Nests as the art of birds

Nests are important to many birds and other animals to keep their eggs and to provide a place to live or raise offspring. Nests are usually made of some organic material like, grass, leaves, twigs or simply a depression in the ground, or a hole in a tree, rock or building. Birds use nests to protect eggs and nestlings from predators and adverse weather. To minimize predation, birds may use or build nests that are inaccessible, hidden, or camouflaged. Nests may also help keep eggs and nestlings warm.

Researchers from Ohio Wesleyan University suggest that some birds may select nesting material with antimicrobial agents to protect their young from harmful bacteria. They presented their findings at the 2004 meeting of the American Society for Microbiology. "If the fresh herbs and plant materials that parent birds bring into the nest have a sufficient concentration of antimicrobial compounds, they could protect the nestlings from harmful bacteria," says researcher Jann Ichida. To find out if plants brought into the nest might prevent disease, Ichida and colleagues tested 12 different volatile plant materials against feather-degrading bacteria. Results showed that several types of plant materials and extracts including usnic acid, ascorbic acid, yarrow, and two oak species inhibited the growth of a number of harmful bacteria. "If the fresh herbs have a sufficient concentration of these chemicals, they could protect the nestlings from harmful bacteria," says Ichida. "By practicing medical botany, parent birds exercise effective home nest security and protect their offspring from select biodegrading microbes that affect the health of their young.

Some unique nests of birds

The nest mounds built by Dusky Scrubfowls are the largest nest in the animal kingdom. They usually measure more than 11 m or 36 ft in diameter and stand nearly 5 m or 16 ft tall.

Hummingbird

The smallest bird nests are those of some Hummingbirds, tiny cups which are 2 cm across and 3 cm high. The beautiful Hummingbird nest with two chicks on the above photo was photographed in Santa Monica, California, USA.

Purple-crowned Fairy

The cute Cup type nest on the above photo belongs to a Purple-crowned Fairy. Like many other small birds, they use considerable amount of spider silk in their cup nest. Purple-crowned Fairy or Heliothryx barroti can be found Mexico down to Ecuador.

Pendant Nest

This beautiful Pendant nest of an unknown bird species was photographed inYelagiri, India.

Baya Weaver

Sociable Weaver

The Sociable Weavers or Philetairus socius are impressive species of bird of Africa. They can be found in Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. Sociable Weavers build large compound community nests, a rarity among birds.

Thick-billed Weaver

Unlike many weaver bird species, the Thick-billed Weaver builds a different type of nest – the Sphere type. Its formal name is Amblyospiza albifrons.

Cliff Swallow

Taveta Weaver

Another great nest weaver is the Taveta Weaver or Ploceus castaneiceps. This species of bird can be found in Kenya and Tanzania.

Common Blackbird

The Cup type nest above belongs to Common Blackbird or Turdus merula. Their nest is simply beautiful. They are also known as Eurasia Blackbird.

Village Weaver

Another great nest weaver is the Village Weaver. They build pendant type of nest. Its binomial name is Ploceus cucullatus and is also known as the Spotted-backed Weaver or Black-headed Weaver. It can be found in sub-Saharan Africa.

Great Reed Warbler