15 Weird and Fascinating Bird Nests Around the World
We all spend a fortune building and designing our houses, but what about winged creatures that chirp on our window sills? Birds don’t just collect sticks and grass to make their nests; they create marvelous safe havens for their little ones that are architectural masterpieces on their own:
Montezuma Oropendola
A tropical bird typically found in southeastern Mexico and central Panama, Montezuma Oropendola is known for its woven nests, which hang from treetops like bells from a church tower. This isn’t just a coincidence; the Montezuma weaves fiber and vines to create a purse-like nest that even has an enclosed top to prevent predators from sneaking in. It also protects them against harsh winds and rain, allowing their eggs to stay safe in every situation.
Bowerbirds
Most birds build nests to provide a secure place for their eggs. Bowerbirds take a different approach; they create elaborate houses to please their mate and ensure a successful courtship. Their nests are delicate arches made from fine twigs; uniquely enough, the birds ditch the trees and shape their homes on the ground instead. They pick up attractive things from their surroundings, decorating their bowers with feathers, stones, flowers, and even man-made objects. All this is done to attract females, who choose their partners based on how gorgeous their home is.
Sociable Weavers
Taking their names seriously, sociable weavers are among the few birds constructing large nests made for multiple families. These birds fashion some of the largest nests you’ll ever see and, unlike other birds, stick with their constructed walls for the rest of their lives. At a distance, their nest looks like a giant haystack in the sky, but inside, they’re architectural marvels. Since these birds live in dry areas of Africa, their unique nests provide shade and keep them cool throughout the year.
Ovenbird
Aptly named for its impressive nest, ovenbirds spend a painstaking time fashioning domes from clay, mud, leaves, and twigs, all ground to give their nests a uniform shape. From afar, you’d think their nests were small Dutch ovens placed on the trees, but there’s more to this design than just aesthetic. Their nest opens from a narrow passageway, which typically escapes predator’s eyes and blends in with the trees, allowing these birds to cleverly enter and exit without fearing for their lives.
Cactus Ferruginous Pygmy Owl
These pygmy owls live in the area straddling the U.S. and Mexico, but finding them isn’t easy. The birds seek prickly plants, typically the saguaro cactus, and settle inside cavities. Beyond this peculiar choice, the pygmy owls take it further by refusing to decorate their nests and are content with what they have. Their minimalist choice gives them an edge over predators, who can never predict the prickly thorns of a plant could hide a potential prey.
Swiftlet Bird
Deep inside southeast Asian caves, the swiftlet birds construct their nests on the walls, but in one of the weirdest ways imaginable. These swiftlets use their gummy saliva to solidify their nests, which harden once they come into contact with air. It takes them at least a month to create test nests, patiently layering them with saliva until they take shape. But the Chinese add a rather odd twist; they purposely seek swiftlet nests and cook them into a soup with a jelly-like texture, which is considered a delicacy in the cuisine.
Eider Ducks
Imagine coming across a house made from human skin. That’s what it’s like for Eider ducks, which use their plumage to strengthen their homes. The Eider’s feathers are some of the softest in the world and have earned the name Eiderdown. Eiderdown is remarkably insulated, providing these ducks unparalleled warmth during the winters. These eiderdowns aren’t only used in nest-making but are highly sought after by humans, who make soft duvets prized for their comfort.
Megapode
Known for their unique nesting behavior, megapode birds live in New Guinea, Australia, and parts of the Pacific. The megapode ditches average nesting designs and collects mounds of dirt to make a dome-like structure. This mound typically contains decomposing soil, which generates enough warmth to be a natural incubator for these birds’ eggs. Interestingly, since the nests’ warmth is crucial to their eggs’, these birds spend more time fixing and maintaining their nests than supervising the eggs.
Common Tailorbird
Meet the mastermind tailor, which takes a leaf from humans and uses exceptional sewing skills to make its nest. It collects spider silk or picks apart leaf fibers and uses it to sew cylindrical structures out of leaves. Inside, it’ll line the floor with soft grass, feathers, and similar materials. Thanks to its clever design, the bird doesn’t need to close the nest; it naturally camouflages against the trees, providing unlimited shelter and protection.
Gyrfalcon
Although the gyrfalcon’s nest looks pretty simple, it involves a clever and unique plan: making the most of everything and taking whatever you can. The gyrfalcon settles into rocky crevices or ledges and sometimes even empty nests abandoned by other birds. They’ll decorate it with grass, twigs, and feathers. But it’s not all just a choice to stay minimalist; gyrfalcons live in the Arctic tundra, where most materials are scarce.
Baya Weaver
Perhaps one of the most skilled designers, baya weavers make their nests over the edge of lakes and other open-water bodies to protect themselves against predators. Their delicate spherical nests hang across Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Amazingly, the male weaver fashioned the nest entirely, using strips of grass and interlacing them to create hanging structures with a tube at the bottom for entrance. The female chooses her mate based on how exceptional the design looks.
Swallows
Who knew a simpleton could make a sturdy house out of mud? Swallows spit their saliva into every layer of mud, mixing it with soft grass and feathers to create a cup-shaped structure that easily attaches to cliffs and hangs precariously below. This unique angle naturally gives it an edge over the predators and keeps them out of the reach of humans, too.
Adelie Penguin
Inspired by mid-century humans, the Adelie makes its nest out of stones. The Adelie lives in the icy Antarctic and needs a sturdy house that won’t blow away from the harsh winds. The penguins place the rocks to create conical structures that position the eggs above the cold ground, allowing them to stay warm. Simultaneously, it allows melting snow to drip out of the nest, keeping their eggs warm enough to hatch. Amusingly, the Adelie even steals stones from other penguins to boost its progress and impress females.
European White Stork
These birds love to settle on the highest point possible, constructing their nests on out-of-reach places. Their nests typically feature twigs, grass, and branches and tower over the area. Some nests reach up to 6 feet and weigh several hundred pounds, allowing these birds to stay protected even against rough wind. These storks are fond of family values and spend most of their lives in elaborate nests, raising their babies.
Sand Martins
Taking a lazy but effective route, sand martins dig their nests into vertical sand banks, tunneling up to 5 feet into the wall. These tiny birds can enter and exit safely because most predators can’t reach their nests. Even if predators somehow reach their nests, their entrances are too small and deep for predators to be successful. Inside the tunnel, sand martins fashion a regular nest lined with grass floors.
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Emese Maczko is a travel blogger behind Eco Lodges Anywhere. Having explored several destinations around Europe, the US, Indonesia, and Australia, and resided in Germany, the United Kingdom, and Luxembourg, Emese possesses a keen understanding of diverse cultures and an appreciation for the beauty of each destination she visits. She advocates for sustainable travel and ecotourism.