While bird watching is interesting, spotting bird nests in your backyard and connecting the dots based on the shape and size is even more fascinating. But it’s not as easy as it sounds! There are countless types of bird nests; each showcasing exquisite diversity. So, how do you identify which species the nest belongs to?
By observing the nest’s timing, location, size, shape, and composition, you can effectively identify the bird species. From intricate cup-shaped nests of Robins to the elaborate hanging nests of Eurasian Penduline Tits, every bird nest is a work of art waiting to be explored.
This bird nest identification chart will help you distinguish between various types of bird nests, and have fun exploring their characteristics and architecture.
Table of Contents
Bird Nest Identification Chart
| Bird Species | Nest Description | Nest Type | Nest Diameter | Nest Height |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robin | Cup-shaped nest made of twigs, grass, and moss, lined with fine materials such as hair or feathers, often located in shrubs or trees. | Cup | 10 cm | 15 cm |
| Blackbird | Cup-shaped nest made of grass, leaves, and twigs, lined with mud and fine grass, typically built in dense vegetation or shrubs. | Cup | 15 cm | 20 cm |
| Blue Tit | Small, dome-shaped nest made of moss, hair, feathers, and wool, with a small entrance hole, often located in tree holes or nest boxes. | Dome | 8 cm | 12 cm |
| Great Tit | Similar to Blue Tit nest but slightly larger, made of moss, hair, feathers, and wool, with a larger entrance hole. | Dome | 10 cm | 15 cm |
| Chaffinch | Cup-shaped nest made of twigs, roots, and moss, lined with hair and feathers, usually built in trees or shrubs. | Cup | 15 cm | 20 cm |
| Song Thrush | Large, cup-shaped nest made of grass, mud, and leaves, lined with fine materials such as feathers or hair, typically found in trees or hedges. | Cup | 20 cm | 25 cm |
| House Sparrow | Untidy, domed nest made of straw, grass, and feathers, often built in cavities of buildings or trees. | Dome | 25 cm | 30 cm |
| Wren | Small, domed nest made of twigs, moss, and grass, often hidden in dense vegetation or low shrubs. | Dome | 8 cm | 10 cm |
| Dunnock | Neat, cup-shaped nest made of grass, leaves, and moss, lined with hair or feathers, built close to the ground in shrubs or hedgerows. | Cup | 10 cm | 12 cm |
| Goldfinch | Compact, cup-shaped nest made of fine grass and plant fibers, often lined with thistle down, built in trees or shrubs. | Cup | 8 cm | 10 cm |
Small Bird Nest Identification
Bird nest charts are often classified based on the bird’s size. Small birds, such as hummingbirds and goldfinches are known for their small, cup-shaped nests.
Hummingbirds build flexible nests, 10 to 90 feet high on top of trees; composed of grass, moss, soft material, and most importantly spider silk. The flexibility of these nests allows them to expand as the babies grow.
Goldfinches also build similar cup-shaped nests. However, they use thistle and milkweed pappus, weaving them tightly until they are compact enough to hold water.
Do all small birds make cup-shaped nests? Not exactly! Some birds, such as the Blue and Great Tits also make dome-shaped nests. They form their nests in the hollows of the tree trunks, lining them with soft wool, hair, feathers, and moss.
| Bird Species | Nest Description | Nest Type | Nest Diameter | Nest Height |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Tit | Small, dome-shaped nest made of moss, hair, feathers, and wool, with a small entrance hole, often located in tree holes or nest boxes. | Dome | 8 cm | 12 cm |
| Great Tit | Similar to Blue Tit nest but slightly larger, made of moss, hair, feathers, and wool, with a larger entrance hole. | Dome | 10 cm | 15 cm |
| Wren | Small, domed nest made of twigs, moss, and grass, often hidden in dense vegetation or low shrubs. | Dome | 8 cm | 10 cm |
| Goldfinch | Compact, cup-shaped nest made of fine grass and plant fibers, often lined with thistle down, built in trees or shrubs. | Cup | 8 cm | 10 cm |
Also read: Sparrow Identification Chart
Large Bird Nest Identification
You can typically identify a large bird nest by their size since they are comparatively larger than small bird nests. This includes Blackbird and Song Thrush, which usually build a cup-shaped nest, ranging in size from 15-25 cm. It is composed of twigs, grass, and straw, lined with mud and consisting of soft grass in the center.
They prefer nesting near the ground, or on climbing trees such as Ivy; hence, their nests are built to be sturdy and camouflaged.
If you are planning on taking bird nest identification pictures, make sure you don’t touch the nest. This can make the parent birds abandon the nest due to risk of threat. In some states, it is even illegal to interfere with bird nests and eggs.
| Bird Species | Nest Description | Nest Type | Nest Diameter | Nest Height |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackbird | Cup-shaped nest made of grass, leaves, and twigs, lined with mud and fine grass, typically built in dense vegetation or shrubs. | Cup | 15 cm | 20 cm |
| Song Thrush | Large, cup-shaped nest made of grass, mud, and leaves, lined with fine materials such as feathers or hair, typically found in trees or hedges. | Cup | 20 cm | 25 cm |
| House Sparrow | Untidy, domed nest made of straw, grass, and feathers, often built in cavities of buildings or trees. | Dome | 25 cm | 30 cm |
Hanging Bird Nest Identification
Besides the cup and dome-shaped nests, some birds also build hanging nests ranging in size from 10 to 20 cm in diameter. Birds known for their hanging nests include the Long-tailed Tit, Eurasian Penduline Tit, Baltimore Oriole, and a few others.
The nests are usually made of feathers, lichen, moss, plant materials, and spider silk. It hangs about a foot below its site of origin, and is camouflaged well due to the plant material on the outside.
Although hanging nests are always found on trees, the type of tree may vary depending on the bird species. For example, Eurasian Penduline Tits from their nests over water bodies, while Hooded Oriole nests are often found suspended on palm fronds.
If you want to learn more about hanging bird nests continue reading this bird nest identification guide.
| Bird Species | Nest Description | Nest Type | Nest Diameter | Nest Height |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long-tailed Tit | Elaborate, hanging nest made of moss, feathers, lichen, and cobwebs, with an entrance at the top, suspended from a tree branch or shrub. | Hanging | 10 cm | 15 cm |
| Eurasian Penduline Tit | Elaborate, hanging nest made of plant fibers, moss, and feathers, suspended from reeds or grasses near water bodies. | Hanging | 12 cm | 20 cm |
| Baltimore Oriole | Elaborate, hanging nest made of grass, plant fibers, and string, woven into a pouch-like shape, suspended from tree branches. | Hanging | 15 cm | 25 cm |
| Baya Weaver | Intricately woven hanging nest made of grass and reed fibers, often forming colonies of nests suspended from trees. | Hanging | 20 cm | 30 cm |
| Hooded Oriole | Hanging nest woven from fibers, grass, and plant materials, often found suspended from palm fronds or tree branches. | Hanging | 15 cm | 20 cm |
| Red-eyed Vireo | Cup-shaped nest suspended from a forked branch, made of grass, plant fibers, and spider silk, often lined with feathers or hair. | Hanging | 10 cm | 15 cm |
British Bird Nest Identification
Nearly all bird nest id are based on their shape, composition, and size. Next up, we have the British birds which usually form cup or dome-shaped nests.
They are made of plant materials, such as moss, grass, twigs, and leaves. Some birds prefer solidifying their nests with mud, while others line it with soft material such as feathers and wool. British birds mostly build their nests in shrubs, low-lying trees, and hedges.
| Bird Species | Nest Description | Nest Type | Nest Diameter | Nest Height |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robin | Cup-shaped nest made of twigs, grass, and moss, lined with fine materials such as hair or feathers, often located in shrubs or trees. | Cup | 10 cm | 15 cm |
| Blackbird | Cup-shaped nest made of grass, leaves, and twigs, lined with mud and fine grass, typically built in dense vegetation or shrubs. | Cup | 15 cm | 20 cm |
| Blue Tit | Small, dome-shaped nest made of moss, hair, feathers, and wool, with a small entrance hole, often located in tree holes or nest boxes. | Dome | 8 cm | 12 cm |
| Great Tit | Similar to Blue Tit nest but slightly larger, made of moss, hair, feathers, and wool, with a larger entrance hole. | Dome | 10 cm | 15 cm |
| Chaffinch | Cup-shaped nest made of twigs, roots, and moss, lined with hair and feathers, usually built in trees or shrubs. | Cup | 15 cm | 20 cm |
| Song Thrush | Large, cup-shaped nest made of grass, mud, and leaves, lined with fine materials such as feathers or hair, typically found in trees or hedges. | Cup | 20 cm | 25 cm |
| House Sparrow | Untidy, domed nest made of straw, grass, and feathers, often built in cavities of buildings or trees. | Dome | 25 cm | 30 cm |
| Wren | Small, domed nest made of twigs, moss, and grass, often hidden in dense vegetation or low shrubs. | Dome | 8 cm | 10 cm |
| Dunnock | Neat, cup-shaped nest made of grass, leaves, and moss, lined with hair or feathers, built close to the ground in shrubs or hedgerows. | Cup | 10 cm | 12 cm |
Also read: Warbler Identification Chart
Characteristics Of A Bird Nest
Different bird species build different types of nests, best adapted to their living conditions. However, all nests serve the same purpose, that is to provide protection to their eggs and offspring. Let’s take a look at some general characteristics of a bird nest.
- Bird nests may be small cup-shaped, domes, or hanging nests.
- They can be made from grass, straw, feathers, lichen, spider silk, twigs, and mud.
- Depending on the species, the nests may be found over water bodies, in tree trunks, nest boxes, abandoned buildings, shrubs, and even on ground.
- The outside of the nests is made from plant material to camouflage the nest and protect it from potential threat of predators.
- Some birds, such as the Emperor Penguin, do not build nests. The female lays the eggs, and the male carries it on its feet until it hatches.
- Dome shaped nests provide better protection compared to cup-shaped nests, since they are enclosed and only have an entrance hole for the opening.
What Is 5A Bird Nest?
5a bird nest is a special delicacy, synthesized from the saliva of white-nest swiftlets. It is mainly found in Southeast Asia, Indonesia, and Thailand and is popular for its high protein content.
It has phenomenal medicinal properties, such as nourishment of body organs, increase in metabolism, enhancement of kidney and GIT function, and improvement in immunity.
How is Bird Nest Graded?
Bird nest grading determines the quality of the bird nest. It is based on several factors, such as shape and size, cleanliness, appearance, texture, and taste.
- On the basis of size and shape, bird nests can be classified into grade A, B, BS, and C. The greater the width of the crescent-shaped nest, the better the quality.
- On the basis of cleanliness, the nest can be either special, premium, or normal grade. Nests without any feathers and black spots have higher standards.
- On the basis of appearance, bird nests can be graded into G1, G2, G3, and G4. Intact, crescent-shaped nests with no gaps on the surface are higher quality.
- On the basis of texture, nests can be thick and chewy, or fine and smooth. Nests with strips are better tasting than the flaky, low-quality ones.
Conclusion
This bird nest identification chart has all the information you need to accurately identify bird nests. The key is to observe the nests keenly and identify the shape, size, and composition. Once you have mastered the art of identifying bird nests, bird watching will become even more enjoyable for you.