On Mar 24, 2012, at 4:30 PM, [email protected] wrote: > It was reported that nests need to be dry, and > the making of them from dry grasses, weeds, and twigs is safer for baby > birds, because the natural materials dry quickly.
We are very lucky to have Eastern Bluebirds nesting in our Bluebird box each year. I don't leave any fibers out for the birds at all, since April has always warned us of the dangers on this list. But my husband routinely opens the nesting box each winter in January or February, and takes out the old nest, and then scalding the interior to kill any mite larvae. I have been fascinated that the birds build their nests primarily with pine needles, but add a smattering of tree lichen to the nest... In chunks that are large enough to be identifiable. There are a couple of varieties... One which is the familiar tree lichen, and another that looks like a (distant?) relative of Spanish Moss! which does not grow in our area. It is a feathery moss, and unlike The Spanish Moss I know, is just little bits. The point being, are they chosen to absorb moisture, or would their presence add moisture? Or are they instinctively adding something that will repel bugs or other undesirable critters? Clay - To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [email protected]. For help, write to [email protected]. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
