There are many different species of birds that build nests in trees. Trees provide excellent locations for nest sites, as they are elevated off the ground and provide protection from predators and the elements. Birds have adapted over time to build nests of varying sizes and shapes using different materials that allow their nests to blend into the trees and branches. While all birds that nest in trees use them to lay their eggs, incubate them, and raise their young, different types of birds have preferences for the types of trees, locations in the trees, and nest structures. Read on to learn more about some of the most common tree-nesting birds.
Birds that Frequently Nest in Trees
Robins
The American Robin is one of the most widespread and recognizable songbirds in North America. It can be found from Alaska down to Mexico. Robins often build their nests on horizontal branches or in the fork between two branches of deciduous trees. They prefer to nest in fruit trees such as apple, cherry, and crabapple trees.
Robins build a cup-shaped nest that resembles a bowl made of grasses, weeds, mosses, leaves, rootlets, and mud. They line the interior with soft grass and feathers. The female does most of the construction while the male provides some of the materials. She produces 3-5 light blue eggs that she incubates for 12-14 days while being fed by the male. The altricial young hatch blind and naked and require feeding and care in the nest for the next 2 weeks.
Eastern Phoebe
The Eastern Phoebe is a small tyrant flycatcher found in eastern North America. It is gray-brown on the upperparts with a white throat and belly and a dark bill. It gets its name from its vocalization that sounds like it is repeating “pheebee.”
This bird nests on sheltered ledges such as under overhangs on houses, bridges, or culverts. However, it readily uses nests built in previous years on tree branches, preferably in a fork near the trunk. The nest resembles a mass of vegetation like moss, grass, fibers, hair, and feathers with a lined interior cup constructed by the female while the male gathers most of the material.
She lays 3-6 white eggs which she incubates for about 15 days. Both parents feed the nestlings insect prey for 16-18 days until fledging. Phoebes may reuse the same nest or rebuild on top of an old nest from previous years.
Baltimore Oriole
Baltimore Orioles are colorful songbirds that live in deciduous forests, woodlands, and shade trees. Their breeding range covers much of the eastern and central United States. Orioles build remarkable hanging nests at the end of branches high up in trees.
The female oriole uses plant fibers, vines, bark strips, leaves, yarn, string, hair, and other materials to weave a pouch nest that hangs down secured to twigs at the top. The nest entrance has woven strands that help conceal it. She attaches it underneath drooping branches or leaves that provide cover.
Orioles lay 3-7 eggs that the female incubates for 12-14 days. After hatching, both parents feed the nestlings for another 8-18 days before they fledge. Orioles may reuse a nest or build a new one in the same vicinity for subsequent broods.
Mourning Dove
Mourning Doves are graceful small doves with a long pointed tail. They inhabit open woods, fields, and urban yards across most of North and Central America. Doves build flimsy platform nests of twigs, stems, and grasses on top of branches in trees.
The male and female dove work together to construct the loose messy nest. The female lays just two white eggs which she incubates during the day and the male at night. After about two weeks, the helpless and naked hatchlings break out of their eggs. For the next two weeks, the dove parents take turns brooding the nestlings, keeping them warm, and feeding them regurgitated crop milk.
Doves may reuse an existing nest, repair an old one, or build a completely new nest in the same or nearby tree for subsequent broods in a breeding season. They show strong loyalty to a nesting territory if it proves to be suitable.
Nest Locations in Trees
Different species of birds that nest in trees may prefer certain types of locations within those trees. Some considerations include height, concealment, and support structure.
Tree Height
Birds nest at varying heights within trees. Ground nesters like turkeys may choose sites at the base. Shrub nesters like yellow warblers use saplings. Understory nesters like thrushes favor the middle canopy. Other birds like orioles nest high in the upper canopy. Height relates to factors like security from predators, shelter from elements, and stability.
Concealment
Nest concealment helps protect eggs and young from predators and harsh weather. Foliage, branches, and cavities can hide nests. Some species like chimney swifts nest inside hollow trunks for total coverage. Other adaptable birds like robins weave exterior twig walls around their nest cups.
Support Structure
Tree-dwelling birds select secure sites to anchor their nests. This may be where multiple twigs fork, in the crutch of a branch against the trunk, wedged into dense foliage, or hanging from flexible branches. Sturdy placements prevent nests from falling during storms and other disturbances.
Different Types of Nests in Trees
The various birds that make nests in trees construct them using diverse techniques and materials. Nests can be categorized based on their placement and structural characteristics.
Cavity Nests
Cavity-nesting birds like woodpeckers and nuthatches nest inside hollowed out holes in the trunks or branches of living or dead trees. Natural cavities provide safety and insulation. Some species excavate their own holes, while others use old woodpecker holes or crevices from decay in the wood. Cavities typically have a small, round entrance hole leading to a larger hollowed interior space.
Platform Nests
Platform nests rest on top of a flat surface of twigs, branches, or clumps of foliage. They may anchor to supports on one or more sides. Robins, mourning doves, and ospreys build platform nests of sticks, twigs, and grasses lined with softer materials. These nests are relatively exposed on top with more open sides.
Cup Nests
Cup nests have an inner bowl-shaped structure made of woven grasses, moss, roots, and plant fibers. The nest cup provides a supportive interior space to hold eggs and chicks. Many songbirds like chickadees, wood-pewees, and finches engineer complex and compact cup nests.
Pendant Nests
Pendant nests hang down from a branch, vine, or overhang structure. Orioles weave remarkable hanging pouches secured from above by the rim. Hummingbirds build tiny softball-sized nests attached on the underside of drooping branches or leaves. Pendant nests rely on aerial anchoring for suspension.
nest
Bird Species | Nest Placement | Nest Structure | Nest Materials |
---|---|---|---|
American Robin | Forked branch | Cup nest | Grass, twigs, feathers |
Eastern Phoebe | On ledge or against trunk | Cup nest | Moss, grass, mud |
Baltimore Oriole | Hanging from branches | Woven pouch | Fibers, hair, bark |
Mourning Dove | Top of branch | Platform nest | Sticks, twigs |
Factors in Nest Site Selection
Birds choose where to build their nests based on a variety of factors related to comfort, safety, and resource availability. Some key considerations that go into nest site selection include:
Protection from Predators
The nest location needs to help keep eggs and hatchlings safe from predators like snakes, squirrels, and predatory birds. Locations may be high up or concealed to avoid detection.
Shelter from Weather
Birds prefer protected sites that shield the nest from harsh sun, rain, hail, and wind. Cavities or dense vegetation can provide necessary insulation and cover.
Proximity to Food and Water
Nesting near reliable food and water sources is vital for feeding nestlings frequently. Birds minimize travel time and energy costs by nesting close to essential resources.
Strong Support Structures
The nest base must grip securely onto supporting branches, twigs, or surfaces that can bear the weight and withstand storms and movements. Sturdy foundations prevent falling.
Sufficient Space
The nest needs enough interior room and width to contain eggs, provide room for nestlings as they grow, and accommodate an adult brooding on the nest.
Favorable Microclimate
The ideal nest has proper ventilation while also trapping heat and staying dry. Birds avoid locations that get too hot or experience prolonged dampness.
Conclusion
Many bird species adopt arboreal lifestyles and nest high in trees to take advantage of the protection, seclusion, food resources, and favorable conditions that come with nesting above ground. Different birds exhibit preferences for certain types of trees, locations within trees, and techniques for fashioning sturdy and concealed nests to call home. Whether cupping, weaving, burrowing, or gluing together organic materials, these aerial architects display fascinating ingenuity in their nest designs tailored to specific trees and environments. Watching birds flutter through branches collecting food for nestlings or observing their nest building behaviors and structures provides insight into the great lengths birds go through to reproduce and raise their young.