Maybe it’s already happened to you in years past: you walk into your garage, ready to take your first bike ride of the year now that it’s finally warm enough, but you lift your old helmet only to find that it is full of moss, leaves, and twigs. What?! You may think it’s a late April Fool’s joke, but actually it is the product of a lot of hard work by a small cavity-nesting bird that has found a safe place to put their home. Depending on where you live, it could be any number of species, but the most common by far are the Carolina Wren and House Wren.

Clockwise from top left, submissions are by Joe Hoelscher, David Hutchinson, Mike Smith, and Sophie Lyon.

Dozens of previous entrants to Celebrate Urban Birds‘ yearly Funky Nests in Funky Places Challenge have sent us photos of situations like the one above, as well as countless other odd nesting locations, from car tire-wells to the shoulders of statues in the park! We’ve already started up this year’s Challenge, and we look forward to seeing your photos, reading your poems and stories, checking out your artwork, and watching your videos that document, describe, or celebrate funky nests in funky places. The contest ends July 1st. So keep your eyes peeled, and remember to expect the unexpected when it comes to birds nesting in man-made environments — every structure is an opportunity for a home!