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

3. 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.

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

5. 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

6. American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis) Cool Fact 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 by female Eggs: (2-7) White tinted with light blue Habitat & Range Late nesters (June-July) & strict vegetarians! Areas with a variety of deciduous vegetation, suburban yards

7. American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) Cool Fact 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 material; built by female Eggs: (3-5) White, cream, or pink with brown specks Habitat & Range Nestlings squirt feces on the cavity walls, keeping the floor clean Variety of open areas: forest edges, orchards, pastures, deserts, etc.

8. American Robin (Turdus migratorius) Cool Fact 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 mud, lined with fine dry grass; built by female Eggs: (3-4) Pale blue Habitat & Range Robins can become intoxicated from eating too much honeysuckle! Wide range such as forest openings, woodlands, farmlands, yards, parks

9. Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) Cool Fact 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 Habitat & Range Unmated males will kill nestlings of a mated pair to mate with the female Breeds in variety of areas, sometimes near water

10. Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) Cool Fact 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 material such as animal fur; built by female Eggs: (6-8) White with reddish-brown speckles Habitat & Range Chickadees can remember thousand s of locations where they’ve hidden seeds Breeds in wooded areas

11. House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus) Cool Fact 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 Habitat & Range Nestlings are fed an exclusive plant diet. Variety of urban & suburban habitats. Rarely use broad-leaf trees or cavities

12. House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) Cool Fact 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, hair, feathers; built by both adults Eggs: (4-8) White or pinkish with reddish spots Habitat & Range Adults will puncture the eggs of other species nesting nearby Wherever there is low shrubby cover & thickets, with holes for nesting

13. Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) Cool Fact Nest Location 1-250 ft. - Trees, shrubs, vines, flower pots & man-made structures Nest Type & Eggs Nest: Flimsy platform of twigs, pine needles or grass stems; built by both adults Eggs: (2) White, unmarked Habitat & Range A single pair may have up to five or six clutches in a year Breeds in open woodlands, cultivated areas, suburban gardens

14. Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) Cool Fact 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 grass, leaves, & plant fibers; built by male Eggs: (2-6) Shades of gray, white, blue, & green Habitat & Range Both males and females continue to add to their songs throughout life Breeds in a variety of areas, usually with some sort of vegetation

15. Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) Cool Fact 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 & rushes; built by female Eggs: (2-4) Very pale blue with dark marks Habitat & Range One male may have up to 15 females nesting in his territory Variable – wetland, upland, & agricultural; some urban or suburban

16. Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) Cool Fact 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, lined with fine grass & hair; built by female Eggs: (3-5) Very pale blue with reddish speckles Habitat & Range Females prefer males with songs that reflect the male’s ability to learn Low scrubby growth and thickets, most often in moist or swampy locations

17. Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) Cool Fact 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 with feathers; built by female Eggs: (4-7) White, unmarked Habitat & Range Using feathers in their nests helps to reduce the parasite load Prefers open woodlands or farmlands near water

18. Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) Cool Fact 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 species Eggs: (1-7) Whitish with brown or gray spots Habitat & Range They are the only brood parasite common across North America Habitats with low or scattered trees among grassland vegetation

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

20. Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) Cool Fact 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 small roots, mud, or leaves; built by both adults Eggs: (2-7) Variety of colors with brown spots Habitat & Range The oldest known wild Blue Jay lived to be at least 17 years old! Breeds in variety of areas including woodlands, rural & suburban habitats

21. Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis) Cool Fact 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 & plant fibers; built by female Eggs: (3-10) White with speckles Habitat & Range Pair bonding between male and female can remain intact for several years Breeds in wooded areas

22. Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) Cool Fact 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 with hair, grass, or feathers; built by female Eggs: (4-5) Pale blue Habitat & Range Males do a wing display at the nest to attract females to the cavity Open woodland or man-made sites around farms & buildings

23. Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) Cool Fact Nest Location 0 3-20 ft. - Under bridge, cliff, or eave of building; cemented to wall Nest Type & Eggs Nest: Open cup of mud, moss and leaves, lined with fine grass & hair; built by female Eggs: (2-6) White Habitat & Range Phoebes are loners, rarely coming in contact with other phoebes Man-made structures & other structures, usually near running fresh water

24. Gray Catbird (Dumatella carolinensis) Cool Fact 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 fine roots, leaves, & pine needles; built by femaleEggs: (5-6) Uniform deep blue or greenish blue Habitat & Range Catbirds will recognize cowbird eggs and throw them out of the nest Woodland areas with abundant vegetation

25. Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) Cool Fact Nest Location 3-30 ft. - Hidden in twigs and branches Nest Type & Eggs Nest: Cup of 4 layers: outer layer of rough debris, inner layers of fine materials; built by female Eggs: (1-5) White with gray, buff, or green tinting Habitat & Range Males will often attack their own reflections, thinking them an intruder Breeds in variety of deciduous, coniferous, & herbaceous vegetation

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

27. Lesser Goldfinch (Carduelis psaltria) Cool Fact 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 or feathers; built by female Eggs: (2-6) Pale, with varying tints Habitat & Range The amount of black or green on a males back can vary in their range Variety of deciduous or coniferous habitats in rural, suburban, & urban areas

28. Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currocoides) Cool Fact 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 feathers; built by female Eggs: (4-8) Pale blue, bluish white, rarely white Habitat & Range Although the male appears to help build the nest, he usually drops material en route. Open areas & the edges of deciduous and coniferous forests

29. Say's Phoebe (Sayornis saya) Cool Fact 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 Habitat & Range Breeds further north than any flycatcher, limited only by lack of nest sites Breeds in various open & dry areas; prairies, plains, canyons, & deserts

30. Violet-green Swallow (Tachycineta thalassina) Cool Fact 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 both adults Eggs: (4-6) White Habitat & Range A violet-green Swallow pair has been observed helping Western Bluebirds raise young Open deciduous or mixed forests of ponderosa pine, aspen, willow, & spruce

31. Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana) Cool Fact 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 Eggs: (3-8) Pale blue, bluish white, or white Habitat & Range Helpers are often seen at the nest, most are young from previous years Open habitats with scattered trees: farmlands, orchards, open forest edge

32. Western Scrub-jay (Aphelocoma californica) Cool Fact 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 hair; built by both Eggs: (1-5) Greenish with speckles Habitat & Range Used in several laboratory studies for its ability to hide & remember seeds Various trees, shrubs, and vines

33. 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 NestWatcher’s Code of Conduct. • For furtherinformation, 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.