The Secret World of Bird Nests

A glorious insight into the remarkable building abilities of birds.

It's easy to take birds for granted, but they play a crucial role in our ecosystem by controlling insect populations, pollinating plants and spreading seeds. They are also incredible engineers, with the ability to build complex - and beautiful - nests to provide shelter and protection for their eggs and chicks. Have you ever wondered how they build them?

You're probably most familiar with cup-shaped bird nests made from twigs and grass, but this is just one of many designs that birds use to create a home where they can nurture and protect their young. Depending on their habitat and way of life, a bird's nest can float on water, teeter on the highest rocky outcrop or be burrowed inside the trunk of a tree.

In this beautifully illustrated book, young readers will discover the remarkable variety of nest-building techniques used by birds from around the world, and marvel at their ingenious use of materials - from soft feathers and cushioning moss, to spiders' silk and sticky spittle.

About the Author

Lucy Menzies is a writer and editor from Teesside, UK.

Namasri Niumim is an illustrator living in Thailand with a degree in Fine Arts and Communication Design from the School of Architecture and Design at King Mongkut's University of Technology in Thonburi. She is the illustrator of The Secret World of Spider Webs.

Douglas Russell (consultant) is the Senior Curator responsible for the internationally renowned birds' egg and nest collections at the Natural History Museum in London. He is the author of several books on the subject of bird nests, including the Smithsonian Handbook of Interesting Bird Nests and Eggs.