Inside the Nest

Take a peek into four of the most common types of bird homes.

1. CUP Cup-shaped nests are the most common type found in backyards. Birds like American robins and blue jays build their cup nests on branches or ledges with twigs, grasses and sometimes man-made materials such as string, cloth and paper. 4. CAVITY Instead of creating a traditional nest, woodpecker species like downies and hairies carve out a nest cavity within a tree. Males and females take turns using their bills to dig and then line the bottom of the 6- to 15-inch-deep cavity with soft woodchips. 2. PLATFORM Bald eagles and ospreys are among several species that construct their huge, somewhat flat nests on platforms and in trees. The birds interweave large sticks, moss and grass to create these nests. One pair of bald eagles will reuse the same nest, which can eventually weigh up to 2 tons, every year.

3. HANGING Orioles like Bullock’s, Baltimore and Altamira gather fibers, including twine and string, to create gourd-shaped pouches hanging from branches. The female oriole works on the nest from the inside and forms the bottom to the shape of her body.

STUFF WE LOVE

Read more about how birds build their nests in Into the Nest by Laura Erickson and Marie Read.

A red-headed woodpecker pair near their nesting cavity.

An osprey perches on its platform nest.

Baltimore oriole hanging nest

Robin’s nest and eggs