Free! Bird nesting material depot

My wife took an old flower pot and put it at the far edge of our deck, next to the bird bath. Into that flower pot she places wispy pieces of old corn husks and clumps of cat fluff (from brushing our two indoor cats) and other things of roughly that shape and mass.

The birds stop by and take whatever they need and then fly off to build their nests with it.

Probably this is unnecessary (birds have been foraging from human-less environments much longer than there's been a human-ful one), but it's a nice way for us to divert waste away from landfills, plus it makes us smile knowing that the nests of local birds will be lined with the fur of those who cackle at them from the windows.

It occurs to me this system could be expanded such that, after sweeping the floors, the entire contents of the dustpan is regularly emptied into that flower pot, or into a collection of such pots.

So in case I write this and then forget to try it, I'm hoping others will try it too.

Ned Harr wrote: The birds stop by and take whatever they need and then fly off to build their nests with it.

Probably this is unnecessary (birds have been foraging from human-less environments much longer than there's been a human-ful one)...

I think this is particularly important in urban areas where many humans clean up all the 'mess', like grass clippings, animal fur, dead flower heads etc.

In my  case, there are a number of areas where I pin up male dog fur at deer nose height to suggest they go elsewhere. (Nothing totally works to keep deer out, but dog fur helps.) I absolutely see the birds stealing it in the spring. Hummingbirds and Goldfinches in particular, but others are learning from them.

There are plenty of areas on my land which have natural materials they can forage, so I haven't gone as far as you have, but I totally agree with the concept. Many of our songbirds have a greater need for safe nesting sites than bird feeders, from what I've observed.

I also occasionally have tossed human hair from trim jobs, outside only to find some of it later in a nest, so if you do home trim jobs, be generous and share with the birds!