As spring approaches, birds are busy preparing for nesting season. Providing them with suitable nesting materials can really help them out and boost local bird populations.
However some things left out can be harmful. So here’s a guide of safe materials and things to avoid.
Natural & safe materials:
- Dry grass & leaves: these are easy to find and mimic natural nesting. Ensure they are free of any chemical treatments such as weedkiller.
- Pine needles: these offer good nest support.
- Twigs & small branches: sturdy twigs and smaller flexible twigs.
- Moss & lichen: help to make a soft comfortable nest lining.
- Animal hair & fur: pet fur is a great help, but ensure it’s free of flea treatments. Recent studies found bird mortality rates are rising due to pet treatment chemicals found in birds nests.
- Cotton or wool (natural fibres): cotton and wool are great too but avoid synthetic fibres as they can entangle birds and they don’t break down.
- Feathers: leave any shed feathers you find in your garden
Things to avoid:
- Synthetic materials: string, and fabric scraps such as lint from your tumble dryer can entangle birds and their young and it doesn’t break down.
- Treated materials: avoid anything treated with pesticides, chemicals, or fire retardants and of course treated pet hair.
- Long strands: cut materials into pieces less than a few inches this helps prevent birds from getting tangled.
- Human hair: though it’s very tempting to leave out the hair tangled up in your favourite hairbrush, very often this can pose a real entanglement risk.
How to provide materials:
- You can place materials in little holes or cracks in the wall, fence or tree round the garden. You can also use the suet feeder,
- Consider placing materials at varying heights, as different bird species prefer different nesting locations.
By offering a variety of safe and natural nesting materials, you can play a vital role in supporting local bird populations during their breeding season.
