Most birds don’t reuse their own nest for a long time. They make it for a short time and leave the nest after a while. But why do they behave this way in nature? Aren’t the nests they build of better quality or do they abandon the nest after every breeding season and build a new nest? What do you think? In the previous article, we discussed what do birds do when their nest is destroyed. But in this article, we will discuss why do birds destroy their own nest.
Why do birds destroy their own nest?
1. Breeding season
In every breeding season, birds like to change their old nest and make new ones. This is because they want to lay eggs and hatch them. For hatching new chicks they leave the previous nest and destroy it so that there are no traces left behind. In the new nest, they grow up their chicks and feed them. When the chicks are able to fly the mamma birds leave the chicks and find a new place to build a new one and wait for the next breeding season. This is the natural process of birds.
2. Predators
Birds have many predators such as cats, dogs, snakes, etc. These animals eat the eggs and chicks of birds. So if a bird builds its nest on a tree which is near a road or house then these animals can easily catch the chicks and eat them. If the parents see that their chicks are missing then they search everywhere but they cannot find them. Then they start looking for another place where they can build their nest and destroy the previous nest.
3. Weather conditions
Sometimes weather conditions become very bad and sometimes they get good. During rainy days, water gets inside the nest and destroys the eggs and chicks. The same happens with cold weather. In winter, snow falls from the sky and covers the nest. It becomes difficult for the mother birds to take care of their chicks. So they need to move somewhere else and build a new nest.
4. Nesting material
Some birds use sticks, twigs, leaves, grasses, moss, mud, etc. to build their nest. Sometimes they even use other birds’ nests. In some cases, they may not be able to find any suitable materials to build their nest. In this case, they destroy the previous nest and build a new one.
5. Nest attack by big bird
Sometimes big birds like eagles, hawks, owls, crows, vultures, etc. attack the nest and eat eggs or chicks. When parents’ bird goes for searching food for themselves or feeding their chicks, they come across these birds. At that time, they try to hide their chicks under the ground or in bushes. But these birds know all about this trick and they also know how to dig holes in the ground. So they dig holes and look for the chicks. After finding the chicks, they kill them and eat them. When parents bird come back and see their chicks dead, they feel sad and cry loudly. They try to save their chicks but they cannot do anything. In this situation, they destroy their nest and go to another place and build a new nest.
What happens when a bird’s nest is destroyed?
When a bird’s nest is damaged or destroyed, the parent birds immediately leave the nest and search for a new place to build their nest. They search for a safe place where they can raise their chicks without being attacked by predators. If they cannot find a suitable place, they destroy the nest and build a new nest at a different location.
How often does a bird build a new nest?
A bird usually builds a new nest after every breeding season. However, if the weather conditions are very bad then they may build a new nest during the first year of the breeding season.
Will birds reuse old nests?
Yes, birds will reuse an old nest if it has been built properly. For example, if the nest was made out of sticks, twigs, and leaves then the parents will reuse this nest. However, if the nest was built using mud, clay, soil, etc., then the parents will not reuse this nest because it might contain harmful germs.
Do birds come back to the same place every year?
No, birds don’t return to the same place every breeding season. They always choose a new place to build a new nest. This is because they want to avoid getting caught by predators.
Final thought
Birds destroyed their own nest because of many reasons. Some of them were natural disasters while others were caused due to human activities. In this article, we have discussed why birds destroy their own nest. We hope you enjoyed reading this post and learned something new!
