Turning to the Expert
Unsure what we had found, we decided to ask my friend’s grandfather for help. He has tended gardens his entire life and seems to know every plant, fungus, and insect by sight. As soon as he saw the photos, his face brightened. He did not hesitate.
“Ah. Those are birds’ nest mushrooms,” he said.
We were amazed and a little doubtful. Mushrooms that imitate a nest, complete with eggs. The idea sounded almost too whimsical to be real. Nature had played a trick on our expectations, revealing its sense of humor and artistry.
Mushrooms That Mimic Birds’ Nests
These tiny wonders belong to the Nidulariaceae family. Each cup shaped mushroom cradles small, bead like capsules that resemble eggs. They are not seeds and they will not hatch. Instead, they are packets filled with spores. When rain falls, droplets strike the cups and scatter the packets outward, helping the fungus spread across new ground. It is a brilliant system, built on timing and design rather than movement.
Birds’ nest mushrooms thrive in mulch, wood chips, compost, and other moist areas rich in decaying organic matter. Their colors range from light brown to gray. They often measure only a few millimeters wide, which makes them easy to overlook. Gardeners may walk past them for years without noticing. Yet once they are seen up close, they are unforgettable. Their form feels both playful and precise.
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