Common Bird Nests

Birds build nests specifically for the safety of their eggs and nestlings, or babies, after they've hatched. Nests are meant to provide protection from potential predators and rough weather while keeping the eggs and nestlings warm and happy until they are old enough to leave the nest. There are several main types of bird nests that are commonly seen.

  1. Scrape Nests

    • Scrape nests are fairly simple. They are just small depressions commonly located in soft grass, leaves, dirt or sand. These nests can be found lined with pieces of grass or other material that acts as a barrier to the nest's interior. This is the only protection scrape nests offer. The birds that generally build these nests are vultures, sea gulls, oyster catchers, nighthawks and penguins.

    Cavity Nests

    • Cavity nests are found in natural holes and cavities in cacti, dead or dying trees and any other area in which a cavity could form. The birds that most often use cavity nests are owls, parrots, woodpeckers and waterfowl. The birds that build these cavity nests are known as primary cavity nesters, whereas the birds that generally use a previously occupied cavity are secondary cavity nesters.

    Burrow Nests

    • Burrow nests are generally built by swallows, burrowing owls and belted kingfishers. These nests are known to provide effective protection from predators while creating an appropriate climate for the eggs and nestlings. These nests are built by burrowing into the ground to form tunnels. At the ends of these tunnels are the chambers in which the birds lay their eggs and keep their young.

    Cup Nests

    • Cup nests, as the name implies, are shaped like cups. There are three main types: statant, adherent and pensile. Statant cup nests are supported from the bottom using the crooks of tree branches and shrubs, while adherent cup nests are generally attached to ledges or walls with mud as an adhesive. Pensile cup nests are usually suspended from the branches of trees. It is commonly built by hummingbirds, barn swallows and other song birds.

    Platform Nests

    • Platform nests are generally flat and can be located in a variety of places. They are commonly found in the tops and insides of trees or any other rooted vegetation. They can also be found in very shallow water. Hawks are birds that commonly build platform nests for their young.