May–June 2023
Young Naturalists
There's No Place Like Nest
Birds build many types of nests using natural materials and their incredible bird brains.
Mary Hoff
When you think of a bird nest, you probably picture a bowl-shaped basket made from grasses or twigs. And many bird nests are just that—a soft, round, protected place for a mother bird to lay and incubate her eggs. But that’s far from the only design that birds use.
Some birds dig holes for their nest. Some make their home in a hollow tree. Some even construct nests out of mud! Hummingbirds craft a nest the size of a golf ball, while bald eagles cobble together huge sticks to make one the size of a dining-room table.
Minnesota birds are home builders extraordinaire. Come along to learn about their clever nest designs and tour a few of the many structures birds make to protect their families.
