Blog

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.