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By Jim Bywaters
Rappahannock News Writer
There is a hint of spring in the air and the trees are beginning to get their leaves. Soon spring flowers will be abloom. Butterflies will be seen warming their wings in the sun, and birds will soon start this year’s family- lyThe
male wren will scurry around, building numerous nests to show and attract a mate. He will loudly call out for a female to come and see. She will pick her favorite one to settle down and lay her eggs.
Male birds attract mates in many different and sometimes strange ways, but that is another article. Males of some species will construct nests ahead of time, other species will construct them together, while still other males will let the female birds build their own nests.
Nests are built for a place to incubate the eggs as well as a home for the baby birds. A nest can involve hundreds or even thousands of trips for materials to build it. Some birds are very particular as to the items used to construct their nest, others use whatever is available and handy. Flying about to build the nest uses up quite a bit of the birds’ precious energy.
You can help the birds near you by providing some materials they can use while nest building. Offer short pieces of yarn or thread, strips of fabric, animal or human hair, twigs, pine needles, dryer lint or even cotton balls. These items can be placed into a mesh bag or an empty suet holder to provide easy access to them.
As well as using these materials, the birds may also use butterfly wings, flower petals, leaves, snake skins, horse hair, even some of their own feathers to make the nest or to line it.
If you have any birds that use
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