The ultimate example of re-use, recycle, re-purpose!
In the fall as soon as the temps start to drop the donkeys start to grow a lot of extra hair for winter protection. They get these crazy big eye brows, a thick mane and extra hair all over their bodies.
Come spring it all starts to fall out and they lose hair in big globs and suddenly they look very thin again. When I comb them I end up with a big pile of hair on the ground. This goes on for many weeks. By summer when it’s really hot their coats are very thin.
How about that? No mud! There is nothing acting as an adhesive to hold this nest together and it has held up really well. It blew out of the tree, probably blew around on the ground. And after we found it we’ve handled it many times and it’s still perfectly intact. This is an amazing weaving job!
I’m assuming that this creative thinking bird found the donkey hair on the ground in their pen, but it really wouldn’t be that much of a stretch to think that she might have harvested it herself right from the donkeys. They are pretty tolerant.
No donkeys were harmed in the making of this bird’s nest.
As always, by any and all means, stay inspired!
Questions, comments or mean things to say? Post them below and I will respond.
we had horses and found a horse hair nest in the barn about 15 years ago. It still gets put on the Christmas tree as a reminder of shows and wonderful rides from days past.
Lindalee,
That’s awesome!
My son had a birdhouse kit he got from National Geographic and when we hung it in the tree, we made sure to brush the dog on the grass underneath. When we cleaned out the birdhouse in the fall, the chickadee nest had been made with close to 100% of the dogs fur. Very soft nesting material! I’m sure the birds like the animal fur/hair option, especially when it’s so handy.
Julie,
That’s interesting, thanks for sharing.