The concept of nest comes from the Latin nidus . The term refers to the shelter that birds build with branches , straws and other elements.
Animals develop nests to lay and incubate eggs . Once the babies are born, they are fed and protected inside the structure, which is usually located in a tree . However, there are nests that are formed in holes, openings and even on the surface.
The characteristics of the nests depend on the species . They are usually used until the young become independent. At that point, the nests are abandoned.
In the case of birds , nests can be dug into the ground, developed from a mound, formed in a cavity, shaped like a bowl or hanging, to name a few possibilities. They usually build them in hard-to-reach places so that predators cannot easily reach them.
Besides birds, some reptiles , insects , arachnids and even mammals also make nests. Squirrels, for example, create nests that can be similar to some bird nests. In this case, of course, no eggs are laid in the nest, although the place is used to care for the new specimens.
There is also the concept known as a nest box or birdhouse , a cavity created by humans for certain birds or bats to live in. Since the economic activities of our species, such as farming and logging, constantly reduce the number of trees and also prevent those that remain from reaching an age sufficient for animals to use their cavities for nesting, it is necessary to create these artificial houses .
This compensation measure for the destruction caused by our species aims to maintain a fauna of birds and other flying species in regions that no longer have their natural characteristics. In other words, the aim is to ensure that life in secondary forests continues in a similar way to that in primary forests.
A secondary forest is one that is very young, and whose main plants are usually the same age. Another name for it is "renoval" . Its origin is usually due to a series of changes in the environment , whether natural (glacial erosion, landslides, fires) or anthropogenic (arson, burning, massive deforestation and abandonment of the area).
In contrast, a primary forest (also known as virgin or primeval ) is a large area of forest vegetation that has not been exploited, fragmented or affected in any way by humans. Its wealth is therefore invaluable.
Nest boxes are made with holes of different diameters, depending on the species they are intended for, since if they were all the same size , smaller species would have less chance of staying in the nests because larger species would throw them out.
In addition, having a hole of just the right diameter reduces the chances of attacks by predators. Another measure that also aims to maximize security is to locate the hole on the side furthest from the surface on which the house is fixed, so that snakes cannot easily reach it.
Bat nest boxes are different from bird nest boxes in two main ways: they do not have a circular hole in the front but an opening at the bottom; they are not usually installed in trees but in the walls of certain buildings.
A nest is also called the place where certain things that are not material originate: "This project is a nest of conflicts" , "Our club is a true nest of champions" , "The official newspaper is nothing more than a nest of slander and insults aimed at opposition leaders" .