Do all birds build nests?
Not all bird build nests. Andean Condors lay their eggs on the sandy or gravel surface of a natural cave high in the mountains. Other species will modify a nest site only slightly by scraping the surface of the ground or adding a few sticks or leaves around the eggs. These minimal nest types are most common where predation is not a factor, such as on islands or inaccessible cliff faces. Brush Turkeys, and other Megapodes, build large mounds of decaying plant material and bury their eggs within it. Instead of incubating the eggs directly, they simply maintain the mound by adding fresh material and allow the heat of organic decomposition warm their eggs. Many birds dig a burrow in the ground or a bank to convey added protection for the nest from weather and predators. Some swallows, all kingfishers, and shelducks nest in such ground burrows. The 1-2 m long entrance tunnel that the European Bee-Eater constructs to its cavity allows the nest to remain significantly cooler and more humid th
