Bird Houses – They’re not all equal
If you are one of those people that enjoys feeding and watching birds from the relative comfort and tranquility of your own home, then you will no doubt understand the importance of bird houses as an integral part of keeping the birds coming back year after year.
There wouldn’t be a person alive that doesn’t enjoy the sound of birds singing on their property. Birds can bring an otherwise dull and lifeless backyard to life, providing a small piece of private serenity that you can enjoy whenever you want. This is particularly vital for people that live in highly urban areas where that escape into a more natural setting is even more appreciated.
Why not go that extra step further and look at placing a few bird houses in your yard?
Many people make the false assumption that by simply providing food for birds this will be enough to satisfy them and keep them coming back.
Every bird needs water and shelter in addition to food so if you are even half serious about encouraging some interesting birds to take up residence on your property then a bird house is the answer.
Attracting the right type of birds
It is important to understand that not all birds will actively take to nesting or sheltering in bird houses. Ideally you would want to do a little research into the types of birds that are designated as cavity nesters.
A cavity nester basically describes any bird that seeks out a wooden shelter to lay eggs and rear young. You could try contacting your local birdwatching club or simply do a bit of research on the internet to find out which birds you should be on the lookout for and when.
Catering to their every need
If you are wildly passionate about trying to get one specific bird to nest in your yard then you should be aware of certain facts and figures. For instance, how far off the ground should the bird house be? How large should the opening be? The last thing you want to do is make the opening too small for the bird to fit through and end up having some other species nest in there instead.
Also think about the species-orientated location. Many amateur bird enthusiasts will nail a bird house to the side of an outside structure but if that is not the natural habitat of the bird you want to house there then it will simply get taken over by something that is used to living around man-made structures.
Some less obvious considerations include:
- The thickness of the walls at least 1 inch thick in colder climates to provide adequate insulation to nesting birds.
- A slight overhang of the roof to shield the opening from the elements.
- Try to avoid buying dark colored bird houses if possible dark colors absorb heat from the sun and will raise the temperature inside the box. This may not be a problem in mostly cold or shady locations however.
- Although it looks pleasing from an aesthetics point of view, avoid the temptation to put a perch on the front of the bird house. This only makes young, vulnerable birds easy pickings for predators.
It is clear that with the proper amount of research and patience, you could attract almost any bird local to your area at certain times of the year or indeed all year round.
Make a list of the sort of birds that you want to attract, and then select a bird house that will attract them. Don’t reverse the process and go out and buy the first bird house you see because you may be disappointed with the results you get.