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Story: Fungi

Bird’s nest fungus

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Bird’s nest fungus

These delicate structures are the fruiting bodies of a bird’s nest fungus (Crucibulum laeve). The flat ‘eggs’ contain spores and are thrown from the ‘nest’ by splashes of raindrops. The fungi grow on fallen leaves and branches on the forest floor.

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Department of Conservation

Reference: 10055598

by Paul Schilov

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How to cite this page

Peter Buchanan, Fungi – Saprobes: decomposers, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/11570/birds-nest-fungus (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Peter Buchanan, published 1 March 2009.