Jane Quilter

i would think if it not good for the birds, the birds would not "choose" it for their nests.

DOTTYMO

Why not put out a pile of twigs for the birds to help them in their nest building.

Mary O

Birds really don't need our help.Fabric I agree is no good but if you feel you need to help just brush your dog outside.

Needles

Our son has a Ph.d in Wildlife Biology, it pretty much covers all animals and his career started with Ornithology. He will tell you birds are above and beyond, smarter than humans. They know what to use and not use in their living, like rice thrown at weddings. That is completely untrue, they will eat it and die. He said the person in charge of cleaning up after a wedding just doesn't want to sweep up the rice. The birds are born with a diet in their brain.

They pick and choose what they want for their nests. We grow cotton I use for stuffing in my projects, mainly hot pads, can go in microwaves and washing machines. Squirrels steal the boles, gather the seeds inside and strew the rest across the yard, beautiful cotton everywhere. In a day or two, gone and in looking into the trees, white spots showing through the twigs, threads, strings, fabric scraps, etc. in their nests.

Birds usually have their lives snuffed out when cats kill them or hit by a car. We've lost two by our birdbath this year, and they lay in the bushes under our feeder. Guess I'll be taking a couple more to the pound soon, one killed a gorgeous red winged blackbird, tore it's head off. We buried it as my hubby went out the front door and the cat took off like a bat. So not everything you read on the 'net' is gospel truth. They use lots of things not water proof for their nests and many last for years.

tessagin

one year I discovered a rat got into a box of scraps. I dispatched the momma and her babies. Go ahead call PETA on me I don't care. ANyway, I placed the box outside. Predatory birds had their way with the momma rat and her brood as they would out in the open. The smallest scraps were left to mother nature also. Some of the large predatory birds came back for the scraps. There were some smaller ones for the smaller nesting birds and squirrels. At the end of the day I trashed the rest. The birds will only take what they want. As far as the plastic it will hold water in those nests longer than fabric. Birds get caught up in plastic accidentally and will not mess with it with the exception of fast food plastic wrap containers. They accidentally choke on those almost immediately.

feline fanatic

I had an old dog blanket hanging on my clothes line (this was a couple of years ago). The blanket was of unknown fiber content (as in I picked it up at goodwill to use specifically as a dog bed). Probably some sort of needle punched synthetic. Anyways it was pilled and had bits of fibers coming off of it as a junky dog blanket would. I noticed a bird repeatedly landing on the clothesline and happily pecking off tufts of the blanket to use in it's nest.

Many birds will build nests under cover. In tree holes or under an overhang. I have a lean - to type shed off of my garage that the robin's regularly build nests in and they are completely protected from the elements. We just added a wrap around covered porch on our house last fall and it is an ongoing battle keeping the birds from trying to build their nests in the rafters. We finally lost to a pair of purple finches. Now that it is complete, I will let it be. Those nests (the one in the lean to and the one in the porch) will never see a drop of rain or moisture as they are completely covered. But they are also made entirely of twigs and grasses.

quiltybarb

good idea.....they have torn up one of my lounge chairs to get at the stuffing.....

Geri B

I don't put out threads, fabric scraps for birds for the reasons above...we don't rake the grass after cutting, love to watch the birds come and grab mouthfuls for nesting......also, the other day went with dd to farm where she boards her horse..who was shedding winter coat. She brushed him outside and later I watched as the farm birds came and greedily grabbed those globs of horsehair for nests......

how about the lint from the lint trap in dryer...wonder if that would be harmful. Anyone know?

SewingSew

I never knew that fabric and yarn was harmful to birds until I read it on the Quilting Board. I love birds and before my beloved dog passed away, I used to leave her hair out for them, and when I clean out my hairbrushes, I leave that as well. My husband just gave me a pair of Vortex Diamondback binoculars for Mother's Day. We live in the woods in the Monadnock Mountains of New Hampshire, and I get a lot of birds in my backyard. By the way... I used to put my dog's hair in my garden. I heard it keeps pests away. I wonder if it gives extra protection to birds if it is in their nest?

madamekelly

When I heard that the cotton scraps might hurt the baby birds, I started using my old rotary blades to make shorter, skinny scraps out of leftover fleece. Fleece does not absorb water, so it will not hurt the baby birds, and gives them a softer nest lining that drains well. The county extension office suggested this to me. I am sure if you fly low over my neighborhood, you will see many pretty colors in the bird nests, since I have been doing this for several years now.