With the nesting season approaching for many birds, finding a suitable nest box isn’t always easy.  Nesting birds drastically outnumber the available rental units!  Having wood birdhouses in your yard greatly helps wild birds nest and raise their young, while also giving life saving shelter and protection from predators.

In the photo above, an American Goldfinch gathers cotton nesting material for its nest construction. Various materials are used by different species of birds ranging from twigs, grasses, roots, and straw, to feathers, mud, bark, lichens and moss.  Commercial nesting materials are available and are of tremendous value to the many types of wild birds.  They consist mostly of cotton, feathers, strings, and other tiny shreds of fabrics. Dryer lint works well too!  Help out your feathered friends with birdhouses and nesting material before the season starts, and you’re likely to see a “no vacancy” at your birdhouse.