Our little feathered friends are busily nesting now that spring is in full swing. For most of us in North America, April and May are when birds build nests that will last all season. Baby birds love to eat insects, so breeding and nest location typically depends on the abundance of food.

A bird's nest can take anywhere from two days to two weeks to complete. Material availability or quality, weather, and the bird's experience level can all influence the number of days needed to construct a suitable nest.

Most birds don't reuse their old nests, no matter how clean they are. They typically build a new nest in a new location for each clutch.

During nesting seasons, birds sleep in nests at night to provide their eggs or young with needed warmth and protection against predators. However, once young birds are old enough to leave the nest, parent birds will also leave it without returning. Most baby birds stay in the nest for ten days before flying off independently. Eggs must be kept warm night and day, a task usually shared by a husband and wife bird. 

In most bird species, the female builds the nest, but in some, the job is shared equally, with one parent bringing the materials and the other working on construction. For some birds, nest-building is part of the male's efforts to attract a mate.

Many cultures consider a bird building a nest at your house a good omen, indicating forthcoming prosperity, love, and an opportunity for positive transformation. So maybe put up a birdhouse this year and invite some friends into your yard.

The perfect gift for wooden jigsaw puzzlers, and bird fans, this traditional wooden jigsaw puzzle for adults can be done time and again. Our wooden jigsaw puzzle artists have included many shaped whimsy wooden jigsaw puzzle pieces that match the subject of the painting, and we have integrated them in ways that will delight and surprise you as you put the wooden jigsaw puzzle together.