Be aware there is often considerable variation in a nest of a particular species, depending on the individual, circumstances, location and available materials, and sometimes nests are started by one species and taken over by another. For detailed descriptions of nest construction and egg identification, see Nest and Egg ID (also with links to photos of nests, eggs and young.) * = Occasionally found, but not definitive. More ID links below.
CLUE-> SPECIES |
Moss
|
Leaves
|
Grass
|
Pine
Needles |
Feathers
|
Rootlets
|
Bark
Twigs |
Fur
Hair Fibers |
Trash
|
Snake
skin |
Other
|
Cup
|
Fine in cup, occas seedheads
|
X
|
* Few
|
rarely
|
Deep cylinder
|
||||||||
Bluebird, Mountain |
X, occas seedheads
|
X
|
Large
|
*shreds
|
*
|
*
|
Deep cylinder
|
|||||
Bluebird, Western |
X, occas seedheads
|
X
|
Large
|
*
|
*
|
Deep cylinder
|
||||||
X
|
X cup
|
Deep fur plug
|
||||||||||
Chickadee, Carolina |
X
|
X
|
*Strips
|
X cup
|
||||||||
X
|
Twigs
|
X
|
Fecal sac wreath later
|
|||||||||
x
|
X
|
X
|
X a few clumps
|
Seldom
|
Fine grass matted hair
|
|||||||
Flycatcher, Great-crested |
x
|
x
|
x
|
x
|
Twigs
|
X
|
Common
|
Fine hair/
feathers/ |
||||
*
|
Coarse, often Seedheads
|
x
|
X
|
x
|
*
|
X
|
Deep or tunnel
|
|||||
CLUE-> SPECIES |
Moss
|
Leaves
|
Grass
|
Pine
Needles |
Feathers
|
Rootlets
|
Bark
Twigs |
Fur
Hair Fibers |
Trash
|
Snake
skin |
Other
|
Cup
|
Dried
|
X
|
X
|
Strips or chips
|
X clump
|
Cotton
|
Matted hair
|
||||||
Nuthatch, Pygmy |
X
|
X
|
*
|
Shreds
|
X clump
|
*
|
||||||
Nuthatch, Red-Breast |
X
|
X
|
X
|
Shreds
|
||||||||
Nuthatch, White-breasted |
x
|
x
|
x
|
Bark strips
|
X clump
|
*
|
Earth
|
Saucer
|
||||
X
|
Dry
|
X
|
Small strips
|
Fibers
|
Neat round
|
|||||||
Purple
Martin |
Green
|
X
|
X
|
x
|
||||||||
Green & Dried
|
Coarse
|
Lots
|
X
|
twigs
|
x
|
Shallow
|
||||||
X
|
X
|
Lots, downy
|
||||||||||
X
|
Dried crumpld
|
X all over
|
*
|
x
|
Deeo
|
|||||||
X
|
Dead
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
twigs
|
X
|
x
|
Tiny, deep
|
||||
X
|
X
|
cup
|
x
|
some twigs, bark
|
cup
|
x
|
domed tunnel
|
|||||
Cup only
|
Cup only
|
Many Twigs
|
Cup only
|
* String
|
deep, back
|
|||||||
Chipmunk
|
Shredded
|
X
|
Fluff
|
|||||||||
*
|
x
|
fine
|
x
|
shredded bark
|
x
|
x
|
Acorns
|
no cup
|
||||
Squirrel
|
x
|
Green or dried, lg
|
Acorns
|
|||||||||
X
|
x
|
X
|
x
|
Bark, small twigs
|
Fur
|
Insulation
|
Acorns
|
None
|
||||
CLUE-> SPECIES |
Moss
|
Leaves
|
Grass
|
Pine
Needles |
Feathers
|
Rootlets
|
Bark
Twigs |
Fur
Hair Fibers |
Trash
|
Snake
skin |
Other
|
Cup
|
|
|
Cavity Nester Nests, Eggs and Young Photos and Bios. Also see Nest ID Matrix (contents) and Egg ID Matrix (color, spots, etc.)
Select bird name (alphabetical) Ash Thoated Flycatcher Bio Ash Throated Flycatcher Photos Bewick’s Wren Bio Bewick’s Wren Photos Black-capped Chickadee Photos Black-capped Chickadee Bio Bluebird – Eastern Bio Bluebird – Eastern, Photos Bluebird – Eastern, sequence from egg to fledge Bluebird, Mountain Bio Bluebird, Mountain, Photos Bluebird, Western Bio Bluebirds, Western Photos Brown-headed Nuthatch photos Carolina Chickadee bio Carolina Chickadee Photos Carolina Wren Bio Carolina Wren Photos Cowbird Bio Cowbird Photos Flying Squirrel Bio Flying Squirrel Photos Great Crested Flycatcher Photos Great Crested Flycatcher Bio House Finch Bio House Finch Photos House Sparrow Nest Photos House Sparrow Bio House Wren Bio House Wren Photos Mice and Rats Mountain Chickadee Bio Mountain Chickadee Photos Phoebe Photos Prothonotary Warblers Bio Prothonotary Warbler Photos Pygmy Nuthatch Red Squirrels Bio Starling (European) Photos Starling (European) Bio Titmouse, Juniper Bio Titmouse, Juniper, Photos Titmouse, Oak Photos Titmouse, Tufted Bio Titmouse, Tufted Photos Tree Swallow Bio Tree Swallow Photos Violet-Green Swallow Bio Violet-green Swallow Photos Western Bluebird Bio Western Bluebird photos White-breasted Nuthatch Photos White-breasted Nuthatch Bio
I would rather live in a world where my life is surrounded by mystery
than live in a world so small that my mind could comprehend it.
Harry Emerson Fosdick