Offer Nesting Materials
To Attract Birds

You'll find that the nesting materials that birds use to build their nest is as varied as the birds that use them. The information here is what materials birds use in the wild to make their nest.

By providing materials for birds to use when building their nest, you just may be rewarded with a nesting pair that otherwise would have gone and built their nest elsewhere.

Most common backyard birds choose dried grasses in their nest construction. When mowing lawns, allow the cut grass to lay on the ground for the birds to pick up and use in their nest.

If your lawn is treated with weed and feed chemicals, you should bag the clippings for disposal.

Leaving untreated grass clippings is good for the birds and your lawn. If you are concerned about unsightly grass laying on the lawn you may need to mow more often.

Still, the adage, mow it tall and let it fall is the best advice for the birds and your lawn.

Birds generally line the inside of their

Offer Your Birds Nesting Material

nest with a soft lining of some sort. The best nesting materials for this is your pets fur.

When brushing or combing your pets coat try placing the fur on the tops of shrubs for birds to pick up and use in nest building.

Avoid using dryer lint, as it hardens after getting wet.

Other nesting materials you might consider placing out for birds are: strips of yarn or cloth cut to about 6 inches, a pile of small sticks, or you may choose one of the commercially available packages.

One other thing you can provide in order to help the birds build their nest is to provide mud. Many birds use mud in constructing their nest. You can provide this resource by placing a garbage can lid upside down and filling it with dirt and water.

Make sure you check on it from time to time during the nesting season making sure it doesn't dry out.

Offering materials that birds use to build nest is just one more way for you to attract more bird activity to your backyard.

One of the enjoyable aspects of backyard birdwatching is that it can be done year around.

This spring, try offering nesting materials for the birds in your area. Maybe you'll be able to attract a few that you've missed in years past.

Back to top Nesting Materials