Date: 4/10/18 12:40 pm From: Barbara Brosnan <bbrosnan...> Subject: Re: [VTBIRD] question about yarn for nesting birds
My mother used to put colored yarn and string out for orioles and we kids frequently found these colorful pieces in their nests when they fell from our willow. I still put out short pieces of around 6 - 8"" or so in a wire suet cage, and the orioles who nest in our willow make good use of them. We have had a robin or two use them and one particularly beautiful moss-covered phoebe nest was lined with bright fuchsia yarn my daughter-in-law gave me. We often see other birds stripping nesting materials from "our" orioles' nests once they are done with it.
About 7 or 8 years ago another type of nesting material was stolen by the orioles from an old plastic blue tarp we had over a wood pile. For the following three years those bright blue shreds were recycled into another oriole nest and into the nests of other birds. One piece is still stuck in a hydrangea tree in our garden. We have not seen any tragedies so far. Good luck to you and the birds.
Barbara Brosnan Weybridge
-----Original Message----- From: Vermont Birds [mailto:<VTBIRD...>] On Behalf Of Maeve Kim Sent: Tuesday, April 10, 2018 6:53 AM To: <VTBIRD...> Subject: [VTBIRD] question about yarn for nesting birds
I did a lot of knitting this past winter and saved a good-sized bag of yarn pieces, intending to put out a bag for birds to use in nests. Since then, I've read a post about the dangers of providing yarn for birds, followed by an article in the recent issue of Bird Watchers' Digest recommending doing just that - but in small pieces to avoid entanglement. Has anyone seen a definitive answer? Thanks! Maeve Kim Jericho Center
