NestWatch

Developed by:

In collaboration with:

Funded by:
 NestWatch - www.nestwatch.org
A citizen-science nest monitoring project
from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology

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 NestWatch

It's a rewarding way to participate in scientific

research and have fun outdoors.

NestWatch collects data on ALL North American breeding

birds.
However, several species will be followed more closely
because they are more accessible they tend to nest
near humans and across a variety of landscapes.
We call them our FOCAL SPECIES

Please join us in our investigations to find out more about

the birds we see in our everyday environment.

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 NestWatch Focal Species
Widely Distributed Eastern North America
American Goldfinch Blue Jay
American Kestrel Carolina Chickadee
American Robin Eastern Bluebird
Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe
Gray Catbird
Black-capped Chickadee Northern Cardinal
House Finch
House Wren Western North America
Mourning Dove Lesser Goldfinch
Northern Mockingbird Mountain Bluebird
Red-winged Blackbird Say's Phoebe
Song Sparrow Violet-green swallow
Tree Swallow Western Bluebird
* Brown-headed Cowbird Western Scrub Jay

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 Widely Distributed
Focal Species
American Goldfinch House Wren
American Kestrel Mourning Dove
American Robin Northern Mockingbird
Barn Swallow Red-winged Blackbird
Black-capped Chickadee Song Sparrow
House Finch Tree Swallow

* Brown-headed Cowbird

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 American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis)
Nest Location
1-30 ft. - Shaded areas
with dense leaf canopy

Nest Type & Eggs

Nest: Tight cup of twigs,
roots, and spider silk with
a soft (thistle) lining; built
Habitat & Range by female
Eggs: (2-7) White tinted
with light blue

Cool Fact
Late nesters
Areas with a variety of (June-July) &
deciduous vegetation, strict vegetarians!
suburban yards

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 American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
Nest Location
10-30 ft. - Cavities in
trees, buildings, nest
boxes, cliffs, & cacti

Nest Type & Eggs

Nest: Shallow scrape in
loose material on the
cavity floor, no nesting
Habitat & Range material; built by female
Eggs: (3-5) White, cream,
or pink with brown specks

Cool Fact
Nestlings squirt
feces on the cavity
Variety of open areas: walls, keeping the
forest edges, orchards, floor clean
pastures, deserts, etc.

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 American Robin (Turdus migratorius)
Nest Location
5-50 ft. - Trees, shrubs, or
buildings, usually located
in a crotch

Nest Type & Eggs

Nest: Open cup of grass &
twigs, held together with
Habitat & Range mud, lined with fine dry
grass; built by female
Eggs: (3-4) Pale blue

Cool Fact
Robins can
become
Wide range such as forest intoxicated from
openings, woodlands, eating too much
farmlands, yards, parks honeysuckle!

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 Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
Habitat & Range
Breeds in variety of areas,
sometimes near water
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Nest Location
As high as 100 ft. Usually
stuck against a flat
surface with overhead
support
Nest Type & Eggs
Nest: Open, shallow cup
of mud, grass, & hair,
lined with feathers; built by
both adults
Eggs: (4-5) White with
spotting
Cool Fact
Unmated males
will kill nestlings of
a mated pair to
mate with the
female
 Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)
Nest Location
4-40 ft - Cavity in rotten
wood, old woodpecker
hole, or a nest-box

Nest Type & Eggs

Nest: Cavity with moss
base, lined with fine
Habitat & Range material such as animal
fur; built by female
Eggs: (6-8) White with
reddish-brown speckles
Cool Fact
Chickadees can
remember
thousand s of
Breeds in wooded areas locations where
theyve hidden
seeds

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 House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)
Habitat & Range
Variety of urban & suburban
habitats. Rarely use broad-
leaf trees or cavities
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Nest Location
10-15 ft. Pine trees,
building ledges, vines,
planters
Nest Type & Eggs
Nest: Open cup of grass,
leaves, string, feathers,
etc., lined with fine
material; built by female.
Eggs: (2-6) Pale blue with
speckles
Cool Fact
Nestlings are fed
an exclusive plant
diet.
 House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)
Nest Location
2-20 ft - Placed in tree
cavity, nest box & various
crevices

Nest Type & Eggs

Nest: Stick platform, nest
cup lined with grass, bark,
Habitat & Range hair, feathers; built by both
adults
Eggs: (4-8) White or
pinkish with reddish spots

Cool Fact
Adults will
puncture the eggs
Wherever there is low of other species
shrubby cover & thickets, nesting nearby
with holes for nesting

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 Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
Nest Location
1-250 ft. - Trees, shrubs,
vines, flower pots & man-
made structures

Nest Type & Eggs

Nest: Flimsy platform of
twigs, pine needles or
Habitat & Range grass stems; built by both
adults
Eggs: (2) White,
unmarked

Cool Fact
A single pair may
have up to five or
Breeds in open woodlands, six clutches in a
cultivated areas, suburban year
gardens

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 Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
Nest Location
3-6 ft. - Built in shrubs &
trees, sometimes found in
eaves & building rafters

Nest Type & Eggs

Nest: Open cup with outer
layer of twigs, lined with
Habitat & Range grass, leaves, & plant
fibers; built by male
Eggs: (2-6) Shades of
gray, white, blue, & green

Cool Fact
Both males and
females continue
Breeds in a variety of areas, to add to their
usually with some sort of songs throughout
vegetation life

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 Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)
Nest Location
1-8 ft. - In vegetation near
or over water: cattails,
trees, cereal crops

Nest Type & Eggs

Nest: Woven sedges and
grass, lined with fine grass
Habitat & Range & rushes; built by female

Eggs: (2-4) Very pale blue

with dark marks

Cool Fact
One male may
have up to 15
Variable wetland, upland, females nesting in
& agricultural; some urban his territory
or suburban

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 Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)
Nest Location
0-4 ft - On ground, grass
tuft, or shrub; found higher
as vegetation grows

Nest Type & Eggs

Nest: Cup with rough layer
of dead grass & weeds,
Habitat & Range lined with fine grass &
hair; built by female
Eggs: (3-5) Very pale blue
with reddish speckles

Cool Fact
Females prefer
males with songs
Low scrubby growth and that reflect the
thickets, most often in moist males ability to
or swampy locations learn

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 Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)
Nest Location
3-30 ft. - Natural cavity,
woodpecker hole, nest
box, or in a man-made
cavity
Nest Type & Eggs
Nest: Cup of dry grass,
pine needles, etc., lined
Habitat & Range with feathers; built by
female
Eggs: (4-7) White,
unmarked

Cool Fact
Using feathers in
their nests helps to
Prefers open woodlands or reduce the
farmlands near water parasite load

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 Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)
Nest Location
0-10 ft - Female cowbirds
choose nests with smaller
eggs & lay an egg once the
host lays two eggs
Nest Type & Eggs
Nest: No nest; lays eggs
in nests of other bird
Habitat & Range species

Eggs: (1-7) Whitish with

brown or gray spots

Cool Fact
They are the only
brood parasite
Habitats with low or common across
scattered trees among North America
grassland vegetation

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 Focal Species of
Eastern North America
Blue Jay
Carolina Chickadee
Eastern Bluebird
Eastern Phoebe
Gray Catbird
Northern Cardinal

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 Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
Nest Location
3-90 ft. - Tree crotches or
branches, near buildings
in suburban areas

Nest Type & Eggs

Nest: Open cup of twigs
bark, or moss, lined with
Habitat & Range small roots, mud, or
leaves; built by both adults
Eggs: (2-7) Variety of
colors with brown spots

Cool Fact
The oldest known
wild Blue Jay lived
Breeds in variety of areas to be at least 17
including woodlands, rural years old!
& suburban habitats

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 Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis)
Nest Location
2-25 ft. - Usually in dead
tree hole, wooden post,
or a man-made structure

Nest Type & Eggs

Nest: Cavity lined with
moss, bark, animal hair &
Habitat & Range plant fibers; built by
female
Eggs: (3-10) White with
speckles

Cool Fact
Pair bonding
between male and
Breeds in wooded areas female can remain
intact for several
years

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 Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis)
Nest Location
2-30 ft. - Natural cavity,
old woodpecker hole, or
nest box on a post

Nest Type & Eggs

Nest: Loose cup of grass
and pine needles, lined
Habitat & Range with hair, grass, or
feathers; built by female
Eggs: (4-5) Pale blue

Cool Fact
Males do a wing
display at the nest
Open woodland or man- to attract females
made sites around farms & to the cavity
buildings

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 Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)
Nest Location
3-20 ft. - Under bridge,
0 cliff, or eave of building;
cemented to wall

Nest Type & Eggs

Nest: Open cup of mud,
moss and leaves, lined
Habitat & Range with fine grass & hair; built
by female
Eggs: (2-6) White

Cool Fact
Phoebes are
loners, rarely
Man-made structures & coming in contact
other structures, usually with other phoebes
near running fresh water

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 Gray Catbird (Dumatella carolinensis)
Nest Location
3-6 ft. - Found in small
tree, shrub, or vine;
maybe much higher

Nest Type & Eggs

Nest: Bulky cup of twigs,
leaves, & grass; lined with
Habitat & Range fine roots, leaves, & pine
needles; built by female
Eggs: (5-6) Uniform deep
blue or greenish blue

Cool Fact
Catbirds will
recognize cowbird
Woodland areas with eggs and throw
abundant vegetation them out of the
nest

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 Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
Nest Location
3-30 ft. - Hidden in twigs
and branches

Nest Type & Eggs

Nest: Cup of 4 layers:
outer layer of rough
Habitat & Range debris, inner layers of fine
materials; built by female
Eggs: (1-5) White with
gray, buff, or green tinting

Cool Fact
Males will often
attack their own
Breeds in variety of reflections,
deciduous, coniferous, & thinking them an
herbaceous vegetation intruder

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 Focal Species of
Western North America
Lesser Goldfinch
Mountain Bluebird
Say's Phoebe
Violet-green swallow
Western Bluebird
Western Scrub Jay

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 Lesser Goldfinch (Carduelis psaltria)
Nest Location
4-45 ft. - Different species
of trees and shrubs, such
as cottonwood and willow

Nest Type & Eggs

Nest: Open cup largely of
plant fibers, lined with hair
Habitat & Range or feathers; built by female

Eggs: (2-6) Pale, with

varying tints

Cool Fact
The amount of
black or green on
Variety of deciduous or a males back can
coniferous habitats in rural, vary in their range
suburban, & urban areas

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 Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currocoides)
Nest Location
1-7 ft. - Natural cavities,
woodpecker holes, cliff
crevices, or nest boxes

Nest Type & Eggs

Nest: Cup of grass, weed
stems, & pine needles;
lined with wool, hair, or
Habitat & Range feathers; built by female
Eggs: (4-8) Pale blue,
bluish white, rarely white

Cool Fact
Although the male
appears to help
Open areas & the edges of build the nest, he
deciduous and coniferous usually drops
forests material en route.

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 Say's Phoebe (Sayornis saya)
Habitat & Range
Breeds in various open &
dry areas; prairies, plains,
canyons, & deserts
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Nest Location
5-50 ft. - Requires a
horizontal ledge, ex: cliff,
mine, barn, old car, etc.
Nest Type & Eggs
Nest: Cup of stems, grass,
moss, & rocks; lined with
paper, hair, wool, or
feathers; built by female
Eggs: (3-7) White with
occasional reddish spots
Cool Fact
Breeds further
north than any
flycatcher, limited
only by lack of nest
sites
 Violet-green Swallow (Tachycineta thalassina)
Nest Location
5-15 ft. - Cliff crevices, tree
cavities, woodpecker holes,
old swallow nests, under
eaves & nest boxes
Nest Type & Eggs
Nest: Constructed of
stems, twigs, grass, & fur;
lined with feathers; built by
Habitat & Range both adults
Eggs: (4-6) White

Cool Fact
A violet-green
Swallow pair has
Open deciduous or mixed been observed
forests of ponderosa pine, helping Western
aspen, willow, & spruce Bluebirds raise
young

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 Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana)
Nest Location
4-40 ft. - Natural cavities,
woodpecker holes, or
nest boxes

Nest Type & Eggs

Nest: Loose collection of
grass, weeds, hair and
feathers; built by females
Habitat & Range
Eggs: (3-8) Pale blue,
bluish white, or white

Cool Fact
Helpers are often
seen at the nest,
Open habitats with most are young
scattered trees: farmlands, from previous
orchards, open forest edge years

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 Western Scrub-jay (Aphelocoma californica)
Nest Location
6-12 ft. - In tree, shrub,
bush, or vines; often well
concealed within shrubs

Nest Type & Eggs

Nest: Open cup of twigs
and plants roots, lined with
plant fibers and animal
Habitat & Range hair; built by both
Eggs: (1-5) Greenish with
speckles

Cool Fact
Used in several
laboratory studies
Various trees, shrubs, and for its ability to
vines hide & remember
seeds

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 NestWatch www.nestwatch.org

Observing nests is an educational and

motivational experience.
Remember, the birds you observe will vary depending on
the region that you live. Also, you can monitor and enter
data for any bird nests found, no matter the species.
When monitoring nests please follow the NestWatchers
Code of Conduct.
For further information, please visit our website at
www.nestwatch.org or search our Resource Center at
www.birds.cornell.edu/nestinginfo

We are grateful to all the thousands of nest monitors who

have volunteered their time and effort to monitor,
record, and submit their valuable observations.

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