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Photo Submission
Submitted By
sarah gates
Albion, Illinois, USA
Description
Found in old wood garage building, easily accessible to animals. My two questions are
a) bird or rodent
b) which way up? ( I didn’t collect it)
Category
Species
Rodent Or Bird?
Honestly I’m not really sure. It was probably some type of rodent like a mouse or rat since a bird nest usually is built with the cup in the middle. But some birds do build their nests in piles like that so it could very well be a bird.
Hi Sarah, This is a Carolina Wren nest. Rodents usually have much more in the way of leaves, seeds, junk (plastic, etc.) and/or fluffy material (think insulation, cattail fluff, etc.).
Carolina Wrens are versatile nesters; nests have been found in mailboxes, garages, old bots, upturned flowerpots, etc. They often build a dome over the top of the nest – the cup-shape would be the entrance area in your photos. Your first photo depicts how I would have expected the box to be oriented while the bird built the nest.
Carolina wren.
Carolina Wren nest