Home is where the heart is, but when it comes to birds, home is where the nest is. Many birds use various materials to make their nests where they lay eggs and protect their young. Birds are busy, so why not collect those items for them and keep them all together in one place?

MATERIALS

Dryer lint

Small sticks

Dried grass

Short pieces of yarn

Large metal whisk

8" (20 cm) piece of twine

DIG IN!

1. Gather the miscellaneous nesting materials by searching around the yard or in the neighborhood. When collecting dried grass, do not take it from lawns that have chemicals on them. Break or cut small sticks so they are shorter than 6" (15 cm) long. Cotton yarn should be cut into pieces smaller than 4" (10 cm). (Fig. 1)

Fig. 1: Gather the nesting materials.

2. Push all of the materials into the whisk. Tie the twine through the handle and hang the whisk from a tree birds like to visit (maybe near the bird feeder you made in Lab 29?). (Fig. 2)

Fig. 2: Insert the nesting materials.

DIG DEEPER!

FOR THE BIRDS

It is believed that birds evolved from dinosaurs. Makes you want to give them a little more respect, doesn’t it?

Birds have hollow bones so they are lightweight and can fly.

Attracting birds to your garden is a win-win: Birds are so entertaining to watch, and insect-eating birds will help remove pests from your plants.