subject: BUILD A HOME FOR BIRDS [print this page] BUILD A HOME FOR BIRDS BUILD A HOME FOR BIRDS
The habit of nesting in bird houses has been adopted by individuals of many species which would not ordinarily be expected to make use of such homes, and this may be taken as indicating that it will become more general from year to year as facilities are afforded and as there are increasing number of birds hatched in houses. One result of the increasingly popular interest in birds has been a definite movement to protect them from strangers and to concentrate them where they are especially desired. It is during the breeding period that birds are at their best, and people who love to see and hear them and who need their help in fighting insect pests are eager to offer inducements in the way of nesting sites to invite their presence at particular season.
From an economic point of view, hole-nesting birds rank exceptionally high, and there are strong grounds for the evident desire to place them in the vicinity of homesteads. To accomplish this, the practice arose of erecting houses for the use of the more familiar species of birds. Gradually, as the nesting requirements of other birds have become better understood, the number of species occupying bird house plans has increased.
Before erecting bird house plan, one should first determine the kind of birds to which his premises are adapted. The next question usually arising is as to the number of birds that can be accommodated. Unless grounds are large, it is generally useless to expect as tenants more than a pair of each bird species, except martins. The fact is that there is a limit to the possible bird population on any given tract, which must be taken into consideration. When the probable tenants have been decided upon, the selection of sites is in order, for the site that often decides the style of house that is to occupy it. In the final placing of bird house plan, care should be taken to face away from the winds prevailing in stormy weather.
Flickers readily accept houses that are built according to their standards. Red-headed woodpeckers are willing occupants of artificial houses, and even the downy woodpecker, that sturdy little-carpenter, has, in one instance at least, deemed such a home a satisfactory abode to raise a family. Shelters having one or more sides open are used by birds which would never venture into dark houses that are suited to woodpeckers. They have been occupied by robins and brown thrashers, and, may be by a song sparrow.
The number of house birds may be still further augmented as time goes on and all of the commoner woodpeckers are likely to be included, as are several of the small owls and wrens, and a few of the wild ducks, as the golden-eye.
Bird houses set close to streams in the western mountains will probably be occupied by ousels or dippers. Last but not least, the bird house plan has to be built in such a way that there should not be any kind of sharp objects or nails inside it, also place some amount of water and food inside that house for feeding.
