Category: Animal Sign,
Habitat Description: Mixed hardwood and softwood forest,
Natural History Info: Birds have a nesting cycle that is triggered by day length. Longer days tend to trigger birds to begin breeding. This natural instinct ensures that the bird’s offspring will hatch at a time when food is abundant and easily accessible. Non-migratory birds either maintain their nesting site throughout the winter, like the one seen in the picture, while others establish new sites each coming spring. When looking for a place to nest birds take into account its proximity to food sources and how much protection the area provides.

I was surprised to see a birds nest in winter. I think it would have been harder to spot this nest in the summer and fall when the foliage is fuller. I was drawn to this image because of the snow that piled up on the nest.