A common concern when a bird’s nest is found in an inconvenient spot is whether relocating it will cause the mother bird to abandon her offspring. Disturbing a nest can have profound consequences. Parent birds locate their nests using specific cues, which are highly sensitive to change.
Understanding Bird Nesting Behavior
Birds primarily rely on precise visual cues and spatial memory to locate their nests. Unlike many mammals, their sense of smell is generally not a primary factor. Their navigation depends on the exact position of the nest within its surroundings, using landmarks like branches and leaves. Even a slight shift can disorient parent birds.
Relocating a nest, even a short distance, often leads to abandonment because parents no longer recognize it. The familiar visual landscape around the nest has changed, making it unidentifiable. This disorientation causes parents to cease caring for eggs or hatchlings, as they perceive the moved nest as a foreign object or a threat.
Nesting birds are highly sensitive to disturbances during the breeding season, especially during incubation and early chick development. They perceive any significant alteration to their nesting site as a potential threat to their safety or their young. This sensitivity is an adaptation to protect their vulnerable offspring. Human interference, even well-intentioned, can be misinterpreted as a predatory event or an unsafe environment.
Moving a nest can introduce human scent, which, while not directly used by birds for nest identification, can still signal a disturbance. Although birds do not typically abandon nests solely due to human scent, the combination of a new location and human presence can exacerbate their stress and lead to abandonment.
Best Practices for Encountering Nests
The most effective approach when encountering a bird’s nest is to avoid disturbing it. Moving a nest almost invariably leads to abandonment. Birds and their nests are protected by laws like the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) in the United States, which prohibits disturbing, destroying, or possessing migratory birds, their eggs, or nests without a permit.
If a nest is discovered in an inconvenient location, such as on a porch light or near a frequently used door, it is best to coexist until the young have fledged. This period typically lasts only a few weeks. Protecting the immediate area from excessive human activity minimizes disturbance. If the situation presents a safety hazard or is truly unavoidable, contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator or local animal control agency. These professionals have the expertise and legal authorization to assess the situation and provide guidance.
In instances where a nest has fallen from a tree due to natural events, and is intact with eggs or young, it may be possible to gently place it back into the tree. Secure it in the nearest possible location to its original spot, using a small basket or container if the original nest is too damaged. Parent birds may return if the nest is quickly and safely returned to a familiar location. If a featherless or partially feathered baby bird is found on the ground, it is likely a nestling that has fallen. If the nest can be located, the nestling can often be carefully returned.