Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1914-06-18
Shepherdstown Jefferson County, Virginia Thursday June 49, 1914
where And How Nests Are Built.

How many people in general know even
by sight the different nests of our most
common birds? Not many. Perhaps
this is so for the very good reason that,
though interested in birds, they would
not wish to disturb them in the least when
they are engaged in nest building, by too
close observation. The location, method
OF construction and materials used by
some OF the more familiar birds may ac-
cordingIy be briefly described.
The wrens like to build in roomY
cavity already constructed. For this
reason they are among the first OF all
feathered kind TO appreciate and use an
artificial house placed in tree or on the
side of building. An empty can or Jug
will prove acceptable, while they are
quite sure 10 make use OF the most elab-
orate house one may care to make and
erect for them. They are not ayerse TO
human surroundings and often build a
nest on a window, particularly if il be
partially concealed by blind or screen.
Although the robin usually builds its
own nest on some fence, window-Sill or
low hanging limb, il will occupy an arti-
ficial home if one OF suitable shape and
size be placed in spot it would natural
ly select.
The chipping sparrow, smallest OF
birds except the humming- birds, makes
a beautiful nest almost entirely of long
hairs twisted and woven so securely TO-
gether that one could scarcely pull them
apart. This little home is built in thick
bush or low tree, TOO frequently without
regard for the liking of the house cat and
other enemies of tender young birdlings.
Most other spanows build on the
ground. An exception, however, is the
English sparrow, which builds anywhere
yes, and almost everywhere. Wher-
ever any other bird might build, the nest
of the English sparrow may be found. II
has even been known to build in the
forest.
Many birds build tree nests Of various
materials. I he oriole constructs its
pouch-like nest Of finely shredded bark
hair, and threads of the silk-weed. 1t
carefully avoids its animal enemies by
suspending this pouch from long, slen-
der limb, high up, which would not sus-
tain the weight of any intruder. This
nest repayS careful study.
The goldfinch builds small nest in
which more bark than hair is used. Ii is
very compact and hair-lined, and found
in low trees around the farm and garden.
The common blackbird builds fairly
large nest OF woven grass and twigs lined
with hair and strings. This nest is COM
monty found in an evergreen whether in
swamp or front yard and from fen TO
twenty-five feet above the ground. The
thrush or brown thraSher places its nest
in some low, thick bush, often thorn
bush, or thick cluster Of vines, four or
five feet at most from the ground.
The nests OF all swallows are interest
ing, none more so than that OF the chim-
rey swift, whose nest is made OF dead
twigs, except its soft lining, and glued
with saliva upon side wall. One species
builds in excavations in the ground along
a steep bluff, frequently the high bank OF
stream. The nest OF the barn swallow
is usually found upon a rafter or under
the caves.
Many birds place their nests on the
ground, the smaller ground building birds
taking as much pains in the formation OF
the nests as do the tree builders. The
meadow-lark and bobolink are both
ground builders, the nest being common
! ly found in tuft OF thick grass well made,
covered partially and lined. The bob
white is satisfied with rather roughly
formed nest and is in the habit of locating
it in hay fields from which the grass is
cut before the little birds are hatched and
so there is great liability OF the home be-
ing prematurely broken up win sao re-
suits.
Various attempts have been made to
classify birds nests but none have been
complete, and il would seem 10 be we'll
nigh impossible TO make any classification
that would include all of the many differ
emf kinds OF nest construction. One au-
thority has divided the birds into the fol-
lowing twelve classes, according TO their
mode OF nest building: miners, ground
builders, masons, carpenters, platform
builders, basket makers, weavers, tailors,
felt makers, cementers, dome builders
and parasites. Many interesting facts
may be learned from the study of BIRDS
nests. Nearly all the feathered folk are
clever architects and their plans are ex-
ecuted with wondrous skill.
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