Nesting Materials

Purpose of Nesting Material
The term “nesting material” refers to anything that birds may use to construct a nest, whether they create a simple depression of sticks and straw or if they have a more elaborate type of nest structure with intricate architecture and widely varied materials.

Nesting Materials
• Dead twigs or sticks
• Dead leaves
• Dry grass
• Yarn or string or thread—cut into 15 - 20 cm pieces
• Human or animal hair (especially horse hair) (use short lengths—no longer than 15-20 cm long)
• Pet fur
• Sheep's wool
• Feathers
• Plant fluff or down (e.g. thistle down)
• Kapok, cotton, or other stuffing material
• Moss or lichen
• Bark strips
• Pine needles
• Thin strips of cloth, about 5 – 20 cm inches long
• Mud
• Straw or other plant stems
• Hay
• Shredded paper

This material helps…
• Cushion the eggs from the ground and parents' weight
• Insulates the eggs from temperature changes
• Holds the clutch together for heat efficiency
• Camouflages the nest from predators
• Protects the nest from the elements

To best protect their eggs, parent birds select nesting material carefully, and many birds use several types of material to construct a single nest.