Since chances are you do not want to stop mowing your lawn, you should be glad to hear that there are ways to augment your lack of natural nesting materials!  There are a plethora of materials you can offer to nesting birds.  Birds will be eager to accept any materials that are soft, can be easily manipulated into a nest, and will supply warmth.  There are some items you may have lying around your house that you can provide to birds.  This includes yard, string, and bits of cloth.  Be sure that pieces are tiny (less than 6 inches).  Birds also like hair, so you can save hair from human hair brushes or dog brushes and give it to birds!

If you do not have enough nesting materials lying around your horse, you can always buy them.  For example, you can buy Nesting Hair for Pet Birds, which is clean hair that is perfect for insulating bird nests.  Or, you can get Nesting Material for Pet Birds, which contains cotton fibers.

When providing birds nesting materials, it is important to leave the materials scattered throughout your yard.  Good places to put them are over tree branches and draped over shrubbery.  You can purchase a Single Suet for Wild Birds, and hang it over a branch.  You can fill this Single Suet with an assortment of nesting materials, and the birds can pick through it and choose the materials they want!  It is always important to keep the nesting materials closest to where birds live (ex. trees), because whenever they have to leave the trees they risk exposure to predators.

Lastly, you should also provide birds with nesting boxes.  While some birds will reject artificial nesting homes, many birds who are used to living near people will gladly accept them! I would recommend the Nesting Pocket Bird House, shown above.  The entrance is made of strong yarn, a product that birds commonly choose to use in their nests.  The roof is made of galvanized steel, which will protect the inside of the house from the weather.

• Inside of the Birdhouse. It is not a good idea to paint the inside of your unfinished, wooden birdhouse.  Paint can be toxic to birds and can chip and crack, which can get into the bird’s nest, food, etc.  In addition, the inside texture of the wood should smooth and never sticky because it can harm the bird’s feathers and more.
• Outside of the Birdhouse. When taking care of the outside of the unfinished, wooden birdhouse, you may want to paint it or use a waterproof varnish for a more natural look.  If you decide to paint it, use a non-toxic paint that is made for outdoor use and avoid using a dark paint, such as black or dark brown or blue.  A dark or black paint will cause the birdhouse to heat up in the sun and make the birdhouse to hot inside for the birds.  If you want your unfinished, wooden birdhouse to blend in better with nature, use earth-tone colors in a weather-resistant paint for a more natural look.  When using a waterproof vanish, use a marine varnish or another type of varnish that will not become sticky under the hot sun.  Give the back or sides an extra coat if the back or sides will be touching a tree or wall.

Shelter is one of the key items that birds need for year round survival.  It is important because birds need a place to get warm in the winter, protect themselves from the elements, and to help protect their babies from preditors.  Setting up a variety of shelters around your yard will help the birds to thrive and you will have the added benefit of some great bird watching.  A nest box is an economical home for the birds and makes a great home to escape from preditors and bad weather.  The Audubon Cedar Bluebird House and the Cedar Wren / Chickadee House both make wonderful homes for the birds in your yard. 

In addition to shelter, it is important to offer food to the birds in your yard.  Use a variety of feeders to help attract numerous birds to your yard.  One of my favorite bird feeders is the Perky Pet Triple Tube Bird Feeder-Charcoal.  This feeder has three feeder tubes to feed three types of bird seed to the birds at one time and won’t require constant filling. 

Providing water for the birds year round, especially in the winter, is vital for the birds.  In the winter, a heated bird bath is great for keeping the warm, so it won’t freeze over.  The Farm Innovators Premium Electric Bird Bath De-Icer will help to keep the warm enough for the birds to drink and bathe in.  This de-ier can be placed in any bird bath and works well even in cold temperatures.

Other ways that you can help the birds in your own home are by using products that are safe for the environment.  It is also important for you to recycle plastic, paper, metal and more to help decrease the amount of trash in the landfills.  By doing this small steps in your home, you will help improve the environment for the birds and help to reduce the amount of birds that are becoming endangered.

The Bird Nest Box w/ Artwork by Marjolein Bastin is available in four different designs and each bird house is painted in a light, creme colored paint with a naturally stained roof.  There are two 10 inch bird houses that when used outdoors, are sure to attract a variety of Chickadees, Titmouses, and Wrens to your yard.  The other two bird houses are available in a 12 inch size that is perfect for attracting a variety of birds including:  Chickadee’s (Black Capped, Carolina, Chestnut Backed and Mountain), Tufted Titmouse, Nuthatches (Red-Breasted, Brown Headed and White Breasted), Wrens (House and Bewick’s) and Downy Woodpeckers.  

My favorite bird house for the holidays is the 10 inch Chickadee Bird House.  This charming bird house has a beautiful, hand painted scene with chickadees and berries and is painted in the perfect, muted red and green holiday colors.  It looks great indoors or outdoors for a festive, holiday decoration and makes the ideal home for a smaller sized bird.  Place this bird house outdoors in the early spring to attract wrens to your yard.

These beautiful, bird houses also make great gifts for any bird lover or home owner and are made to be durable and long-lasting homes for birds.  For a variety of unique, hand painted bird house, check out Rachel’s Robin.

• When offering the backyard birds shelter in your yard, it is a good idea to investigate what types of birds winter in your area for the winter.  Use a bird guide, such as the National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Birds, to make identification easier.
• Once you have determined what type of birds are going to winter in your area, it is important to provide a good source of shelter.   The Audubon Cedar Bluebird House is a great home to have in your yard for the bluebirds.  Put a few of these well-built homes up around your yard to offer the birds a warm, cozy spot to live for the winter.  The bird will flock to the homes for shelter when the weather is harsh.
• Offer the birds nesting material such as Bird Nester Refill.  The winter can be a difficult time for birds to find nesting material and offering them nesting material for their home is a great way to ensure that they are able to create a nest inside their home.
• Keep a few bird feeders filled with bird seed.  If you know that the birds in your area enjoy a particular type of bird seed, fill the bird feeders with a seed that they are sure to love.  The Outdoor Bluebird Feeder is perfect for feeding bluebirds in the winter and has an overhang to help protect the birds from the elements. 

To survive the winter, birds need help from their human friends.  Don’t forget to offer plenty of the birds plenty of shelter and food during the winter.  Check out Rachel’s Robin to find everything you need for healthy, happy birds during the winter.

This photo was taken about in early May 2009, in my mother’s backyard.

Apparently, every year for the last 20+ years, a robin’s nest has been built in this very same spot. Of course, it’s not the same robin every year (Robins are not able to be octomoms). According to a zoology archive from the US Department of Energy, very few robins survive their first year. For those that survive, a life span of about 5 to 6 years is the norm.

So, back to this particular robin in her nest. I’ve been following this bird, and her family, with my camera and video phone for the last 2 weeks. I’ll update the blog later with photos of feeding, the daddy and such, but for now I wanted to focus on the momma and nesting habits of the robin. Personally, I think she looks a little cramped and uncomfortable in that nest. But she seems to be content.

Most robins place their nest in a crook of tree or a shrub about 5 to 20 feet above the ground. What makes this particular robins nest interesting is that it is always built at the intersection of the gutters along the top of the garage. It does seem to be the perfect little hideaway, and usually is, until nosy people such as myself hang out all day and try to get the perfect photo of a robin’s nesting habits. Then, it gets a little ridiculous while the robin and the person (me) have a battle of wills. The daddy will come hopping along, squawk at her, look at me, and take off. Then I have to leave to give them a chance to bond as a family and let them feed their babies.
But, I have a secret window spot too. So I’ve had the chance to see it all in action. Quite amazing.

In any case, another interesting facts about robins is that they can produce three successful broods in one year. On average, though, only 40 percent of nests successfully produce young. And, only 24% of those young will survive to November. So, in order to help robins thrive, it is suggested that a person can try to place fruit on tray feeders or plant fruiting shrubs to attract more of them to your backyard garden.

One great tray feeder is the Droll Yankee Seed Tray. This clear plastic tray measures 7.5″ and will fit all Droll Yankee tube feeders and many other brands. The Droll Yankee Seed Tray easily attaches with a threaded plug and is constructed of clear durable plastic.

What’s even better is that even if you don’t have trees, feeding the birds with the Droll Yankee Seed Tray will be no problem. The ultimate yard system comes with a 68 garden pole and pole adapter for mounting feeder on top. Also included are three 24 pole sections, a triple pole hook assembly, pole adapter, and ultimate pole auger.

So, for now, we’ll let this robin rest. More updates will be available as we follow this beautiful bird and her brood.

One type of bird house that is ideal for attracting birds to your yard is the nest box. Nest boxes make are great for attracting a variety of birds including bluebirds, wrens, chickadees, finches and more. They are made of wood, easy to place in multiples and can be customized for your yard.

An ideal nest box for attracting bluebirds is the Bluebird Nest Box by Droll Yankees. This pine box has features that any bluebird would love. The roof is made to be extra large and has a large overhang to protect birds and eggs inside from the elements. The entry hole is designed to look like a natural cavity hole for attracting bluebirds. In addition, the box is vented on the sides for improved air flow. The box also has a side door for easy access for cleaning. To give the box a more natural look, it may be painted or stained to blend in with your outdoor surroundings. The more natural looking boxes tend to attract more bluebirds because they are naturally attracted to cavities.

Another great next box for your yard is the Cedar Wren and Chickadee house by Audubon. This sturdy, wooden box is made of cedar wood that is high in natural resins to keep it looking great for years. The roof has an overhang to help protect the birds and eggs inside. To attract wrens, place a few of the boxes in secluded locations in your yard away from direct sunlight.

Remember that it may take a little to attract birds to your yard and placement of the nest boxes is critical. Birds like homes that are secluded and replicate a natural cavity. It is a good idea to place several types of next boxes in your yard, so your birds have a variety of homes to choose from. Place boxes about 30 feet from each other.