According to the Migratory Bird Act, it is illegal to remove nests of any native migratory birds. "Unless permitted by regulations, the Act provides that it is unlawful to pursue, hunt, take, capture or kill; attempt to take, capture or kill; possess, offer to or sell, barter, purchase, deliver or cause to be shipped, exported, imported, transported, carried or received any migratory bird, part, nest, egg or product, manufactured or not." "Birds protected under the act include all common songbirds, waterfowl, shorebirds, hawks, owls, eagles, ravens, crows, native doves and pigeons, swifts, martins, swallows and others, including their body parts (feathers, plumes etc), nests, and eggs." There are over 800 species of bird protected by this act. My understanding is that the only birds whose nests it is legal to destroy are House Sparrows, European Starlings, pigeons, and a few odd others (escaped parakeets, e.g.). Even house wrens are protected. http://www.sialis.org/mbta.htm Here is a link that might be useful: Migratory Bird Treaty

Cornell's All About Birds site says: "Nest Description After a male Eastern Bluebird has attracted a female to his nest site (by carrying material in and out of the hole, perching, and fluttering his wings), the female does all the nest building. She makes the nest by loosely weaving together grasses and pine needles, then lining it with fine grasses and occasionally horse hair or turkey feathers." Claire

I put out cat hair every Spring in a large suet cage (my sister collects it from brushing her long haired cats). It disappears in a few weeks. I've seen Titmice and Baltimore Orioles, and the little red squirrels take the fur.

I agree with the squirrel nest - I have a lot of them and I've seen a squirrel running between them: A squirrel bustled up and down the trees at sunrise - it looked like it was checking the various nests to see who was awake and up. The trees are on top of the coastal bank overlooking Cape Cod Bay. Claire