Tiny Sparrow Building Nest With Golden Retriever's Fur Is So Resourceful
We're firmly in spring now: even here in Maine, there hasn't been snow in at least a week. That's a feat! Springtime also means the birds are back, they're ready to have babies, and coincidentally, lots of dogs are shedding all over the place.
One woman's tiny pet Sparrow just so happens to live with a big Golden Retriever. She's nesting right now, and she found out his fur makes a great nest! Normally, she'd just pick some up off the ground, but it's not enough. She's recently decided to start getting the good stuff straight from the source:
@tinysworld0525 Tiny is working hard #springseason#nestingseason#birds#birdbuildingnest
original sound - Pawtrips
Tiny the Sparrow, who is also a tiny Sparrow, has had enough of scavenging for fur to use in her nest. There's a never-ending supply living in her house, and rumor has it that the freshest stuff is the fluffiest!
Tiny is a rescue: they found her when she was just a little baby, and they weren't even sure she would make it out alive. However, with a ton of love and care, Tiny pulled through, and she's been living her best life ever since. She has lots of company, too: a Cockatiel sibling named Happy, and her Golden Retriever brother.
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Tiny might be a common Sparrow that they rescued from the outdoors, but she was raised entirely inside. She has a cage and gets fed just like a normal pet bird would: she would not be able to survive in the wild at this point. Plus, there's a hawk in the neighborhood:
@tinysworld0525 Hawk patrol at the feeder but … all the little guys made it out fine #birdsofprey#hawk#birdtok#majestic#birdlovers
Hell To Da Naw Naw Naw - Bishop Bullwinkle
Yikes! So, yeah, she stays inside. When her mom says she's building a nest, she's doing it in her cage, where she'll be safe from all the big bad guys. The hawk literally has a feather stuck to his talon. Oof.
Is Dog Fur Good Nesting Material?
Obviously, Tiny is really into using Golden Retriever fur to build her nest. You might see this and think about leaving some of your own dog's fur out for the birds, but you need to be careful!
A dog's fur can make good nesting material for birds. It helps insulate the nest to keep the eggs warm while also providing a nice, fibrous structure to keep the nest together. However, it can also be harmful, especially if the fur has recently been:
- Treated for fleas/ticks with chemicals.
- Washed and conditioned.
- On the ground, to be soiled/potentially contaminated by pesticides.
If you know your dog's fur is clean and safe, you could try putting some out right when you see birds are most active around your yard. Or, if they're like Tiny, they'll just take it themselves!
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This story was originally published May 9, 2026 at 10:00 AM.