2. If you find a nest, stay away! If you happen upon a bird’s nest, don’t linger. And don’t make a return visit. We human beings leave scent trails wherever we go, and these scent trails can mean an easy meal to a hungry raccoon, opossum, fox, or other predator. These predators are smart enough to follow these trails to see if they might lead to a snack. For the birds’ sake don’t help to blow a nest’s cover by visiting it repeatedly.

3. Don’t mow meadows or bushy areas between late April and mid-August. This means that grass-nesting birds can nest in peace. Other animals appreciate the cover, too!

4. Continue to feed high protein foods such as mealworms and sunflower seed. However, don’t be surprised if birds seem less interested in the feeders as nesting season begins. Many seed-eating birds prefer the extra-high protein found in insects and may switch to “fly-catching” during spring and summer.

5. Put out eggshells for birds. Eggshells help female birds replace calcium lost during egg production and laying. Save your eggshells, dry them out in the oven (1/2 hour at 350 degrees to kill off any bacteria left from egg residue), crumble them into small pieces, and spread the pieces on an open spot on the ground.

7. Put out short pieces of (soft, breakable) fiber, string, and yarn. For birds that build woven nests (orioles, some sparrows, robins, and others), a few short pieces of yarn can come in very handy during building time. Offer the pieces in a mesh bag or small basket. Keep the pieces shorter than two inches to reduce the risk of birds getting tangled in them.

8. Hold off trimming hedges and shrubs. Lots of species use small hedges and shrubs for nesting. If you see a bird building a nest in such a place on your property, you’ve got a great excuse to avoid this bit of yard work for the next month or two.

9. Provide nest boxes. A well-placed nest box can mean the difference between nesting success and failure for a cavity-nesting bird. It’s hard for many species to compete with starlings and house sparrows, which can take all of the best natural cavities. So, help our native birds by buying a nest box that is specifically made for the bird species you want to attract.