Feathered Families: A Look into Birds Nesting Season

Nesting season is underway! Birds all around Douglas County are currently nesting or are nearing nesting. Some common species that can be observed nesting in Douglas County include Black-capped Chickadee, Western Bluebird, Violet Green Swallow, and Tree Swallow. All of those species are cavity nesters which means they will nest in backyard birdhouses, old woodpecker cavities in trees, and a number of other types of cavities. Most birds usually start nesting in early spring and nest building can start earlier. Some species start later like the Lesser Goldfinch. For some birds if their first brood fails they will attempt to nest again. It's important to respect the space of nesting birds. Making sure not to get too close to a nesting bird is important as it can stress out the bird and cause them to leave the nest until they feel safe to return. It's fun to watch the progression of a bird starting to build a nest to its eggs hatching and the parents teaching the young how to fly, get food, and avoid predators.