Spring is the major nesting season for birds in Australia. There are exceptions, but most birds are building nests towards the end of winter and in early spring. Noise levels increase as birds search for mates and several species arrive from the north to nest in our region.
Firstly we have to ask this question. What is a nest? It isn’t where a bird lives or sleeps, well except whilst they raise their chicks. It is purely a means to safely lay eggs and raise chicks and nests, therefore, vary considerably, depending on the species and habitat they live in.
Birds are very clever when building nests. They generally keep them high and well camouflaged, but let us share some of those we have spotted along the way. Please note that our photographers have large zoom lenses which enable close-up photographs without disturbing the birds. if you do come across a nest, please move away quickly and quietly to ensure the parents don’t abandon it.
Cup style nests are what we traditionally think of when we think nests.
This is the beautiful cup nest of a willie wagtail. (rhipidura leucophrys)
You have to marvel at how these birds weave such a solid and intricate nest.
This is also a Willie Wagtail nest. attached to a fence near a barn. you can clearly see the use of spider webs to help secure it.
The eastern yellow robin (Eopsaltria australis) also uses a cup style nest, using the fork of a tree for stability.
Another Eastern yellow robin. (The green leaves are likely a climbing vine rather than leaves placed there by the bird.)
Magpie Larks (Grallina cyanoleuca) have several common names, one of which is mudlark. This comes from the fact they build their cup nests using mud.
As you can see from this close up, even small stones are used to add strength.
These two well grown magpie lark chicks seem happy in their nest. Once they fledged the nest was totally abandoned and disappeared fairly quickly.
There are other birds that use the mud technique. This is an apostlebird’s nest (Struthidea cinerea). Apostlebirds prefer inland areas so found west of Coffs.
White-winged choughs (Corcorax melanorhamphos), also use mud. Again also found inland.
Black-faced cuckooshrikes (Campephaga flava) like the forks in trees too. This is a fairly rudimentary, flat, saucer like nest, Photo Barry Callister.
This is also a black-faced cuckooshrike, showing two well developed young, also in the fork of a tree, but much deeper. Photo Barry Callister.
This is an olive-backed oriole (Oriolus sagittatus), one of our spring/summer visitors. The nest is well hidden and was high up in the tree.
This Australasian Figbird (Sphecotheres vieilloti) is also well hidden.
This spangled drongo (Dicrurus bracteatus) nest was also well hidden and doesn’t look as solidly constructed. Nest building develops over the years as birds gain experience.
Some are very private and some more communal. As you can see the Australian white Ibis (Threskiornis moluccus) form large nesting colonies. These are platform nests. basically a large group of twigs gathered together in flattish platforms.
The nests look rough and ready and yet are very secure with several chicks often raised.
Little pied cormorants (Microcarbo melanoleucos) also nest in numbers and often alongside the Australian White Ibis.
The little black cormorant (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris) also nest in groups.
Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) build large platform nests. They tend to use the same nests each year and add to them so they can grow to be extremely large. In the first year a nest might only be 15cms deep and less than a meter wide but over time they can become as much as 3 metres deep and two metres wide.
Ospreys will also build on any available structure, whether man made or tree.
Osprey nest right at the top of this pine tree.
At least man has provided alternatives for ospreys.
They will even use rocks as long as they are high enough.
Gathering nest material is an ongoing task. This osprey collecting sticks washed up on a beach in June.
Imagine the effort for all this material to be collected.
Goshawks and kites tend to have quite a messy looking nest. This ia a brown goshawk (Accipiter fasciatus) nest photo by Barry Callister.
This nest in the garden was used by a square-tailed kite (Lophoictinia isura).
This square-tailed kite nest just doesn’t look built for longevity, though pairs generally come back to the same area to nest each year and will often use the same location.
Torresian crow (Corvus orru) nests can also be quite messy looking. Photo Barry Callister.
Water birds such as the Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra) like to nest on, or as close to the water as possible. Often building floating platforms.
They will also build on tree stumps and logs that might be in the water,
In a similar way the Dusky moorhen (Gallinula tenebrosa), looks for a platform in the water. They do cause some havoc in the garden when they decide the water feature in the lake will make an ideal platform. They work hard dragging leaves across the lake to use.
This one chose the water pump. Hence we now have an extra nesting island in the lake for their use. (Though we suspect they will still try for some of these other platforms.)
Welcome swallows (Hirundo neoxena) build their nests under the eaves of houses and other buildings. it’s a half cup build with mud and grass and lined with feathers and/or fur. Safe from the rain.
Fairy Martins (Petrochelidon ariel) also build nests under structures, usually cliffs. They are also communal nesters and use mud.
This lovely thing was constructed by a Lewin’s honeyeater (Meliphaga lewinii). It’s kind of a cup, though I would describe this one more as a hanging pouch. Carefully constructed under some palm leaves for shelter. Hanging cups are favoured by honeyeaters. You can see the paperbark pieces used in this one.
Hanging nests, sometimes also called domed nests, are created by several species. Not all domes nests are hanging, but they all have an entrance on the side and sometimes even a false entrance to fool predators.
This type of construction is favoured by small birds particularly gerygones.
Fine grasses, bark fibre and spiders webs are used to create these elaborate nests.They are also, often, way out on a very small branch to deter predators like possums from reaching them.
This black-faced monarch, (Monarcha melanopsis), builds a deep cup nest and often uses casuarina needles as well as bark, roots and moss, again combined with spiders web to keep it all together. it really makes it well camouflaged.
Some nests can be very haphazard. This crested pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes) nest is pretty rudimentary.
This tawny frogmouth (Podargus strigoides), has used a platform of leaves and twigs on a sturdy branch.
Some birds use what are called “scrapes”, which are literally just that, the bird scrapes back some litter from the area and plonks themselves down. This is often the way for shore birds. This red-capped plover has literally just scraped a depression in the sand. This is why it is so important to observe no dogs or 4WD signs when going to a beach.
Then there are birds like the Rainbow bee-eater (Merops ornatus).
They nest underground. A story for a different blog post sometime in the future.
Would you like to help nesting birds?
- If you see a nest leave it alone and keep animals and children away.
- Plant native plants in your garden that provide nesting material
- Don’t over tidy your garden. Leave fallen leaves and twigs that birds can gather.
- Plant native grasses and leave dead grass clippings around. These should be chemical free.
- Leave mosses and lichens as these are often used to line nests.
- Pet hair can be good, unless it has been treated for fleas and ticks as these treatments can be toxic. Drape it over a bush. Please don’t offer human hair as it is too strong and can become entangled around chick legs.
- Don’t offer anything man made.
- Consider having a chemical free garden. Encourage the good bugs who will eliminate the bad bugs and also encourage more birds into your garden.
All photos by Cheryl Cooper unless noted. Thanks to Barry Callister for joining in the fun.