Utilizing birdhouses, nesting boxes, sufficient water and the best seed on the market are all sure-fire ways to attract more birds to your yard and keep them there. When all these pieces are put together, avid birders often look for more ways to attract birds in any number of ways. In addition to birdscaping, or transforming your yard into an oasis for birds, there are other ways, particularly in the spring to bring more birds closer to your home.
One of those ways is aiding in the nest building process, which will go full-swing in the next few weeks as we continue to see more and more migrants return to their summer breeding grounds. You might undoubtedly notice birds foraging or flying around with various bits of nesting material as the nest-building process begins, you might as well help them along in hopes that their nest will end up close by.
Birds build nests for a number of different reasons, but the broadest reasoning behind the nest-building process is to secure a mate and raise their young. Oftentimes, this can be a process that is completed a couple of times before a mother settles into a nest suitable to raise her brood.
Males of certain species will construct nests leading up to the breeding season in hopes of impressing the local females using intricate designs and decorating techniques. More often than not, however, the females will end up constructing a new nest that they will eventually use to raise their young. As the saying goes, mother usually knows best!
The construction of a birds nest needs to meet a number of different criteria and is completely species-dependent in many cases. Nests will need to be sturdy enough to support both eggs and parents weight, they are required to comfortably insulate the eggs from swings in temperature and must camouflage into their surroundings, hiding from potential predators.
One way to aid this process is to simply supply your backyard birds with adequate nesting material. As the winter season ends, you might have a spare suet cage available and this can be a great tool for loosely storing nesting material that birds can then reap for their nests as they build them.
One thing to keep in mind when providing nesting material to your backyard birds is to ensure the material you leave outdoors is safe for both the birds and their environment. Dead leaves, twigs, yarn, string, moss, cattails, pine needles, shredded newspaper, straw, hay, cotton balls, and small rocks are all safe items for use and will gladly be picked up by birds passing by.
As the nesting season progresses, keep a watchful eye on your material offering. Hopefully, the materials will deplete and your backyard will soon be graced with a nest brimming with a young brood of beautiful birds.