Courtesy
Northsong Wild Bird
Rehabilitation
Before a momma bird can lay her
eggs, she must have a suitable nest
or nesting site. A lot of work and
preparation can go into a nest, but
that makes sense considering it is
the house in which the baby birds
will grow up in! Based on the species
of bird, nests can vary in size, style,
building material, location, and
more. If you look closely, you may
see adult birds flying with sticks,
leaves, string or other funny items
in their beaks. Often times, they use
those items to build a nest.
Some birds, such as the bald
eagle, build gigantic nests. A
bald eagle's nest can be 4-6 feet
in diameter and 3 feet deep!
Hummingbirds, on the other
hand, have nests that are tiny,
measuring 1.5 inches in diameter.
The location of certain nests is
different depending on the species,
too. American robins and northern
cardinals prefer to build their nests
in trees or dense shrubs, while birds
like the pileated woodpecker prefer
a tree cavity. Not all birds build a
nest though. The brown-headed
cowbird, a bird found in Arkansas,
actually prefers to use the nest of
other birds to lay her eggs. She will
even go so far as to let the other
mom raise her babies.
Building a nest is an art that many
species of birds have mastered. Try
this activity and create a nest of your
very own.
Activity Time:
• 30 to 60 minutes
You Will Need:
• Natural materials that you
can find outside. We do not
recommend using any live
foliage; let growing plants live.
Consider collecting sticks, twigs,
fallen leaves, pine straw, small
rocks, etc.
• A small tray or dish to build your
nest in. Ask your parents for
help selecting an appropriate
item.
• A picture of a bird nest.
• A rock the size of an egg. We will
call this rock the "egg." Feel free
to paint it if you have supplies at
home and your parents are okay
with it.
Instructions:
• Once you have all your items, lay
them out on the tray in front of
you. Do your best to build a nest
that will be able to safely hold
your "egg" when you are done
building. Weave sticks or pine
straw together and use leaves
or similar items for insulation.
There is no right way to do
this – every bird does it a little
differently.
• Once you are done, gently take
your nest out of the tree and
move it to a shrub or bush
outside. Set your rock in it. Does
it stay together? Does it hold the
weight of the rock? Adjust your
nest as needed until you are
happy with the final product!
Nest Building 101
Photos courtesy
Quin Warsaw
"Best Friends"
...
make thE
4363 W Wedington Dr. • Fayetteville • 479-444-6600
www.WedingtonAnimalHospital.com
7:30am-10pm Monday-Friday • 9am-5pm Saturday & Sunday
"Best Friends"
www.Of f icialKidsMag.com • JULY 2023 • 31
