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Anything but boring decorative bird houses
Birdhouses that are meant for feather friends don’t necessarily have to be boring wooden nest boxes. There are totally fun decorative bird houses with functionality that will also entice wild birds to roost, as well as, nest and raise their young.In every possible theme imaginable to man, and various materials like wood, resin, vinyl, glass, copper and more, the choices are quite abundant! However, there are a few basic requirements to be considered when choosing decorative bird houses. First, think about who it is you are looking to attract? Then consider the factors below, including the actual entrance diameter of your decorative birdhouse.
Clean-out is a must for our avian friends, because birds will not build a nest in a house containing an old one. Dormant, old nests become dusty, invite parasites, and possible predators. When removing old nests, be sure to dispose of them a good distance from the birdhouse – just for this reason alone. And best to wear some rubber gloves too.
Proper ventilation and drainage is also important for a healthy birdhouse environment. Air circulation helps prevent molds and bacteria from forming on the walls and floor. Good drainage in a birdhouse prevents any water build up and puddling that may occur.
Proportional sized entrance is also a major factor.
Here’s a pretty good general guide:
1-1/8″ entrance for Chickadees, House Wrens and other small songbirds,
1-1/4″ for Titmice and Nuthatches
1-1/2″ for Carolina Wrens, Eastern Bluebirds, and Downy Woodpeckers,
2-1/2″ for Purple Martins, Flickers, Red Headed and Hairy Woodpeckers.As always, be sure to provide a consistent fresh water source for birds. Whether a pond, hanging bath, fountain, or pedestal type birdbath, it is the absolute best method to entice more feathered friends to your yard…and keep them coming back!
…Happy Birding!
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nesting materials for winter?
The hobby of attracting birds to our backyards offers varied and interesting methods in doing so. Protocol tells us to offer birds nesting materials in spring…because this is when nature tells them it’s time to mate and build nests. And this is another great way to entice and encourage birds to take up residence, especially due to the severe shortage in nesting sites. But many birds will use cotton and other materials to line roosting spots and nest boxes for cold winter nights as well.This cotton nesting ball is wildly popular among Goldfinches, and since they’re more likely to stick around if you feed thistle seed throughout the year, you can help them further with nesting materials to keep warm at night.
Some popular nesting materials include cotton yarns and fibers, mosses that are used for decorative aspects in plants and flowers, feathers, aspen fiber and even dryer lint and pet hair are popular materials used in nest building.
This decorative wreath contains a mixture of nest materials that will entice and attract wild birds to your place. Refills are available, and it can be used year-round. Of course landscape plays an important role too. Preferably some mature trees, or dense shrubs like evergreens, and thickets will provide the perfect spots for your feathered friends to nest and raise their families. Don’t forget the fresh water too, as a birdbath will likely be the most popular spot in the yard!
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Add a Mealworm Feeder to Entice Bluebirds
Bluebi
rds covet mealworms, in fact, I’ve discovered that lots of birds love these tasty morsels. In trying to attract bluebirds to this North Georgia yard, first came the bluebird house…but no luck. Then came a bluebird feeder, you know, the kind with the entrance holes that supposedly only bluebirds will fly into for food. Unfortunately that didn’t seem to work either, every different “bluebird delight” on the market was used.After some quick research, it seemed live mealworms would do the trick, so I squeamishly ordered the first batch. They weren’t too bad, as long as I didn’t have to touch them! Unpacking and storing that first batch was pretty funny looking back at it now. Newspaper spread on the counter, latex gloves, and a semi-faint heart about the whole thing. Then just knowing I had a container of live worms in the fridge…omg! But I wanted to see bluebirds – so I persevered.
Not only did it work, it worked great…Eastern Bluebirds in my yard finally. Two or three showed up at first, and then they began to build a nest in the house. Watching the daily activity was fantastic. A few weeks later the babies started to fledge, one, two, three, four of th
em, all following mom and dad. Truly a great season! It didn’t take long for them to figure out how to enter the mealworm feeder and retrieve their own worms at will. The coolest thing is there was a second successful brood that season too. Watching the juveniles with the new fledgelings was absolutely awesome. Now I’m addicted to meal worms just as much as my bluebirds are. Making sure to feed them twice every day, close to the same time. My new friends stuck around all winter, likely due to the three heated birdbaths, and the regular feeding schedule.Traditional bluebird feeders aren’t the only way to offer mealworms to feathered friends. Many dish-type styles have attachments for poles, making it simple to add a mealworm feeder to any existing feeding station. Tray type or platform feeders also have the capacity for worms, but there’s no guarantee the bluebirds will get them first. Maybe that’s where the saying “early bird catches the worm” comes from?
This recycled plastic mealworm feeder easily mounts to any standard one-inch diameter pole. The wooden Siamese Cat has a metal screen tray that’s perfect for offering worms too. The best part about these types of feeders is versatility. Foods like suet, peanuts and fruit may also be offered, depending on the species you’d like to attract and season.
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