{"id":52,"date":"2021-10-19T11:00:13","date_gmt":"2021-10-19T09:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/?p=47813"},"modified":"2021-10-19T11:21:14","modified_gmt":"2021-10-19T09:21:14","slug":"how-to-identify-empty-mammal-and-bird-nests","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/rss_feed\/how-to-identify-empty-mammal-and-bird-nests\/","title":{"rendered":"How to identify empty mammal and bird nests"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Brett Westwood\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Tuesday, 19 October 2021 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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A of nest-building, egg-laying and infant-rearing activity is laid bare in autumn and winter. Falling leaves<\/a> and shrivelling grasses reveal the edifices of a bustling spring and summer that have long been confined to history. Like detectives, we can read the clues amidst the stark landscape, and piece together the success of our local birds and mammals by searching for their deserted nests.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s eyes to the ground first, where the neat, round, tennis-ball-sized nests of harvest mice<\/a> are built in bramble thickets and scrub. Old carpets, corrugated iron panels and discarded timber hide the grass homes of field voles. In thickets of gorse and hawthorn, long-tailed tits<\/a> construct their flask-shaped nests from as many as 3,000 feathers<\/a> interlaced with animal hairs and flakes of lichen. These sturdy constructions should survive the winter, though, like the wren<\/a>\u2019s similar nests of moss and leaves, they will not be used again.<\/p>\n

As the foliage of deciduous trees falls, the minimalist platforms built by woodpigeons<\/a>, so flimsy and half-hearted that you can often see the eggs<\/a> through the base, are exposed. Slightly higher and often in quite small urban trees are the twiggy cages of magpies, with their characteristic arch of sticks overtopping the main nest.<\/p>\n

In the fork of large trees, grey squirrel dreys are common, while at the very top, still holding tight in autumn squalls, are the beautifully laid constructions of rooks, twigs interwoven skilfully to provide stability in even the fiercest gale.<\/p>\n

It is illegal to take, disturb or destroy the nest of any bird species whilst it is being built, or in use, or to take or destroy birds\u2019 eggs. It is best to leave even empty nests alone, since other animals may find them useful.<\/p>\n

Learn more about nesting birds:<\/h4>\n