Content

• Method 2 of 2: Attracting birds to nests near your home
• What do you need
• Tips
• Warnings

1 Find long, flexible stems. These will form the base of the nest and are easier to work with than short, rigid branches. You can use straw, grass, vines, willow twigs, flexible reeds, or seaweed. You can assemble them yourself or buy them at a garden supply store. Another good option is raffia, which can be found in craft stores.

• If feather grass or similar grass grows in your area, hold the bunch in your hand and swipe up (as in the game "cock or hen") to get a handful of seeds with fluffy hairs. When you have enough seeds, collect them into a ball and use your thumb to shape the nest.

2 Bend the stems into a ring. Take a thick bunch and fold it into a U-shape. Add more stems if necessary to create a closed ring. Tie the ends with a piece of string or floral wire. If there are many small leaves on the stems of the plants, or if they are dry and tough, you can simply weave them together without any additional tools.

• If the socket is too difficult to tie, you can glue the ends together and clamp them temporarily with something until the glue dries. Do not use glue if you are going to place the nest outdoors.
• If freshly cut plants don't hold their shape, try hanging the bunch in the wind for 24 hours to dry it out. Some plant stems are easier to weave when fresh, but grass and straw will benefit from drying.

3 Form the rest of the nest. Take a second, smaller bundle of stems and fold it into a smaller ring. Insert it into the larger ring and push it down slightly to form the base of the socket. Depending on how well the stems hold and how strong you want the nest to be, you can use thread or glue to hold both rings together.

4 Decorate with pieces of matching materials. Real birds spend whole days collecting scraps and pieces to build a nest. We hope that your business will go faster, but take your time and enjoy finding interesting items in nature or in your supplies for needlework. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• If you plan to leave the nest in the yard, take only found materials for it, not purchased materials, and do not use anything that could harm the birds.
• Feathers and pieces of eggshell would be appropriate. In the United States, for example, it is illegal to collect feathers from most bird species, although they are generally considered harmless in terms of spreading infections. In Russia, there is no such ban - if you just collect feathers and do not touch the birds. However, remember to wash your hands with soap and water.
• Look for branches, leaves, bark, and moss in interesting shapes and colors.
• If the nest will serve as an interior decoration, you can use threads, pieces of colored paper, and confetti.

5 Place eggs in the nest if desired. Finish your piece by placing eggs or imitation eggs in the nest.You can take marbles or colored stones, or blow real eggs, decorate them, or even carve them if you have the right tools.

Method 2 of 2: Attracting birds to nests near your home

1. 1 Learn about the nesting habits of the birds in your area. Find a reference book about birds in your area in a library or bookstore, or search the Internet for information about them. Choose one or more species of birds that you would like to attract and find out their nesting habits so that you know what shape and type of nest will suit them.
   • If you live in North America, NestWatch is a great source of information on how birds nest, and you can supplement it with your own data.
2. 2 Leave the nest building material in the yard. This is an easy way to attract birds and is worth trying, even if you end up building a finished nest. If you can find specific information about the nests, you will know what materials to keep, but in any case, you can't go wrong if you put several items from the following list in prominent places:
   • Rigid branches (for birds that nest by site type) and flexible branches (for birds that build a bowl-shaped nest)
   • Garden scraps such as dry grass and straw, pieces of bark and moss, dry leaves, and the like.
   • Human or animal hair (no longer than 15 cm)
   • Yarn or thread
   • Dirt, spider webs and / or butterfly cocoons to give the birds something to hold together when building a nest
   • Never leave birds with materials that have come into contact with harsh chemicals, including dyes, pesticides, and flea repellents. Lint and lint from fabric (which is usually collected in a dryer filter) and scraps from old clothes are not recommended.
3. 3 Provide a variety of plants. If you want to attract birds that nest in tree holes, leave stumps and fallen trunks in the garden. Living trees and bushes will attract birds that nest among the branches, especially if these plants are typical of your area. The best results will be given by "multi-tiered" plantings, including grass or moss, flowering perennials, shrubs and trees.
4. 4 Make a birdhouse. If your yard does not have visible hollows or crevices, take on some simple carpentry work and build a birdhouse. Make sure it is sized to match the size of the birds you want to lure or those you see near your home.
   • To increase your chances of success, follow the instructions on how to build birdhouses that are suitable for common bird species in your area.
   • Clean the nesting box regularly until the birds have settled in.
5. 5 Make a bird's nest. Many birds prefer to build their own nests, rather than settle in ready-made ones. Putting the above nesting materials in a natural hollow may be a good start. If you want to make a nest of a different type, such as a bowl or platform, it is best to start with the specific habits of the species of birds you would like to attract. Each species prefers its own specific materials.
   • The location of the nest is also important. Many species of birds hide their homes among dense branches, while others prefer more open branches, bushes or open areas of land. You can find more information on the NestWatch website, using Internet search engines or in the Bird's Nest Guide.

What do you need

Decorative nests:

• A bunch of long flexible stems, grass or straw
• Thread, floral wire, or glue (recommended if the stems do not intertwine well)
• Moss, bark, twigs, or other decorative materials
• Eggs and blowing supplies (optional)
• Marble balls, pebbles, or other imitation eggs (optional)

Real bird nests:

• Branch and grass clippings
• Thread or yarn
• Dirt, spider webs, or butterfly cocoons
• Human hair or animal hair
• A small amount of planks and nails (to make a birdhouse if there is no suitable hollow nearby)

Tips

• To whip up a simple nest, pick or cut a paper bag into narrow strips. Cover the bowl with a paper towel, spread the strips over the nest, then glue them together and let dry.

Warnings

• If a bird settles in your nest, do not disturb it and do not come close. Observe from a distance so as not to frighten the bird and attract predators to the nest.