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How to decide on
a Good Wild Bird House Commercially
manufactured wild bird houses come in many shapes, sizes and construction
materials. Some times the choices of wild bird houses can become overwhelming. Here's a few
tips on How to Select the right wild bird house.
How to select a Wild Bird House...
When shopping for wild bird houses select one that was made for
birds... not people. Many bird houses on the market were designed to
attract you... to purchase it. Often times these "pretty" little
bird houses are not the best choice for wild birds. Some times the
opening is to small, the floor space in side is not roomy enough, or
perhaps the bird house has a perch just below the entry. Perches allow larger predatory
birds to land at the entry and pluck the babies right from the nest.
The 10 commandments for selecting
wild bird houses...
- No outside perches
- Sturdy construction with at least
3/4" thick walls
- Don't purchase chemically treated
wood houses
- Don't purchase houses with glass
windows
- Select a house made from Pine,
Cedar, or Fir
- The roof should be sloped angling
downward beyond the entry hole
- The floor should be several inches
below the entry hole
- The house should have small drainage and
ventilation holes
- The house should have easy access
for cleaning
- The house should be easy to mount
and dis-mount for cleaning
Mounting your Wild Bird houses...
Your new bird house should be mounted a minimum of 6 to 8 feet above
the ground. This will prevent most terrestrial predators from gaining
access to the bird house. Adding a Squirrel guard beneath the house will
help to keep climbing predators from reaching the next box.
Face the opening of the bird house away
from direct sunshine. This will help to keep the house from overheating
during warm temperatures.
Each bird species prefers their homes
to be situated at different heights... but mounting the house between 10
to 20 foot is a good compromise for most wild birds.
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