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The Secrets of Winged Architects

A look at some of the most incredible nests in the bird world.

Birds are exceptionally skilled architects. And, unlike humans, they do not require expensive schooling to obtain their skills. Nor do they covet their neighbors’ homes, explains Peter Goodfellow, author of Avian Architecture: How Birds Design, Engineer and Build. The innate ability to create sturdy and beautiful nests is written in their DNA.

Goodfellow, a retired English teacher, has been studying birds since the 1970s. His new book documents the process of nest design and construction in extensive detail. Take a look through the gallery for a window into the skyscrapers, tract housing, and luxury condos of the bird world.