Wild Birds - Nests and Nest Building

Birds are the real architect of the natural world. Not only does it design exquisite and intricate structures, the variety of materials used is very amazing. From tree cavities to cowsheds to simple platforms, birds use any kind of natural material that can be rotated with a beak or foot. They are not above using structures or man-made objects either, which is why it is very easy to enhance your birdwatching activities simply by providing a properly designed bird

The nest-building act is triggered by hormones. Other factors such as migration, length of day and availability of food and regional contribute also, although these behaviors are themselves susceptible to hormonal effect. The size of the bird's genitals is reduced dramatically during most of the year, an adaptive strategy that is less weight-bearing. Once the hormones are released, the size of the male and ovarian testicles in females increases dramatically. In post-mortem screening, it is easy to know the reproductive status of a bird once the size of these organs has been verified. Once the breeding season is over, the ovaries and testicles shrink into very small structures located in the kidney area.

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Most people are familiar with the size and shape of Robin's Nest which is a mud-and-grass structure often found in our yards or even built on the porch light on the front steps! But there are many other types of nests made from a range of innovative materials. Here are some examples of nests that you may find when you are out of exploration.

Nests of cavities: Tree cavities are formed in trees by woodpecks or natural weathering, making houses of many species, including swallow trees, woodpecks, nuts, thorns, domestic birds, blue birds, ducks, saw blades and many others. Some birds may build a nest where they find "artificial" cavities in human structures, such as fireplace openings, dried holes, chimneys, friezes, plates, and shingles. The classic bird house, made by humans in a variety of shapes and patterns, caters to many cavity enthusiasts.
Cups: Usually seen on the edges or in a branch dish, the nest cup is usually a circular circular pot made of grass, leaves, threads, hair, mud or saliva to help assemble it together. Many species make this kind of nest, such as freckles, goldfish, rubens and swallow birds. The last two types may build nest cups on an artificial nest platform installed on the side of your home or garage.
Hanging baskets: Baltimore's colorful tennis racket offers a delicate herbal basket hanging from one branch and swings in the wind, searching for the whole world as if it would collapse in a light storm. However, orioles are not the only weave baskets. Other species like bushtit also weave baskets, using algae, hair and plant fiber.
Mud pipes: Who did not see the wonderful iceberg nests? It takes hundreds of trips from the mud source to the bridge, or building, or wall shelf that hosts a tubular nest in the swallowtail. Each small clay ball is mixed with saliva to create enough thorny force to keep them all together.
Platforms: Collecting branches, twigs, grass (even green grasses), into an untidy mass, many prey birds nest their nests on a supporting platform, using both natural and man-made foundations. Some are relatively small and unclear, hidden from potential predators. Cooper's hawks and hawks and hawks are likely to build these hawks. Others are huge in both size and stature, such as those made by eagles and eagles. Adding material Year after year, eagles and eagles can collect hundreds of pounds of nest material that increases their size, possibly up to 7 feet deep and deeper. It was known that one nest weighs more than a ton when it finally collapsed. The platform nests can be located on old nests, or in a solid tree, on the edge of a cliff, or on a man-made structure such as an electrode, bridge, or artificial nest platform. Green plants that are added each year are known to contain natural repellents that help to ward off insects and parasites.
Tunnels: Kingfishers and puffins, two species that feed on fish, toss tunnels in dirt banks or on the edge of a cliff overlooking their favorite fishing grounds. The albums will use hiding pre-made tunnels created by rodents such as Richardson Earth Squirrels.
Earth: Many species hide their nests somewhere on the ground, sometimes protected from a low-growth shrub, sometimes protected only by a wonderful camouflage of the same substrate. Coastal birds, ducks and many other birds of prey build this kind of nest. Even some birds of prey will nest on the ground, such as short owl, snow owl, and iron hawks. These birds have evolved prey in areas that may not see a tree for weeks on end, so they adapted accordingly.

construction process

 Some species are very lazy, they prefer not to build at all and simply take over a nest that was previously built by another type in the previous year. The Great Hornet Owl is an example of a class. These species often use old nests, grappas, or hawks, which add two or two new snakes and look exactly like that. Many species of coastal birds use more than mild depression in the natural substrate, camouflaged with rocks, earth, and vegetation. Other species have such complex nests that you literally need to do more than a thousand round trips, carrying the necessary materials.

In most cases, a new nest is built every year although a few species will return to the same nest year after year, adding materials and making repairs for any damage that may have occurred during the winter.

A newly built nest is useful for several reasons. First, the nests need only a short time, as the entire time line of laying eggs to collapse may be less than six weeks, so it is useless to spend a lot of time and energy on something temporarily needed. Second, the parasites can accumulate in the nest material, then continue in the winter, so when the husband returns in the spring, there may be enough parasites that pose a serious health hazard on the nests, and may contribute to their death.

Conversely, making simple adjustments to an existing nest, instead of starting from scratch, saves time and energy, which is invaluable to almost all birds.

 Perhaps the most important reason for a small nest is the speed at which herbs grow into decomposing events. Imagine developing from a newborn to an athlete of Olympic caliber in just six to ten weeks! The nutrition needed to accomplish this is astounding but even the best nutrition is not enough without supporting enough leg for mature birds. When the nests grow, their legs must remain tucked under her body or the legs grow sideways, in a way that eventually falls flat. Therefore, proximity to a crowded nest ensures that this does not happen.

Bird nests and law

This protection is extended to the nests and all passengers. It is illegal to harm, move or harass migratory birds. If a bird builds its nest in a place that may be dangerous or uncomfortable for the owner of the house, it must obtain permission from the local and / or federal wildlife authorities to remove it. The wisest option is to leave it in its place in general; it is not difficult to coexist peacefully with most species. Keep in mind how short the nesting season is and how much fun it is to see the labor-intensive upbringing of children until that busy day when the mice

If you think that nest building is wonderful, the complications of laying eggs will blow your mind! See a future article on the subject, as well as a handful of other great themes on wild birds and mammals.

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