Bird nests are intricate structures that birds build as shelter and a place to raise their young. While each bird species has its own unique style of nest building, the materials used and purpose is generally the same – to create a safe, comfortable place for eggs and baby birds. As humans, we can admire the architectural skill of nest building, but did you know that bird nests also have a variety of uses for people too?
Using Bird Nests for Decor
One of the most popular uses of bird nests is for decoration. The intricate weaving and unique shapes of nests can make for beautiful natural ornamentation. Many people enjoy displaying bird nests in their home by placing them in glass terrariums, hanging them on walls, or using them in floral arrangements and wreaths.
Songbird nests, such as those from finches, chickadees, and swallows, often have a nice symmetrical cup shape and demonstrate impressive craftsmanship. While it’s illegal to take an active nest with eggs or babies, it’s usually fine to collect abandoned nests you find on walks as long as you don’t trespass on private property. You can set an abandoned nest on a mantel, desk, or coffee table surrounded by flowers or greenery for an organic decor accent.
Larger nests from hawks, crows, or magpies can make more dramatic statement pieces due to their size and materials like twigs, grass, moss, and feathers. These are often best displayed in glass terrariums or hung with fishing line or twine. Some creative people even use bird nests as unique holiday decor by adding string lights or ornaments into larger nests.
Sourcing Ethically
When gathering materials from nature for decoration, it’s important to be ethical about your sourcing. Avoid taking nests from parks, nature preserves, or private property without permission. It’s also best not to buy nests online as their origin is uncertain. Your safest bet is to collect abandoned nests you find in your own backyard or on walks in areas where foraging is permitted.
Display artificial nests or recycled vintage nests if you don’t have access to ethically sourced real ones. Be sure to research whether a species is endangered or protected by law before collecting any nests.
Crafting with Bird Nests
The textural interest of bird nests also makes them a unique material for arts and crafts. Here are some ways you can get crafty with bird nests:
- Wreaths – Bird nests can be wired onto wreath forms along with other natural elements like vines, flowers, and leaves.
- Terraiums – Place one or more small bird nests inside a glass terrarium filled with soil, moss and small plants.
- Dioramas – Create miniature scenes inside boxes, bottles or shadowboxes using bird nests and tiny figurines.
- Potpourri – Dried bird nests can be incorporated into aromatic potpourri blends.
- Sachets – Fill bird nests with fragrant herbs and flowers, then tie with a ribbon to make sachet bags.
- Cards – Glue a small bird nest onto a greeting card for a nature-themed embellishment.
- Jewelry – Wire wrap or glue tiny nests onto necklaces, earrings or hair clips.
Use hot glue, floral wire, or craft string to attach and incorporate bird nests into your projects. Let your creativity run wild with these organic art materials!
Responsible Sourcing
When crafting with bird nests, the same ethical sourcing practices apply. Only use nests you collected yourself or purchased from a reputable seller that specializes in crafting materials. Avoid buying nests that may have been unethically poached from active nest sites that endanger bird populations.
Studying Nest Building Behavior
Bird nests are impressive feats of animal engineering. Scientists who study birds closely observe nest building techniques to gain insight into avian behavior patterns, structural adaptations, and evolutionary traits.
By examining factors like nest placement, materials used, and construction methods, researchers can learn about the nesting requirements of different species and their reasoning abilities. Analyzing nest composition can reveal what materials are most readily available in that habitat. Testing nest insulating properties and durability also gives clues about which traits are prioritized for that species’ reproductive success.
Studying parenting behavior around nest sites provides information on mating systems and care of young. Such knowledge helps scientists better understand birds and their environmental adaptations while also identifying ways to support endangered species conservation.
Recording Observations
When studying bird nesting behavior, careful observations and records should be kept about factors such as:
- Date and time of nest building
- Location – elevation, tree type, branch height, etc.
- Materials collected and used
- Nest dimensions and structure
- Changes over time
- Incubation and feeding behaviors
- Fledge date and success rate
Detailed notes aid researchers in detecting patterns and generating new hypotheses. Always be ethical by observing nests from a distance if active and acquiring permits as needed.
Using Nests in Traditional Medicine
Bird nests have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for hundreds of years as a treatment for issues like coughs, asthma, nutrition deficiencies, and immune support. The most prized nests come from swiftlets, whose nests are composed almost entirely of saliva. These are harvested from cave walls and used to make bird’s nest soup.
While many believe swiftlet nest soup offers valuable health benefits, claims around its medicinal properties require more research. The high prices paid for edible bird nests also cast doubt on the true motives behind the trade. There are also concerns around unsustainable harvesting practices harming fragile cave ecosystems.
If you wish to try edible bird’s nests, be sure to source them from reputable dealers that adhere to ethical and sustainable practices. There are also alternative vegan versions of bird’s nest soup available using vegetarian substitutes.
Potential Benefits
Here are some of the proposed health benefits of consuming swiflet nest soup or extracts:
- Boosts immune system function
- Rich in antioxidants
- Provides protein and amino acids
- May have anti-aging properties
- Improves respiratory health
- Aids digestion
- Anti-inflammatory effects
However, human research is still limited and high quality studies are needed to substantiate these traditional claims around bird nest soup. Talk to your doctor before trying it as a medicinal supplement.
Fertilizer and Compost
When bird nests are no longer active, they can be broken down and added to compost piles or used to enrich garden soil. Nests provide a good source of nitrogen and other nutrients plants need to grow and thrive.
Before adding nests to your compost or garden, be sure to inspect that they do not contain any plastic, wire, drywall, or other non-organic materials that could be harmful. Break or cut up the nest into smaller pieces so it composts faster.
The main benefit of including old bird nests in your compost is the nitrogen they provide from protein-rich materials like hair, feathers, and eggshells. Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for fertilizer. The small fibers and twigs will also add beneficial air pockets to help compost piles decompose.
Using Nest Compost
Compost enriched with the nutrients from bird nests makes excellent fertilizer for potted plants, flower beds, and vegetable gardens. Here are some tips for using nest compost:
- Mix into potting soil for houseplants or seed starting
- Spread around the base of plants as mulch or stir into garden beds
- Add to lawn compost to fertilize grass
- Place compost in holes when transplanting new plants
- Mix with water in a spray bottle to make compost tea fertilizer
This is an eco-friendly way to recycle bird nest materials and nourish your own backyard ecosystem.
Pet Toys
Pets like cats, ferrets, and small rodents enjoy playing with natural nesting materials. While an intact bird’s nest may quickly get shredded into pieces, you can put remaining nest fibers and grass to use by incorporating them into DIY pet toys.
Stuff a small cardboard tube or paper tube sock with fluffy nest fibers to create a tunnel toy for ferrets or cats. You can also gather up nest strands and clump together pieces to make simple cat toys to bat around.
Some pet birds may also like to rearrange and play with twigs, moss, and fibers from old nests. Scatter them in their cage to enable foraging behavior.
Monitor your pets closely when first giving them nest materials to be sure they are just playing, not trying to eat the fibers which could cause intestinal blockages if ingested.
Safety Precautions
Take these precautions when re-purposing bird nests as pet toys:
- Avoid using any soiled or moldy nest materials
- Don’t give pets nests treated with pesticides or insecticides
- Wash materials first to remove possible bird mites, seeds, or pollen
- Supervise pets to prevent ingestion of fibers
- Remove toys if fibers start to loosen or break apart
Upcycling used nests into pet toys gives your furry friends hours of enrichment and entertainment!
Conclusion
Bird nests are ingenious structures that can serve a wide variety of purposes even after their residents have moved out. With some creativity and care, you can give abandoned nests a second life as beautiful decor items, crafty home projects, scientific specimens, health supplements, garden fertilizer, and even pet toys.
Next time you come across an empty nest in your yard or on a nature walk, consider the many ways it could be repurposed. Just be sure to adhere to ethical collection practices that don’t endanger active nest sites or rare bird populations.
By finding uses for unneeded nests rather than throwing them away, we honor the efforts birds take to build their breeding homes each year. With the right perspective, humans can appreciate bird architecture in ways that benefit both people and nature.