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Last summer, NestWatcher Melissa Sherwood surprised us with the first ever report of a Dark-eyed Junco nesting in an enclosed nest box. Well, this year, Denise Hamilton joins the exclusive club of people who have observed this rare behavior.

Not only do humans self-medicate with aromatic herbs such as lavender, mint, and sage—it turns out that birds also utilize pungent plants in their nests.

Whether for camouflage or parasite reduction, or due to cold weather or nest site competition, not building a nest can certainly have its perks. Meet five species that skip nest building.

Spiders can be shriek-inducing for some people; however, birds benefit from these eight-legged creatures in many ways including as a food source, using their webs for nesting material, and adding spider eggs to the nest for pest control.