Baby Birds in North Carolina Need Your Knitting Skills

The Carolina Waterfowl Rescue (CWR) shelters, feeds, and rehabilitates more than 1000 birds each year, many of which are babies that can't care for themselves. You don't need veterinary skills to support the chicks at the North Carolina-based sanctuary; as Southern Living reports, CWR is accepting donations in the form of crafts.

If you know how to knit or crochet, you can make a tiny nest for an orphan chick in need. The bird rescue put out a call for knitted or crocheted nests on Facebook in March with a link to pattern suggestions. The nests look cute, but they're also important to a chick's development. Without a secure place to nestle when they're young, birds can grow up to have splayed legs.

CWR asks for handmade bird nests every year, and this nesting season, the request went viral. The shelter has received knitted creations from across the country, along with greeting cards and supportive comments on social media. But even with the unprecedented response, CWR is still accepting donations, with plans to give whatever surplus nests they receive to people and organizations that can use them.

Once you've put your crafting skills to good use, you can donate handmade baby birds' nests to Carolina Waterfowl Rescue at P.O. Box 1484, Indian Trail, North Carolina 28079.