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Wild birds are now looking for suitable nesting spots for the spring. With fewer hollow trees in cities and suburban yards, man-made nesting boxes help increase cavity-dwelling wild bird populations. Many people place nesting boxes in their backyards, hoping to house some of the many birds that would normally be looking for a hollow tree cavity.
From the late 1800s to the 1960s, Eastern Bluebird populations declined almost 90% because of competition for nesting space. However, since 1966 the population has increased steadily each year due to nesting boxes.
There are many different styles of nesting boxes, including decorative, functional, and bird-specific. I recommend that a functional nesting box should meet these six requirements:
1) Be designed for a specific species, according to its size and nesting requirements including hold-size and internal dimensions,
2) Have ventilation holes to prevent excess heat build-up which can also happen if the box is painted with a dark color paint,
3) Provide a panel that can be easily opened to monitor nesting activity and to clean the box after use,
4) Contain recessed grooves or rough surfaces under the entrance hole to help baby birds climb out; outside perches are not recommended,
5) Be made of 3/4-inch thick wood to provide insulation and durability to withstand several seasons of use, and
6) Have a slanted roof for rain run off and drainage holes in the bottom of the house.
Bluebirds are usually the first species to start building their nests, and this process can begin as early as February. To have a successful bluebird nesting box, you must have the right type of yard. Bluebirds prefer open spaces — large country or suburban lawns, pastures, fields, cemeteries, golf courses, and parks — primarily because these areas are full of insects, which are bluebirds' favorite food.
If you put up more than one box, place them about 100 yards apart for Eastern Bluebirds and about 300 yards apart for Mountain and Western bluebirds. Mount the box 5 feet above the ground with the hole facing away from the prevailing wind. If you have Tree Swallows in your yard, mount the nesting box in pairs — one for the bluebirds and one for swallows — and keep them 5 to 25 feet apart. Have your boxes in place by mid-February.
Other species that use nesting boxes are not as picky, although height above ground can be a factor in attracting the desired species. Most birds will build their nest in a box in your backyard without the necessity of large areas. Multiple nest boxes can be placed in urban or smaller-sized suburban yards. Boxes for these birds should be in place in February or early March.
A baffle can be used if you have squirrels, raccoons, snakes or other predators in your area. If an undesirable bird builds a nest in your nesting box, continue to remove its nesting material. It will soon move on to a location where there are no interruptions.
It is entertaining and educational to watch birds as they go through the many stages of their lives, including courting mates, choosing a nest site, making the nest, laying eggs, feeding their hatchlings, and then watching the fledglings as they venture out on their own.
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Local bird expert Larry Collins owns Wild Birds Unlimited, 2454 Hwy. 6&50, which caters to folks who want the best backyard birdfeeding experience possible. Email your birdfeeding and birding questions to lcollins1@bresnan.net and he'll answer them in his bi-weekly Q&A column in the Free Press.
From the late 1800s to the 1960s, Eastern Bluebird populations declined almost 90% because of competition for nesting space. However, since 1966 the population has increased steadily each year due to nesting boxes.
There are many different styles of nesting boxes, including decorative, functional, and bird-specific. I recommend that a functional nesting box should meet these six requirements:
1) Be designed for a specific species, according to its size and nesting requirements including hold-size and internal dimensions,
2) Have ventilation holes to prevent excess heat build-up which can also happen if the box is painted with a dark color paint,
3) Provide a panel that can be easily opened to monitor nesting activity and to clean the box after use,
4) Contain recessed grooves or rough surfaces under the entrance hole to help baby birds climb out; outside perches are not recommended,
5) Be made of 3/4-inch thick wood to provide insulation and durability to withstand several seasons of use, and
6) Have a slanted roof for rain run off and drainage holes in the bottom of the house.
Bluebirds are usually the first species to start building their nests, and this process can begin as early as February. To have a successful bluebird nesting box, you must have the right type of yard. Bluebirds prefer open spaces — large country or suburban lawns, pastures, fields, cemeteries, golf courses, and parks — primarily because these areas are full of insects, which are bluebirds' favorite food.
If you put up more than one box, place them about 100 yards apart for Eastern Bluebirds and about 300 yards apart for Mountain and Western bluebirds. Mount the box 5 feet above the ground with the hole facing away from the prevailing wind. If you have Tree Swallows in your yard, mount the nesting box in pairs — one for the bluebirds and one for swallows — and keep them 5 to 25 feet apart. Have your boxes in place by mid-February.
Other species that use nesting boxes are not as picky, although height above ground can be a factor in attracting the desired species. Most birds will build their nest in a box in your backyard without the necessity of large areas. Multiple nest boxes can be placed in urban or smaller-sized suburban yards. Boxes for these birds should be in place in February or early March.
A baffle can be used if you have squirrels, raccoons, snakes or other predators in your area. If an undesirable bird builds a nest in your nesting box, continue to remove its nesting material. It will soon move on to a location where there are no interruptions.
It is entertaining and educational to watch birds as they go through the many stages of their lives, including courting mates, choosing a nest site, making the nest, laying eggs, feeding their hatchlings, and then watching the fledglings as they venture out on their own.
------------------------
Local bird expert Larry Collins owns Wild Birds Unlimited, 2454 Hwy. 6&50, which caters to folks who want the best backyard birdfeeding experience possible. Email your birdfeeding and birding questions to lcollins1@bresnan.net and he'll answer them in his bi-weekly Q&A column in the Free Press.
