Holly Haven Wildlife Sanctuary is home to more than 100 trees and shrubs, and many of those trees and shrubs are home to a variety of nesting birds. From the smallest hummingbirds and songbirds to hawks, ravens, owls and other wildlife, there are nests galore!
Songbird mothers work very hard to feed, protect and rear their babies. Most songbirds are male-female parents, but mama songbird rules. She not only picks a strong mate who can find food and defend the territory, but she also picks the nest site, she helps to construct the nest, and she makes sure it is safe, sturdy and camouflaged to protect her young from predators.
Chicks are fed worms and insects that are high in protein. They are fed from four to sometimes twelve times an hour. Both parents participate in the care and feeding and rearing of their young, but this is not true of all birds. Not all birds behave the same.
In Southern California there are more than 600 species of birds that make up two-thirds of the bird population in North America including the tiny Calliope Hummingbird to the great California Condor. Every bird needs a nest – somewhere, whether it’s in a tree, a bush, a burrow, on the ground, on the side of a cliff, or some other place they choose to call home.
Birds can be creative in their choice of places to build their nest and in their choice of materials. Nests are works of art and, depending on the bird, either the female, male or both will participate in the building of the nest.
Observing and documenting nests is fascinating and an important part of being a citizen scientist. Most importantly, as far as humans are concerned and in order to protect the eggs and the ongoing nesting activities, there is a Code of Conduct that should be followed if you are observing nests.
1. Search carefully for nests in the afternoon. Observe from a distance. Document what you see. Listen for the chirping sounds of the tiny, hungry chicks signaling they are hungry and about to be fed. Keep a notebook and count the number of trips made to the nest to feed the chicks.
2. Look for any predators and watch and listen to the reaction of the parents.
3. When searching for nests do not create an obvious pathway to the area where the nests are located. This will invite predators to that area and place the nests in danger. Predators are clever, and they will be watching your every move.
4. If you can observe the nest up close, spend only a few seconds and not more than one minute. Do not touch or disturb an active nest. Be careful not to startle.
5. If a chick falls out of the nest put it back gently and step away. (The mother will not abandon it). If a fledgling is on the ground leave it there, as a parent is likely to be nearby watching, and the chick is learning to fly on its own.
Many species nest between March 1st and August 31st while some nest year-round so there is a lot of opportunity to learn about the different breeding habits of birds and to enjoy nest watching.
For more information on avian nesting cycles and the variations in breeding among the different bird species go to nestwatch.org
P. Revel