Learn the Important Features of a Nesting Box That Will Attract Nesting Birds to Your Yard
© Rosemary Drisdelle
A nesting box has to be right for the bird. Choose a local bird, check box dimensions, hole size and position, and select an appropriate location for a perfect fit.
In the spring, a bird’s thoughts turn to nesting; you can help the birds and improve your backyard bird habitat by providing a bird house, or nesting box. Don’t just hang any old box with a hole in it up in a tree, however: you’ll need to place the right kind of nesting box, for the right kind of bird, in the right place. Birds can be fussy about bird house design; if you want the Yellow-shafted Flicker that hunts ants on your lawn to nest in your trees, a nest box designed for Black-capped Chickadees isn’t going to work.
First, choose the right bird. What birds frequent feeders or other food sources on your property? The birds that already visit are the ones most likely to check into a nesting box. If you want to attract new birds to your property, think about the geography nearby: if you have a lake within 3.25 km (2 miles) of your home, putting up Tree Swallow nesting boxes might bring them.
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