Time once again to break out those knitting needles in the name of helping birds. Nope, the oiled penguins aren’t looking for more sweaters (that need has been met, apparently). Now it’s orphaned baby birds that need swaddling. This spring San Rafael, California wildlife hospital Wild Care Bay Area is collecting much-kneeded knitted nests—knests?—for its baby bird knursery. Last year, the hospital fostered 934 birds, from House Finches to Scrub Jays to House Sparrows to starlings to pigeons, and the nests provide a cushy landing spot that mimics the feel of their original home, says spokeswoman Alison Hermance. Baby songbirds spend anywhere from one to four weeks at the hospital, depending on their age on arrival. The older birds don’t stay put in the knest for long: “If you get a fledgling,” Hermance says, “generally you're going to find him standing on the edge, rather than sitting in the nest.” And the bigger babies, especially corvids like Crows and...