Winged Wednesday - Five Things to Consider About Bird Houses

Bird houses can make excellent decorations in your lawn, and they can also help support native cavity nesting birds such as: Black Capped Chickadees, Eastern Bluebirds, House Wrens, Tree Swallows, and even Woodpeckers. Here are some things to consider when deciding if a bird house is right for you.

Select a bird to attract. Have some idea about what kind of bird you wish to attract. Bird houses come in a variety of shapes and sizes and can / should be mounted at different heights depending on the bird you wish to attract. A small house hung at four to five feet might be cozy for a Chickadee or a House Wren but would never do for an American Kestrel or a Wood Duck.

House Wrens use our nest box in the garden after the Chickadees each summer.

Beware of invasive species. House Sparrows and Starlings may attempt to use the bird house or drive out native birds. This again may affect your selection. If your yard is frequented by these birds, a smaller Wren house might be your best option as the small diameter of the hole will prevent larger birds from nesting. You may also be able to prevent nesting by delaying when you open your houses for business. I've found that if our bird houses are ready to go in March, the House Sparrows are happy to check them out, but if I wait until a week or two in April, the Chickadees and Wrens make good use of the houses with little to no trouble from the Sparrows. Note that House Sparrows and Starlings may attack native birds to take over an attractive nest site, you may need to reconsider putting up a bird house at all.

Inspect the nest site. Be aware of who is using your bird house, when they laid their eggs, how successful they were, and when they are done. It is interesting to watch baby birds grow up, but it is also practical. After the first brood has left, you can clean out the bird house so another nest can be built without the risk of diseases or parasites being carried over from the first nest.

This was the Chickadee nest from last year.

Be prepared to do some cleaning. Birds are fairly messy. The nests are fascinating works of art made of dead plant material, string, animal fur, etc. And the birds will use the nest as a bathroom. Even if you decide not to clean out the box between broods, you need to clean out the nest box at the end of the season.

Consider the construction material. Cedar is generally best, it's natural, hardy, and water tolerant. Other materials like PVC may also be okay. Wood painted or chemically treated may be bad for the health of the birds.

The Bluebird Restoration Association of Wisconsin has a pretty detailed packet you can read here.