Nests are equally as variable in their shape and size as the birds that build them. Constructed in all shapes and sizes, nests are built from a variety of different materials. Some birds, like the Baltimore oriole build a tree hanging nest woven together with grass and bark fibers. Ovenbirds weave a nest as well, but theirs is built on the ground in camouflaged domed cup. The ovenbird uses leaves and plant stems to construct the nest and creates the entrance off to one side. Some birds put great time into building their nest structure, while others, like killdeer make simple scrapes in the ground on which they lay their eggs.
On Thursday, September 12, from 6:30 to 8:30 join Tin Mountain Conservation Center staff as we explore the basics of identifying different bird nests. On a tree top, on the ground, on a rooftop, all around, bird nests are everywhere and our collection of old bird nests at the Nature Center is forever expanding. After a brief introduction to where birds build their nests, what materials they use, and the different nest sizes, we will use the Field Guide to Bird Nests and help identify the Tin Mountain Conservation Center bird nest collection.
With fledglings having left the comfort of their nests by early autumn, September is the perfect time to explore and identify the many abandoned nests left by our avian visitors. Practice your ID skills with the Tin Mountain nest collection, and you’ll be a profession nest identifier when the leaves drop and the abandoned nests stand out on bare branches.