Best Nesting Materials for Birds: Why Dryer Lint Isn't Enough

You’ve saved months of dryer lint, eager to help your backyard birds. But before you scatter it on the shrubs, know this: lint works well for cavity-nesting birds (like chickadees or bluebirds), but shrub-nesting species prefer a wider variety of textures.

Build a Better Nesting Station

Create a diverse “nest material dispenser” using a square, cage-type suet feeder. Fill it with:

• Long strands of pet or human hair
• Dry grass blades
• Sphagnum moss
• Ornamental grass seedheads
• 3-inch lengths of natural yarn
• Strips of unscented dryer sheets (½-inch wide)

Hang the feeder from a tree limb where birds can easily spot it. They’ll quickly discover the cache and incorporate the materials into cozy, well-insulated nests throughout your landscape.