Read About Birds Nest

There isn't one uniform way to build a birds nest, but all birds use nests to protect their eggs while they're developing. Here's what you need to know about a birds nest.

Why a nest?

Birds make a birds nest because they need a safe, warm place to put their eggs. The nest needs to be placed in a safe place both for the mother or father's safety and the babies' safety. The parents have to sit on the birds nest while it's incubating so it's key that they be safe as well as the babies. If the parents have to move off of the nest because danger is lurking, the babies are left exposed and in unsafe conditions.

Nesting in a tree

Not all birds nest in trees and those that do, find different ways to build their birds nest. For example, woodpeckers do not build traditional birds nest in trees, but they do build in a tree. Instead of building a nest on the outside branches of the tree, they tuck themselves inside of the tree trunk or the tree branches. This protects the babies from predators and keeps the eggs at a temperature that's good for development.

Other birds will build a birds nest inside of a tree and will then seal off the entrance. The mate is then responsible for delivering food to the mate that is protecting the babies.

Nesting on the ground

Many different birds will build a birds nest on the ground. These birds are usually larger and live in colonies so they can help protect each other's nest from predators. The kiwi, which is a non-flying bird that lives in New Zealand, nests on the ground. This bird has very few predators and uses other kiwis to help guard against danger.

Another bird that just recently became popular thanks to a new movie, uses its feet to hold the egg while the bird develops. This bird is the emperor penguin and it doesn’t use any kind of birds nest to incubate the baby. Instead, the male penguin holds the baby on its feet while the mother searches for food. The male stands in the cold weather and has nothing to eat until the female returns.

Some birds use nests without going through the trouble of building their own birds nest. Cuckoo birds are well known for nest thievery. This bird searches for nests that have eggs resembling the color of its own eggs. Then, when the mother is out looking for food, the cuckoo lays its eggs next to the other eggs. When the baby cuckoos hatch, they force the other babies out of the birds nest and get raised by the other bird.