MANY PEOPLE OVER THE YEARS HAVE ASKED ME WHERE TO HANG OR LOCATE THEIR BIRDHOUSES AND WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A WELL BUILT HOME. I LOOK FOR FIVE QUALITIES IN A SONGBIRD BOX.

1. DRAINED ON THE BOTTOM SO THE BABIES DON’T DROWN IN THE NEST IF RAIN RUSHES IN.

2. AN EASY CLEANOUT. YOU MUST CLEANOUT OLD NESTS SO MITES DO NOT STAY IN BOXES. SONGBIRD FAMILIES RETURN YEAR AFTER YEAR TO THE SAME NESTING BOX IF KEPT CLEAN.

3. OVERHANG ROOF. A MUST TO KEEP WEATHER OUT.

4. VENTILATION NEAR THE TOP OF THE BOX. AIR MUST CIRCULATE ESPECIALLY DURING NESTING.

5. SINGLE BOXES FOR THE WEST COAST. EVEN OUR PURPLE MARTINS CHOOSE TO LIVE IN SINGLE GOURDS SUSPENDED OVER WATER AND ARE QUITE DIFFERENT FROM OUR EAST COAST MARTINS WHO WILL LIVE CONDOMINIUM STYLE. MOST BIRDS ARE TOO AGGRESSIVE WHEN NESTING AND THE MORE AGGRESSIVE WILL HARM THE EGGS OF COMPETING FAMILIES WHEN LIVING TOO CLOSE.

AS FOR HANGING SONGBIRD BOXES I FOLLOW THREE SIMPLE RULES.

1. DO NOT HANG MORE THAN 10 FEET IN THE AIR. TO HIGH IS HARD TO CLEAN AND THE HIGHER YOU GO THE LARGER BIRDS ARE AND TEND TO BE PREDATORS.

2. NEVER HANG A BIRDHOUSE FACING A BUSY ROAD OR CLOSE TO A WINDOW. BABIES FIRST FLIGHT IS NOT EASY AND IT’S BEST TO PLAY IT SAFE.

3. THE LOWER YOU HANG THE SMALLER THE BIRD YOU WILL ATTRACT LIKE THE CHICKADEE AND NUTHATCH. HIGHER THAN 5′5″ ATTRACTS THE SPARROW, SWALLOW, WREN, ETC.

I HOPE THIS HELPS AND IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS DON’T HESITATE TO ASK.

p.s. ONE OF THE OTHER MOST ASKED QUESTION I GET IS “IF THE BABY FALLS OUT OF THE NEST WHAT SHOULD I DO?” PLACE THE BABY BACK IN THE NEST. OLD TALE THAT MOTHER WILL ABANDON. MOST BIRDS BESIDE THE CROW AND RAVEN HAVE VERY LITTLE SMELL SENSE IF ANY.