Nesting Materials

Introduction
Not all birds require nesting material when breeding, but most do, and using the right nesting material is good practice. Not all nesting birds will use the same type of nesting material when building their nests, despite many breeders providing just one or two types of nesting materials.  On this page, we will explain why the right nesting materials should be provided to specific species, common types of nesting materials that birds use for nest building, and nesting materials to avoid.

What a load of rubbish
In nature, there is so much rubbish created by humans, many species of birds will use some of this rubbish to build their nests. Some of the trash will contain sharp edges, snagging points, poisons and many other problems. Of course, a breeder will not usually provide human rubbish to a bird to build a nest, but surprisingly some do. I have seen some bird keepers offer plastic cotton buds aka cue tips to pigeons for nest building, also I have witnessed human hair being given to smaller birds to line their nests. 

You may think because a bird 'wants' an item to help build it's nest will mean it is OK, or safe, but it is not. Even animal hair can be classed as rubbish because they can get snagged up in the hairs. Yes, they use it in the wild for nesting, but very often some chicks never leave the nest, and can be found dead in the nest because of snagging.

Small particulates are sometimes consumed by birds which will most likely kill them, even chicks in the nest pecking about may consume some smaller particulates, such as small bits of brightly coloured plastics.
In my youth like many other young boys, I used to go nest hunting (bird nesting we called it), Quite often I would find a nest full of dead eggs, or chicks. I even found dead parents left on a nest of chicks or eggs where they were unable to leave, because they were caught up in human rubbish that they used to build their nest. The message here is, 'please' keep all kinds of human rubbish away from your birds. Keep it all natural to their habitat.

Why the right nesting material is important.

Birds that build nests, which are not in nesting boxes, cavities or enclosed areas usually build their nests with some kind of camouflage. Larger birds which are less likely to become prey seem to build nests which are less camouflaged. Some species will use various types of nesting material, and buit in a particular way with stronger material used on the outside, and softer material on the inside. 

Smaller birds, such as finches, wrens, linnets, red poles... often build well disguised nests in well hidden locations to ensure their safety during nesting. They build their nests for strength, warmth, and camouflage from predators. Larger birds such as crows, magpies, jays, and rooks, are not often predated, so camouflage is less important. Having said that, they do sometimes predate each other. Their nests are usually built pretty strong using thick twigs high up in trees, where they need to tolerate strong winds.

With smaller birds, they often use materials on the outside which blend in to their environment whilst using completely different materials which are softer for the inside. If they built a nest which is easy to find, then it is often because of the lack of correct nesting materials, or limited nesting locations.

Birds that nest in nesting boxes  or cavities do not need to worry about building with discrete nesting materials, but build for comfort, and warmth. They usually only have to worry about where they built, and how big the entrance is, because smaller entrances are easier to protect.

What are the alternatives?
Some species are very particular about what materials they use for nesting, these can be difficult to please when finding a substitute. If you find yourself struggling to find the nesting material, which that species would normally use in the wild, an alternative will likely be required. You can try offering similar materials from the list below, and see if they accept it. Most materials can usually be bought online in quantities which can be stored for long periods of time. As mentioned above, try to avoid man-made materials, especially materials which will not break easily, or substrates which contain anything toxic.

Some commonly used nesting materials are...

1. Meadow Grass
2. Coconut Fibre
3. Feathers
4. Lichen
5. Moss
6. Leaves
7. Dried Bracken
8. Shredded Paper
9. Twigs or Sticks
10. Mud
11. Tree Bark
12. Animal Fur
13. Cobwebs
14. Jute

Clearly, we omit harmful man-made materials from the list, although many are used. 

Harvesting natural substrates for nesting.
Not everyone can afford to buy nesting materials, especially if they keep a lot of birds, so collecting materials from the environment for storage makes a lot of sense. Almost all the items, in the list above, can be harvested for free at particular times of the year for storage.

They should be stored in a cool dry place where it is dark to prevent mold, or mildew. Plant material which is still alive or contain chlorophyll, such as leaves, moss or grasses, should be fully dried before going into storage. With moss, most birds prefer it alive, so it is best not stored, and used whilst fresh.

I always avoid using airtight containers, and use breathable types of packaging, such as paper. Airtight storage increases the chances or mold, or mildew because any moisture can not escape. Purchasing nesting materials can cost a lot of money, collecting your own for storage makes a lot of sense.