topic Re: How do you get birds to move into the bird houses? in Garden

How do you get birds to move into the bird houses?

depglass — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 16:59:19 GMT

We had a friend give us several bird houses he had made. They had tiny holes that no birds seemed to like, so we gave up on them. Then we bought a cottage and that property had bird houses on poles with those same tiny holes. Not occupied in the past three years. Birds around here seem to like the eaves of houses much more.

Re: How do you get birds to move into the bird houses?

Kachina624 — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 17:14:39 GMT

Invite the Avian Welcome Wagon to come and call?

Re: How do you get birds to move into the bird houses?

Bird mama — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 17:23:31 GMT

@depglass I'm no expert but when it comes to birds it's not really different than people - location, location, location. If the entrance to the birdhouse is too small for a bird, it won't bother. If the entrance to a birdhouse is too large you risk predatory birds snatching the babies of the birdhouse occupant.

When you say tiny... how tiny?

I've had this birdhouse hanging off the soffit of my attached garage (over the patio) for a couple of years. I removed the decorative flower box and installed a perch in it's place.

Sparrows live in it.

Re: How do you get birds to move into the bird houses?

gardenman — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 17:24:56 GMT

As a rule Sparrows and Starlings will nest in anything they can fit in. Keeping them out is a far bigger problem. Something you should be aware of is that some birdhouses have pieces of black painted wood blocking the entry to keep birds out. Those birdhouses are built to be purely decorative. To a casual observer they appear to have a real hole, but the black piece of wood glued inside blocks access. If your birdhouses have real, open holes, and you're not picky on what kind of birds you get, enlarging the holes will have them filled quickly.

Re: How do you get birds to move into the bird houses?

Bird mama — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 17:25:08 GMT

@depglass Here's a good article about the size of an entrance for specific types of birds.

https://www.hunker.com/13425487/what-size-hole-should-be-in-a-birdhouse

Re: How do you get birds to move into the bird houses?

chrystaltree — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 17:32:02 GMT

800 TC sheets and a fully stocked mini bar.

Re: How do you get birds to move into the bird houses?

ValuSkr — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 17:38:06 GMT

Only certain types of birds - e.g. wrens - are receptive to birdhouses. After that, it depends on the size of the hole (big enough to let them in and small enough to keep out visitors) and the location. If there's a certain kind of bird you want to attract, I suggest googling.

Re: How do you get birds to move into the bird houses?

Trix — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 17:44:14 GMT

@chrystaltree wrote:
800 TC sheets and a fully stocked mini bar.

@chrystaltree Thanks for the laugh. It's been a tough morning and I needed that.

As for the birds, it's been my experience that a lot of the very decorative birdhouses don't attract as many birds as a tall and densely leafed tree, and as others have said the eaves of your house. I have a friend who is very into birds and she gave up on houses for anything other than decor and feeding. The birds in her community seemed to like the fine dining she offered in her birdhouses, but they wouldn't move in for nesting.

Re: How do you get birds to move into the bird houses?

Kachina624 — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 17:55:19 GMT

Wrens don't seem to be very picky about housing. I've had them build nests in the wreath on my front door, which is opened and closed frequently.

Every year I've lived in this house, twenty years this fall, I've had swallows nest in the arch over my entranceway. They would generally raise two families every summer. I'd just leave their mud nest so all they had to do was make minor repairs. They didnt show up this year. Alas, I'd love to know what happened to them but guess I never will. Kind of sad but I don't miss the mess.

Re: How do you get birds to move into the bird houses?

fthunt — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 18:19:44 GMT

I've never heard many success stories about birds living in a house. The house on a tall pole with tiny holes maybe a Martin House. Only the bird - Martins - can and will live in those......and it's a rather large bird house resembling a people house. Martins like a lot of free space around that house so they can circle and circle.......and I've been told.....they allow sparrows to live there too cuz sparrows will clean it 'out' for the Martins & babies. (a yuck job) I saw one in action on the shore of Skaneateles Lake - in the Finger Lake region - and it was impressive.

Bluebirds like to nest in a box of specific size - location - but not just any house.

Robins - no...Hummingbirds build little tiny baskets - shore birds nest in tall grass - etc. Houses and birds don't really work the way WE think they should.

Re: How do you get birds to move into the bird houses?

rms1954 — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 18:22:20 GMT

@ValuSkr wrote:
Only certain types of birds - e.g. wrens - are receptive to birdhouses. After that, it depends on the size of the hole (big enough to let them in and small enough to keep out visitors) and the location. If there's a certain kind of bird you want to attract, I suggest googling.

Certain houses for certain birds. Lots of info online.

Re: How do you get birds to move into the bird houses?

NickNack — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 20:12:55 GMT

When I had a bluebird house on a pole I always had bluebirds. The house sparrows would try to take over, but I always put a sparrow spooker up after the first egg, and they wouldn't bother it. I took the sparrow spooker off after the babies fledged so the house sparrows wouldn't get used to it. House sparrows raid other bird's nests, and I wanted to keep the bluebirds safe. House wrens will raid bluebird nests, too.

Bluebirds, tufted titmice, nuthatches, small woodpeckers, wrens and house sparrows use bird houses. If it's bluebirds you're wanting to attract go to sialis dot org. There is lots of excellent information there. I would suggest going to a Wild Birds Unlimited store and talking with them about what type of bird house for the birds you're wanting to attract.

Carolina Wrens are my favorite bird. Before I knew anything about birds I had a bird house on a tree. A tufted titmouse nested there. I like them a lot. I did put a nest box up for Robins once, and had a Carolina wren nest there. I was so happy. A nest box for robins is open in the front, not like a bird house type nest box.

Re: How do you get birds to move into the bird houses?

GenXmuse — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 19:31:52 GMT

Just hang up a hanging flower pot and they will come!

Re: How do you get birds to move into the bird houses?

haddon9 — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 19:32:14 GMT

We have a couple of birdhouses in our yard which have small holes. They almost always get a family in them (some years more than once a season) but they are always wrens. There are a lot of wrens in my area.

Re: How do you get birds to move into the bird houses?

SeaGal — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 19:47:28 GMT

@Kachina624 , I was thinking along the same line, go out to the end of the driveway and call 'here birdy birdy birdy birdy'!!

Sorry @depglass , not trying to be flippant, hopefully you dont take it that way.

Anyway, I didnt realize till recently there was specific type houses for different species. Hope you have some luck at your other place.

Re: How do you get birds to move into the bird houses?

Lali1 — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 19:52:45 GMT

Feed them and have water available for drinking and bathing in. Also clean the house out when they move out. When I cut my dogs butt fur I throw it out in the yard for birds to use for nesting material.

Re: How do you get birds to move into the bird houses?

ValuSkr — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 19:56:16 GMT

@rms1954 wrote:
@ValuSkr wrote:
Only certain types of birds - e.g. wrens - are receptive to birdhouses. After that, it depends on the size of the hole (big enough to let them in and small enough to keep out visitors) and the location. If there's a certain kind of bird you want to attract, I suggest googling.
Certain houses for certain birds. Lots of info online.

Yes, so true. One size (or style) does not fit all.

Re: How do you get birds to move into the bird houses?

JustJazzmom — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 21:59:47 GMT

If you get a bird house with a perch, remove that perch. It makes it easier for predators to get at the eggs/babies.

Re: How do you get birds to move into the bird houses?

gardenman — Wed, 26 Jun 2019 01:32:38 GMT

@JustJazzmom wrote:
If you get a bird house with a perch, remove that perch. It makes it easier for predators to get at the eggs/babies.

I agree if the perch is near the entry hole. Many Martin houses though have lots of perches sticking out to the sides and like antennas on top of the houses which are good for Martins who like to perch in open air. If you remove those, you won't see as many Martins.

Re: How do you get birds to move into the bird houses?

JustJazzmom — Wed, 26 Jun 2019 23:18:15 GMT

Yes, but most people are trying to attract other types of birds. Perches are bad for survival of these cavity dwelling birds.