Bird nests serve one function — providing a safe space to incubate eggs and raise young birds. With only one function, it's fascinating to see the variety of bird nest types. While not all birds make nests, as some lay their eggs in the ground, there are still various nest types to explore — from intricately woven nests to sturdy mud nests.
Here are eight different types of bird nests to marvel at.
Cup Nests
The cup nest is one of the most common nest types in North America, typically found in shrubs, branches or tree forks. Birds may also build these nests in human-made structures or on the ground in a grassy area. They use sticks, dried flowers, grasses or bark to weave a circular cup. Then, they line the inside of the cup with feathers, animal fur, moss or fine grasses. Finches, sparrows, hummingbirds, mockingbirds, American robins and most songbirds call these nests home.
Pendants
Birds typically use green grass and palm leaves to make this bird nest type. You often find these pendant-style nests dangling from a slender tree twig, making it difficult for snakes to slither into them. Every weaver bird has a distinct way of building these woven nests, although the entrances are usually underneath or on the side of the nest.
Cavities
A cavity nest can be excavated by its inhabitants or an existing cavity that becomes a home. You can find cavities in cacti, trees and rocks. Birds line the inside of these nests with soft materials like feathers and moss. Woodpeckers, tree swallows and screech owls call cavities their home.
Burrows
Birds use their beaks and claws to excavate burrows. While many birds construct their own nesting holes, certain species, like burrowing owls, move into burrows made by others. You can find burrows on the side of termite mounds, sandbanks on riverbanks, old mine shafts and erosion gullies. Species such as bee-eaters, kingfishers and martins use burrows.
Scrapes
A scrape nest is a shallow depression in gravel, soil and sand. Birds create them by scraping the soil or sand from the center point in a circle. While some scrape nests might have bits of soft material as lining, many are unlined, and the eggs are laid on the ground. The great black-backed gull and the Canada goose live in scrape nests.
Platforms
These nests have a simplistic design consisting mainly of sturdy branches or twigs. You'll find these large nests in a tree fork or on the ledge of a cliff. Herons, large raptors and some storks construct these nests.
Spheres
Birds intricately disguise sphere or ball-shaped nests with lichen and moss, and they're held together with thin spider webs. You can spot these nests in grass clumps or trees. The sunbird and the neddicky are some birds that live in these nests.
Mounds
Flamingos construct mounds made of mud or clay on islands alongside waterways, while coots and other water birds create floating mounds attached to reeds or underwater branches. Birds can also use reeds, sedge stems, grass and other nearby vegetation to build these nests over or in water — safeguarding the nest from predators.
Spot Birds and Their Nests With a FeatherSpot Feeder
Be on the lookout for these different types of birds and their nests next time you stroll through the park or go on a hike, and consider getting a bird feeder if you want a closer look at some of these feathered friends in your backyard. FeatherSnap's birdfeeders offer you a window into the wild. With a built-in camera, you can capture many species on film. Find out more about how our bird-feeding products can bring you closer to the wild wonders that are birds.