3/13/11

Recycling to Help Nesting Birds

The birds know that spring is coming and nest-building has started.  Recycle yarn ends and fabric scraps to provide them with some cosy nest-building material.

bird_nest_yarn_2

Start with:

  • A small empty mesh bag (that held produce) or suet feeder

Put in any of the following:

  • Yarn, string, or fabric scraps (2 to 6 inches long)
  • Pet hair or hair from your hairbrush
  • Cotton batting
  • Small sticks
  • Feathers from old pillow

Let some of the ends poke out of the mesh to entice the birds.  If you need yarn for this project, you can unravel an old sweater (get one cheaply at Goodwill).  When all your materials are in the bag, tie or sew it shut, and hang it in a tree.

Don’t use:

  • No string longer than 6 inches (could tangle or injure birds)
  • No pet hair that has had flea treatment
  • No plastic or nylon material
  • No dryer sheets (toxic to birds)

For more information, the National Wildlife Federation has a great article on material you can add in to attract specific types of birds.  For example, robins really like yarn.