace

    You’ve heard of getting your “omega-3s”, but did you know that birds need them too? According to new research utilizing NestWatch data, insect-eating birds may struggle to get their omega-3s under climate change. Read about how nutritional peaks (i.e., insect emergences) are changing in this new research summary.