Through My Eyes: How Birds Select a Nesting Place

Spring has arrived in Germany and across the rest of Europe. On my balcony, the Great Tits (Parus major) have finally started building their nest in the box I hung for them.

A Great Tit Checking Me Out

Have you ever wondered how birds select a nesting place? It’s far from a trivial matter. For them, it’s a life-or-death decision, much more critical than, for instance, choosing the right home is for us humans. They cannot make a mistake and must spend a great deal of time before finally settling on a place. Luckily, I had the opportunity to witness it firsthand.

About five weeks ago, a pair of Great Tits appeared on my balcony and began inspecting the nesting box. They visited at different times of day, perching on the railing and plant pots, chirping to each other, seemingly arguing and weighing the pros and cons of the box and its location. Since my window overlooks the box, just a few meters away, they also watched me, suspiciously at first, until they decided I wasn’t a real threat.

A Great Tit Areal Inspection of the Balcony

Some time later, they began entering and exiting the box at different times of day, in all kinds of weather—when it rained, when it was windy, and when the sun shone. Eventually, they started spending the nights in the box, going in at the very last light, when it was nearly pitch black, and leaving just before sunrise.

When they weren’t visiting, they watched from a distance, perched in the garden bushes, continuing their observations. Was anyone disturbing the box? Were there cats nearby? Was it safe from crows and magpies? So many decisions to make. A single overlooked detail could mean the death of their chicks, if not their own.

A Great Tit in the Bush

After five whole weeks of careful deliberation, they finally decided the box was safe and began bringing in moss and leaves to build their nest. Then came the soft touches, cotton wool and flowers to pad it. These were the final stages. Nesting had officially begun!

Happy nature exploration!

Great Tit Bringing Moss for the Nest

As in most other blogs, I took all the photos and wrote the text myself. If you enjoyed this, you can see more of my work here. I’d really love to hear what you think, so feel free to share your thoughts, requests, or ideas in the comments!