NEST BOXES are another great way of attracting birds to your backyard. In the spring birds will begin to stake their territory in which to build their nest. Birds who build their nests in cavities will use bird houses, log piles, or tree cavities left by woodpeckers.
Some cavity nesters on Vancouver Island include chickadees, wrens, house sparrows, nuthatches, starlings and swallows.
Birds like the dark eyed junco or spotted towhee will build their nest on the ground, commonly around shrubbery and twigs. Finches and robins build their nests in trees at heights often 10′ and higher.
What to look for in a nest box?
The size of the entrance hole into the nesting box has a major impact on what birds are able to use the box. For smaller cavity nesters like chickadees and wrens, the hole should be roughly 1″ in diameter. Nuthatches, being just slightly larger, require a 1 3/8″ hole while swallows and House Sparrows need a minimum of 1 1/2″ to fit properly.
Starlings and Northern Flickers are also cavity nesting birds, who require larger boxes. The entrance hole should be at least 1 1/2″ for Starlings, and closer to 2″ for flickers. The box should around 5″ x 5″ in diameter, with the entrance hole sitting 6″ to 7″ above the floor of the box.
All nest boxes should have plenty of ventilation and drainage holes, plus an easy way to access the box during the off season for cleaning in order to keep pests from taking over the box.
Things to keep in mind when choosing a nest box include
SIZE
The size of the entrance hole is important for attracting certain species, while keeping predator birds from accessing the box. By choosing properly sized box with the minimum size of hole for the birds you wish to attract, you can limit the competition for the box and help keep nesting birds safer.
PERCHES
Perches, though a common sight on many boxes, aren’t necessary for cavity nesting birds. In actuality, having a perch is more likely to aid predators trying to access the nest. Choosing a nest box without anything that could be used as an exterior perch can stop predators from getting inside.
MAINTENANCE
Maintaining your nest box is as simple as a yearly cleaning. Start by removing the old nest, or any debris from inside the box. Once removed, use soapy water, a 1 to 9 bleach-water solution, or other disinfectant solution to quickly scrub out the interior of the box in order to kill any parasites that might be present. Once clean, give it a quick rinse with clean water and allow to air dry before putting it back up.
VENTILATION
Having a well-ventilated nest box is vital to helping your birds keep cool. Young birds especially can have a hard time cooling themselves down once they get too warm, so it’s always better to err on the side of caution. The more ventilation, the better.
PLACEMENT
Where you place your nest box depends somewhat on who the box is for. In general, placing it 6′ off the ground at 10′ or so from other nest boxes, feeding stations, or other areas of high bird activity is best. For swallows, make sure there’s plenty of open space around the box to allow them room to swoop. Chickadees, wrens, and nuthatches prefer a box in a relatively open area but with evergreens nearby to allow them to quickly dart between the nest box and nearby cover. Other birds have different preferences that can increase their likelihood of using the box.
PREDATORS
Raccoons, cats, and other predators are likely to try to gain entry into your box once they know birds have moved in. To keep predators at bay, remove any nearby perches, place the box in hard to reach areas, and ensure the entrance hole and box itself are deep enough that it would be difficult for a predator to reach the young from outside.
BIRD NEST MATERIALS
Birds use a variety of different materials to build their nests, including grass, twigs, spider webs, animal fur, mud, and others.
You can help your backyard birds by providing nesting material for them, which has the added bonus of being fun to watch. Nesting material, like cotton batting, is available for purchase, or you can repurpose an old suet cage, onion sack, or similar and fill it with cattail grass, mosses, undyed cotton batting, grasses, and twigs.
