How do birds build nests?

Most bird nests lie somewhere in the middle, with the majority building cup-shaped nests using some combination of mud, twigs and leaves, and feathers. Some birds, such flamingos and swifts, use saliva to help hold their nest together. The edible-nest swiftlet uses saliva alone to construct their nests. read more

Every bird species has its own method for building a nest, and there is a wide variety of forms that a nest can take. However, here is a list of some things that all birds do to build a nest: 1) Gather materials from the environment. These usually include grasses, leaves, twigs, etc. read more

Not all bird species build nests. Some species lay their eggs directly on the ground or rocky ledges, while brood parasites lay theirs in the nests of other birds, letting unwitting "foster parents" do the work of rearing the young. read more

Birds that build these nests use their bills to hollow out portions of trees, cacti, adobe structures and other pliable objects. Cavity nests protect eggs from severe weather conditions and from most predators. Species that build cavity nests include woodpeckers, tits, bluebirds, hornbills, some parrots and selected duck species. read more