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Attracting Birds To Your Yard
Bird
Houses
Have you been thinking
about putting up some bird houses in your back yard? Do you have a
few birdhouses, but the birds don't seem interested? Then there are
a few things you should think about that will make birdhouses more
habitable. The two things most important to the birds are location
and vulnerability. Each species has it's own criteria for the
perfect home.
It's important to note
that different species nest in different ways. There are four basic
types of nests:
-
Open, cup-shaped
nests found in trees or shrubs, and are open to the sky.
Robins, goldfinches, and crows are an example of this type of
nest.
-
Ground nests,
an open cup on the ground or a shallow depression made by scraping
the ground. Ground nesters include towhees, pheasants, and some
sparrows.
-
Some birds build
their nests underground, such as the kingfisher.
-
And finally,
cavity nesters. These are the nesters that live in cavities
in trees, holes in buildings, and birdhouses.
Cavity nesters are the
only birds that will nest in a birdhouse (usually). There are two
kinds of cavity nesters, primary and secondary.
Primary cavity nesters, such as woodpeckers, nuthatches, and
chickadees, use their bills to chisel out the cavity. Secondary
cavity nesters, such as wrens, titmice, and swallows, use existing
cavities made either by another creature or by some sort of
naturally occurring damage to the tree. You will have to check your
field guide to see if the bird(s) you have in mind will actually
nest in a birdhouse. This information is based on the usual
behavior of birds, and is meant only as a guideline. However, there
are always exceptions. For example, if you want to entice
chickadees to nest in your birdhouse, fill it with wood shavings.
They will empty it piece by piece, having been fooled into thinking
they build it themselves.
Whether you build or
buy your birdhouse there are some other considerations to be made:
-
Dimensions:
Different birds prefer different sizes of houses. The entrance
hole should be big enough to admit the bird, but not her predators
or other unwanted species. The interior should be big enough to
allow for the building material and the young, but not too big so
that it is difficult to fill. It should be deep enough so that a
predator can't reach the young from the opening, and yet not too
deep as to make it difficult to fledge. See the chart below for
dimension by species.
-
Ventilation:
There should be adequate ventilation for air circulation.
Holes drilled or slits made in the sides will do the trick.
-
Drainage:
Holes or slits in the bottom will allow water to drain out.
-
Cleaning:
There will have to be a provision for cleaning the birdhouse at
the end of the season. A method (hinge or whatever) to open the
box should made.
-
Colour :
Birds perceive colour. It is unknown how subtle differences in
colour affect them. While some may nest in brightly coloured
houses, it is best to choose more muted tones which blend into the
natural environment.
-
Inside groves:
There should be horizontal groves on the inside, below the
entrance hole, to aid the fledglings in crawling up to the exit
when they are ready to leave the nest.
-
Perches and
Overhang: Contrary to popular belief, there is no need for a
perch. This will only aid predators in harming the young. It
will also make the house more attractive to unwanted species such
as starlings. Along the same philosophy, the roof should cover
the nest and overhang so the rain doesn't get in the entrance.
The overhang should be about two inches so as not to invite
unwanted predators.
-
Mounting:
There should be a way to hang the house on a tree, shrub or
pole. It should be easy to take down at the end of the season for
cleaning yet sturdy enough so that bad weather won't knock it down
or rock it too heavily. Placement is important. In most cases it
must be away from easy access by predators and have a perch
nearby, such as a tree or bush.
Click here to see
the Bird House Dimensions Chart
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