| Bird Watching -- Qualities of a Good Birdhouse |
From "DIY Bird Watching"
episode DBW-103 |
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This episode of DIY's Bird Watching workshop focuses on the basics of birdhouses. Included are qualities of a good birdhouse, common nesting birds and their birdhouse preferences and tips for putting up a birdhouse. In a later segment , instructions are provided for building a birdhouse specially designed for attracting bluebirds. Birdhouses are becoming more beneficial, especially for birds in urban areas and suburbs, as land-development practices and urban sprawl clear away wooded areas and other natural nesting environments. For example, removal of dead trees -- commonly part of residential landscaping -- eliminates important nesting sites favored by bird species such as woodpeckers (figure A). Though putting up birdhouses won't solve the larger environmental problem of disappearing woodland habitats, it can help in a small way by providing a few additional , safe nesting sites. Moreover, putting up birdhouses is one of the best ways for attracting birds and helping create a bird-friendly environment in your own backyard . Following are some of the qualities that make for a good birdhouse.
What Makes a Good Birdhouse?
- The roof of the birdhouse (figure B) should overhang the entrance hole. This keeps rain out and provides shade.
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There should be ventilation holes in the top of the birdhouse, where the roof meets the walls (figure C) and beneath the overhang. Ventilation holes are essential for providing necessary air circulation inside the house, and to let hot air escape during warm weather.
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There should be drainage holes in the bottom of the birdhouse (figure D) to allow drainage of any rainwater that might get in the house, such as from a blowing rain.
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Most birdhouses are made of wood, which is an excellent insulating material for maintaining an acceptable inside temperature.
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It's essential that the birdhouse is built with a way to open it for cleaning after each nesting season. Many birdhouses are built so that the front wall is hinged, and can swivel up, in order to allow access to the inside (figure E).
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There are several measurements and dimensions that are critical in birdhouses. One is the size of the entrance hole (figure F). It should be large enough to allow access by birds, but small enough to help deter nest-raiding bird species and predators.
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In general, an entrance hole of 1-1/2 inches is suitable for most birdhouses. This is an ideal size for species such as bluebirds (figure G) and swallows. It 's also acceptable for smaller birds like chickadees, nuthatches and titmice.
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The distance between the entrance hole and the bottom of the birdhouse (figure H) should be about 5 inches. This is important to allow ample depth so that the young can remain protected in the bottom of the nest. Like the size of the entrance , this also helps deter intrusion by potential nest raiders.
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The area of the floor should adequate to accommodate the nesting material and several fledgling young. Remember that a box big enough to hold a nest and five eggs, for example, might be too cramped as the five hatchlings begin to grow.
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A predator guard built onto the entrance hole (figure I) is another means of helping protect the eggs or young against predators such as raccoons that can reach into nest boxes or larger nest-invading birds such as grackles and jays.
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The birdhouse should have a built-in means for hanging it to a post or tree. In our example, the back wall of the house extends up above the back edge of the roof by about an inch (figure J) and has a centered mounting hole.
RESOURCES :
Complete Birdhouse Book
Model: 0316188867
Author: Donald Stokes and Williams Stokes
(1998)
To order this title from Amazon.com, click here
Time Warner, Inc
New York , NY 10020
Phone: 212-522-8700
Website: www.twbookmark.com
The Ultimate Birdhouse Book: 40 Functional, Fantastic & Fanciful Houses
Model: 0806999357
Author: Deborah Morgenthal
(August, 1998)
Sterling Publishing Co. Inc.
Website: www.sterlingpub.com
Birdhouse Builder's Manual
Model: 1565231007
Author: Charles Grodski
(December, 1999)
Fox Chapel Publishing
Don and Lillian Stokes' website
Stokes Birds at Home
Website: www.stokesbirdsathome.com
Stokes Birdhouse Book: The Complete Guide to Attracting Nesting Birds
Model: 0316817147
Author: Donald W. Stokes, Lillian Q. Stokes
Little Brown and Company (Time Warner, Inc.)
New York, NY 10020
Phone: 212-522-8700
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