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Name: evan
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Question:
hello, i am an artist and have always loved the construction of barn swallow nests. i want to reproduce these nests in a gallery. i need to know a list of ingredients so to speak. the gray material is clay? i know there are deposits near rivers and streams. is there a way to reproduce the saliva by using glue? any help or pointers would be appreciated. thank you

Replies:
I can only say that I once read that barn swallows prefer to line their nests with white feathers. Indeed, this summer, when they built a nest outside my upstairs bedrooom under an eaves, the nest indeed was lined with white feathers. I am perplexed where they found these feathers, I haven't seen a white-feathered bird anywhere around here.

Thanks for using NEWTON

Ric Rupnik

Barn swallow nests are made of mud pellets, straw or similar plant material, and lined with feathers. The choice of mud would be whatever is available. I can't answer questions about how you would duplicate the "glue."

J. Elliott

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