Whatbird.com

I have a couple of questions to ask you guys, so brace your self.  First of all i was wondering if you could tell the species of bird by looking at its empty nest.  Next question, i was wondering if goldfinches, eastern bluebirds, and cardinals all have mates for life because whenever i see one their is always a second one of a different sex.  All so i was wondering if their was any way to get rid of doves because all the doves at my feeder always steal all the seeds and i really hate them.    Thanks alot. : )

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~dp7767~

As far as identifying nests -
Peterson Field Guide: Eastern Birds' Nests

Peterson Field Guide to Western Birds' Nests

are the way to go.  

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2008 Yard List: 118
Recent: Hooded Warbler, Black-billed Cuckoo
Highlights: Hoary Redpoll, Golden Eagle, Fish Crow
2008 Year List: 181
Recent: Alder Flycatcher, Green Heron
Highlights: Cackling Goose, Black Vulture, Merlin

Not sure about identifying nests.

But I believe that cardinals do mate for life.  I think doves do too.  I've seen both cardinals and doves feed each other too.  It's rather sweet.

Not sure how to get rid of doves, although in Pennsylvania there is actually a dove hunting season because they do so much damage to the farmer's crops. 

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Sharon Calahan

Thanks for the help!

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~dp7767~

Just for future reference. If you pull up the browser from below and look at the different birds, click on behavior and it will tell you if a bird is monogamous. All four of the birds you listed, blue bird, cardinal, goldfinch and dove are monogamous birds.

Yes you can tell the nest sometimes.  If you ahve a picture of the nest, there are several sites that will show good pics of a nest, Cornell is one and the one listed in the above post is a great one.

I love looking at the browers for birds on this site, you learn all sorts of interesting tidbits about the different birds.

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Itsjustdeb

Bluebirds may stick with a certain female, but they are also real polygamists. They can father several boxes at a time and help out with them all.