Relocating birdhouse and other questions

14 years ago

Before I started feeding birds, I located my birdhouse (I think it's a wren house) under the overhang of my garage, the entrance of the birdhouse facing east. I've had it there for several years. It has remained unoccupied, and I've gone as far as to add nesting material that other birds took out for their own use...LOL. I realize now that I made the mistake of placing my feeders just several feet away from the birdhouse this past year, so I need to relocate my birdhouse.

The only place I have to relocate it is in my tree, which will also provide shelter. I was thinking of just using green covered craft wire (for making wreaths) from the craft store, or I can purchase chain from the hardware store. Any suggestions?

I think I also need to widen the opening to 1.25 or 1.5 inches. I read that I DO NOT want wrens nesting in my yard, and a wider opening will discourage wrens.

Should I remove the nesting material I added? Do I remove it annually once it's occupied? My late cattledog used to get baths in the driveway in summer months, and when he was shedding there would be piles of fur afterwards. Much to my satisfaction, I noticed that within 1/2 hour, the birds grabbed it for nesting material. Less for me to clean up.

I've also seen other birdhouses with metal plates surrounding the opening...is this to discourage animals from chewing the opening for accessibility? I have a wooden feeder, I noticed the squirrels are chewing around the openings....I've literally opened my back door to throw my flip flops across the yard to scare the squirrels away. Neighbors must think I'm crazy. LOL.

I also read to place bird houses in trees high enough that squirrels can't get to them. ??????? I don't get the logic behind that...squirrels can climb and access almost any branch, I would think.

I have birds flocking in my yard today...not much action in previous months. Perhaps they are stocking up on calories before the impending snow storm? I saw one female cardinal checking out my three day new suet feeders.

One more question...how long will my homemade suet mix keep in the freezer? Will it be good next year? I suspect I may not use it all before spring arrives.

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Comments (5)

dzyg
14 years ago
It depends on what type/size your birdhouse is if it would be suitable for other birds. Some of the wren houses are awfully small for a Tree Swallow or Bluebird to nest in. Bluebirds need a 1.5 inch hole, swallows prefer that too but can get in a smaller hole. Chickadees also prefer the 1.5 inch hole but can get in a 1 1/8 inch hole. A housewren will enter any size hole, not much deters them except keeping the nestboxes far away from brush and trees. House Sparrows can enter a 1 1/4 or larger hole, you would want to keep them from nesting in your birdhouse. A properly mounted nestbox is mounted on a slick metal pole with a predator baffle and at least 15-30 feet away from trees/fences/brush with no branches hanging over the box. Squirrels and or raccoons can and will get into nestboxes placed in/on trees or mounted on wooden posts.

A metal plate on the front is to prevent woodpeckers from enlarging the hole. If the nestbox is mounted properly squirrels shouldn't be able to get to it to chew the opening.

Here is a link to "lots" of info about cavity nesting birds..it is a bluebird site but has load of info about all cavity nesting birds and how to attract them and properly put up nestboxes for them....

Donna

Here is a link that might be useful: Cavity nesting bird info.....sialis...
kimcoco
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks for the website, lots of good information there.

Unfortunately, I live on 1/8 acre in the city, a very small yard, I have no desire nor the room to mount a pole in my tiny yard, and 15-30 feet from any trees or brush is in my neighbors yard. With that said, I have no where else to mount the birdhouse besides the tree, or do I just chuck it altogether? Otherwise, the tree is where it will go. The ideal mounting suggestions aren't viable options for me, unfortunately, so I have to make do with what I have available to me.

I'm now totally confused as to how I should proceed. If I don't want House Sparrows, and I don't want Wrens, and wrens nest with 1" opening but House sparrows can enter 1 1/4" opening, what are my other options or suggestions?

Honesty, I have "little brown birds" that visit my feeders daily. I have no idea what type of birds they are, whether they are wrens or sparrows or otherwise. We have cardinals, finches, and hummingbirds (summer), Coopers hawks in the mature maples up front (city trees) of which I am able to identify, and maybe a woodpecker that I've seen or heard. Other than that, I am not familiar with identifications.

Also, looks like I don't want to use a portal protector, according to what I'm reading, until the first egg.

What to do?
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donald lucius
14 years ago
woodpecker houses we nail to the trunk of a tree fairly high up in the tree. Bluebirds houses i always mounted under the eaves of the house or barn away from trees or the front door. other bird house i hung on the side of a tree trunk with a homemade hanger like a shelf hanger. or i used eye hooks and a chain to hang from a branch. the jays here nest in the oak brush and i strapped a box to the bigger limb.
lisa11310
14 years ago
I would not put up a box in your situation. Consider feeding Black Oil Sunflower seeds and Niger Thistle(pronounced Nyger)and some peanut buter suit, add a bird bath and you should have plenty of hours enjoying your birds.
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4 years ago
I bought a cool birdhouse at the Buck Store...for four bucks? Anyway, I it was made of cheapie balsa wood, so I drilled tiny holes in two spots on either side near the top of the peak, so I could feed a wire through and hang it up...thing is,I don't ever see anything going on any time, no bird crap, no action...I think my dog Max scares any potential squatters away. I'm thinking of relocating the bird house to another, hopefully better location...in a tree beside the quiet side of the house with no windows on that side. Thing is too, squirrels, little fukers, I love critters, but if you're eating little bird embryos, I'm sorry, but squirrel leg paté might be on the menú. lol JUST KIDDING any animal lovers/anti-animal cruelty folks.

Relocating birdhouse and other questions

Comments (5)

dzyg

kimcoco
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Relocating birdhouse and other questions

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dzyg

kimcocoOriginal Author

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Gerry Cummings

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kimcoco
Original Author