Nesting Material

CNI said:

I would suggest that you steer clear of sheep wool, I have come across several nesting  birds with this material wrapped around their legs. This could in my view tighten around the legs causing the circulation to cut off and the leg to die.

Regards Richard  

Whilst I agree this might be a problem I do think natural sheep wool has been being used for centuries by birds. After all we were once the major wool producing nation in the Middle Ages, with way more sheep than people, so generations of birds would have lined nests with wool caught in brambles & thorn bushes & generations of nestling must have been saved from the cold by the stuff, millenia before the tumble drier was invented ! I also believe, but don't quote me on it, that there is some property of natural wool, the oils in it (I may be talking about lanolin), that gives it certain water resistant qualities (hence why sheep don't absorb water like a sponge). That has got to be helpful in a nest during very wet springs I'd think.

Hi

 mentioned on a thread before, The local dog groomer gladly fills me a carrier with dog hair.

  put it between branches etc. also in a net hanging from a wall.   The birds love it.

                Ray

If I gave the impression that the use of sheep wool could be a major problem I apologise, I only wished to point out that this material could in my opinion cause a risk to nesting species.

In fact all the linnet nests Tree & Meadow pipit  I have found over the last 10 years have contained sheep wool combined with feathers, as you imply makes an excellent insulator.

Regards Richard

Last year I scattered the contents of a feather pillows around in one of the meadows. Delighted to see some of these feathers appear in some the nests when cleaning out the boxes in Nov. Feathers were chopped so easily recognised

Unknown said:

Last year I scattered the contents of a feather pillows around in one of the meadows. Delighted to see some of these feathers appear in some the nests when cleaning out the boxes in Nov. Feathers were chopped so easily recognised

That's a great idea ! I'm now going to be scouring the charity shops & car boot sales for feather pillows & cushions. Wasn't there some research done that found that LTT use hundreads of feathers in each nest ? We usually have LTT nesting in the wood next door & I saw a family group of 7 today so I'd love to encourage them.

Just to throw in another option, I used to buy material from my local pet supplier which was coconut 'hair' This is a bit like very course human hair, which can be cut into short lengths as required. My cage birds used to love it for nesting material. I still have some left, and might give it a try. They only thing is, I am not sure what sort of recepticle to put it in.

"I am not sure what sort of recepticle to put it in."

Living in the country its easy for me just to throw that sort of stuff in the hedgerow for them to find.

Thanks to all the people for their responses 

Best wishes Richard 

We've just cut our sons hair and our cat is malting all over the place - I take it we could put that out for the birds to use as nesting material?

When is the best time to put it out?

Al.