Hi Chris and everyone,



I will confirm the fun factor in watching swallows do this.? Two years ago, the Cooper's Hawk that paid periodic visits to our neighborhood nailed a Rock Pigeon (good choice!) in our back yard and left a pile of feathers in the yard as evidence.? When I was cleaning them up, it occurred to me that I should move them to where they would be visible to the Tree Swallow pair that?had been?showing interest in a nest box in our yard.? Within ten seconds of putting the feathers in the yard near the nest box, the swallows were swooping down grabbing the feathers within a few feet of me.? I watched with interest as one of the birds took about a dozen tries to maneuver a primary feather into the nest box hole - it was eventually successful.? They fledged a single bird that year.?



John Tubbs

Snoqualmie, WA

johntubbs at comcast.net


----- Original Message -----
From: "chris" <chris at zhonka.net>
To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
Sent: Friday, May 15, 2009 1:16:16 PM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific
Subject: [Tweeters] Swallow Nest Materials




Here is something fun.? Get a bagful of feathers during the winter and when May comes around, give them to the swallows. ??



The swallows will snatch them out of the air or off the ground.? It is most amazing when they grab a large 6+ inch flank feather out of the air, and play with it to get it arranged just right under their bodies and fly away with it?longer than they are.? I take a 10? 1-inch plastic pipe sometimes and blow feather out through the top so they get some loft and float for awhile letting the birds pick them out of the air.? I?ll have 20 birds hovering around that pipe.? They have even taken them from my hand.? Right now there are 30 or so tree and violet greens and about 10 barn swallows over my yard picking up feathers I have scattered around.



I use goose feathers I get from slaughtered geese.? I suppose chicken feathers would work too but the goose feathers are larger and softer which the swallows seem to prefer.? I put the feathers in the freezer for 48 hours, take them out and do it again in a few days.? This kills mites.?



Chris Maynard

Olympia


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