A nest is a structure in which an animal lives or keeps its young. Birds are well known for building nests for their eggs. Some fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and insects also build nests.
Birds build nests in trees, in bushes, in caves, on high rock ledges, or on buildings. Some make nests on the ground or underground. Many birds build cup-shaped nests. Others make domed nests or nests that hang from tree limbs like long bags. The size of the nest depends on the type of bird. A hummingbird’s nest is no bigger than a baby’s fist. An adult person could lie down in the largest eagle’s nest.
Birds use a wide range of building materials. Besides twigs and grass, they might use mud, feathers, plant fuzz, and bits of spiderweb. Some birds use their saliva to bind the materials together. Weavers are some
of the most skilled nest builders. They make complex nests by weaving together long strands of grass with their beaks.
Most other animals build simple nests. Some fish hollow out nests in underwater gravel or sand. Other fish nest in plants. Frogs make nests out of mud or hardened froth that floats on the water’s surface. Alligators build mounds of grasses and mud. Cobras push together nests of leaves.
Many small mammals also build nests with plant material. Tree squirrels use twigs and leaves to build nests in trees. Rabbits, mice, moles, and gophers make their nests underground.
Insects that live together in colonies build some of the most elaborate nests. Ant and termite nests often have many long tunnels running underground. They also have separate chambers for the queen and the growing larvae, or young. Honeybee nests, or hives, have a core called a honeycomb. The honeycomb is made of many six-sided wax cells. This is where the queen bee lays her eggs. Paper wasps build paperlike nests
out of wood that they have chewed up and spit out.
