NestWatch

Did you know? American Kestrels will nest in nest boxes! These small falcons are commonly seen perched on electric wires near open fields, where they hunt for prey. Get free nest box plans from our Right Bird, Right House tool: nestwatch.org/learn/all-abou… 📷: Darin Ziegler

Wood Ducks are the only North American duck that regularly produces two broods in one breeding season. Ducklings hatch and jump out of the nest within about 24 hours, and then follow the hen around for around 50-70 days while they grow to adult-size. 📷: Tamra Tiemeyer

Pileated Woodpeckers are large and loud! These big birds nest in tree cavities and incubate eggs for 2-3 weeks, then brood young for another month. By mid-July, most are fledging the nest. Have you seen any recently-fledged Pileated Woodpeckers in your area? 📷: Neva Scheve

@CommandrCoffee We also have this FAQ with data entry instructions, if you're interested in reviewing them: nestwatch.org/learn/how-to-n… Feel free to reach out with any other questions to nestwatch@cornell.edu!

@CommandrCoffee Oh no! Sorry to hear it. Unfortunately, you'll need to manually copy over the data to one of those nest sites, and then you can delete the extra ones. Follow tips here for how to delete data: nestwatch.org/learn/how-to-n…

@NestWatch I realized that I was making new nest sites for each nest at the same site 🤦🏻‍♀️ it’s a bluebird box that’s had three bluebird nests and one house wren nest since last year. Is there any way to fix this?

Its mid-summer and some birds are fledging their second (or even third!) nests! What should you do if you find a baby bird on the ground? Follow the tips in this article: nestwatch.org/learn/how-to-n… 📷: Young Chipping Sparrow by Laura Frazier

Looking for a hummingbird nest? Think small. Nope, even smaller than that! Most hummingbird nests are only 2 in across and 1 in deep. Their eggs are about the size of a breath mint! Have you ever spotted a tiny hummingbird nest? 📷: Calliope Hummingbird by Christine Haines

Least Terns breed along the shores of the US and Mexico. Their chicks are "precocial," meaning that they hatch fully feathered and ready to leave the nest. After two days, they'll follow their parents around, finding shelter and learning how to be a tern! 📷: Patti Constance

Common Loons nest on lakes and ponds, right on the edge of the shoreline, but they'll also use artificial nesting areas. Here's a great example of a floating nest platform! NestWatcher Michael Abell deployed this platform as part of Maine's Loon Restoration Project.

Cliff Swallows will sometimes build nests directly onto vertical walls! They gather mud in their bills along streambanks, and bring them back to mold into place. The resulting nest contains 900–1,200 individual mud pellets! Do Cliff Swallows nest near you? 📷: Beth Galligan

Brown Creepers are small songbirds that frequent forests across North America. In summer, they build their nests behind loose tree bark of dead or dying trees! Get a look at this fascinating behavior in the video below: macaulaylibrary.org/asset/439312741

Some bird species, like House Finches, American Robins, and Dark-eyed Juncos, often choose to nest in and around your potted plants. How should you proceed if this happens? Read on for helpful tips and tricks: southernliving.com/what-to-do-bir…

Lots of youngsters can be seen out and about these days. What young birds have you spotted lately? macaulaylibrary.org/asset/228848821

The NestWatch offices are closed today, in observation of Independence Day. Have a great weekend, and be sure to double check your grills (and wreaths) for nests! 📷: Carolina Wren nest by Evette Braenovich

Now, you can create and manage nest groups in the NestWatch app to keep your nest list organized. Any nest groups you have created on the website will sync to your device. You can also filter your nests by group and status. Thanks to NestWatchers for all the feedback!

Carpenter bees are native pollinators that bore into wood to lay their eggs, which can occasionally damage nest boxes. In this month's blog post, we explore carpenter bee identification and habits, plus share some tips to prevent and repair the damage: nestwatch.org/blog/are-carpe…

Submission of the Month: This nest of Spectacled Parrotlets, by Alejandro Williams Viveros in Colombia! We were excited to see this record with photographs (a first for the species in NestWatch. Want a chance to be featured? Be sure to submit photos with your nest visit data!

Cornell Lab volunteer Suan Yong took this great video, demonstrating a quick, easy way to check on a Red-eyed Vireo nest that was just out of view! Using a selfie stick and phone, or a long-armed mirror, are excellent ways to record good data, quickly. Great work!

From flying squirrels, to frogs, to skinks (a kind of lizard), we've seen a lot of non-avian nest box inhabitants. What kind of animals have you seen using your boxes? 📷: Kathleen Wegman (squirrel), Krista Daniels (frog), Blackwater NWR (skink)

Are temperatures scorching in your area? Check out these tips for how to help your local nesting birds! nestwatch.org/news/tips-for-…