Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Bird House Kits

By Marion Proctor


The fancy birdhouses available in the marketplace today lend themselves as functional works of art for the indoor or more frequently outdoor living space.

One such bird is the Eastern Bluebird. Eastern bluebirds will readily use a nesting box or bird house if appropriately built and placed. The bluebird house should be left up all year long as these birds will use them for cover in the cold winter months as well.

If you are looking to have a bird house look just like your home or lake house and you don't have a deep desire for wild birds, then my recommendation is to make what looks like a really cool birdhouse, but don't have any actual cavity openings. Instead just paint black circles where you would normally put an entry hole.

On the other hand if you are more concerned about the wild birds and your desire is to attract them to your yard with nesting boxes then my recommendation is to buy or build the right bird house for that species of bird. Cavity nesting species of wild birds all prefer a particular size of cavity to build a nest. In the wild they don't always get the perfect cavity they are looking for, but putting up nesting boxes of the right size can be very rewarding.

Other birds that utilize bird houses/nest boxes or roosting boxes are: Titmice, Wrens, Chickadees, Nuthatches, Downy Woodpeckers, Purple Martins, Bluebirds, Owls, Tree and Violet Green Swallows, Barn Swallows and Phoebes, Flycatchers, and more.

A large variety of styles are offered to accommodate human tastes but most importantly, the entrance hole size of the birdhouse is the prominent consideration as its specifications will need to adhere to the species of bird you desire to attract. Most commercially made bird houses have entrances holes that range in size from 1-1/8 inch to 2-1/2 inches. Seemingly minor differences in the size of the opening, even 1/8th of an inch will have bearing on the type of bird you will attract.

Other practical considerations when selecting a fancy birdhouse include: ventilation, drainage and cleaning access. Suitable ventilation holes near the top of the birdhouse help maintain fresh air, a dry house and prevent the nestlings from overheating in the summer. Drainage is also an important aspect since in a downpour most likely rain will get inside. Birdhouses should be equipped with inch drainage holes in the bottom. Nestlings can potentially drown in standing water if adequate drainage is not provided. Also look for a birdhouse that allows easy access to examine nestlings and clean out old nests after your birds have fled for the season.

Pat Brodbent, aka The Bird Man, is your wild bird, bat, and wildlife expert. His website is http://www.birdmanusa.com. You will find not only custom built bird houses, but also custom bird feeders, bat houses for sale, including lots of information on wild birds and bats.




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