Just For The Birds BlogPast and current articles by Kathy Coward of Just for the Birds in Old Town Spring
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Spring is the time of year (March in the Houston Area) when you should put your bird houses out to attract the birds and help them out. There are four basic nest locations. Some birds nest in cavities, such as tree holes, bird houses, or the nooks of buildings , some nest in branches of shrubs or trees, some nest on the ground and a few under the ground.
The cavity nesters use tree holes and will at times use a birdhouse. Common examples of cavity nesters are woodpeckers and chickadees. Many other birds build their nests in the open in branches or shrubs or trees. These nests are generally cup shaped and open to the sky. These birds are referred to as open-cup nesters. Examples of these are goldfinches, robins, mockingbirds, and cardinals. Most of the remaining birds build their nests on the ground, either by contructing an open cup or by scraping just a shallow depression in the soil. Common ground nesters are towhees, killdeers, pheasants and many sparrows. A few birds build their nest underground. A common underground nester is the kingfisher. You can build a birdhouse or buy one but remember you need the right dimemsions for different species of birds . The size of the hole and height above the floor are important as well as the floor dimensions and the total height of the box. Bird houses need proper ventilation, drainage and a overhang is desirable for the roof to protect from sun and rain. Perches are not needed and it does help to have a way to clean the box. If your bird house does not open for cleaning I have found that a bent coat hanger used through the hole will work well to clean out the old nest. Insides of bird houses should never be painted. This time of year is also the time of year to put up your Purple Martin houses. These are communal birds so a house of eight to twelve nests is most common. You need an open area so the birds can swoop in and out, at least 25 ft. away from trees or houses. The houses should be 12 to 15 ft high and the holes should be 2 to 2 1/2 inches in diameter. The houses can be made of aluminum, wood or plastic. The birds don't care of which material but you should be able to get the house up and down easily for cleaning or monitoring. Enjoy Spring and our wonderful birds.
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Any time of year is a great time to attract birds to your yard with just a little effort. To have a bird - friendly habitat all you need is food, water and cover. Black-oil sunflower is a favorite of seed-eating birds. Many birds eat suet but be sure to use the year round suet for our area as it is less likely to melt (and I have to say in the middle of our hot summer I do not have suet out.)Year round suet contains animal fat but more dough so that it can be fed in hot weather and to this many things can be added such as seed ,berries, nuts and even hot pepper which the birds like but keep the pesky squirrels aways from the suet. Suet is put out in a little cage hanging on tree, fence, etc.
Birds need water year 'round for bathing and drinking. The sound of dripping or splashing water is irresistible and will draw species of birds that may not visit feeders. Blue Jays and Starlings seem to be the most frequent bathers at my bird bath. The Blue Jays are especially fun as the bathe 3 or 4 times and really seem to enjoy it. Many birds bathe in water only about 1/2 inch deep. If your bird bath is much deeper place a few thin flat rocks around the edge and submerge them at varying depths. This gives the birds choices. Be sure to clean your birdbath as it can get quite dirty with dropping, feathers and the algae that grows rapidly in our hot weather. You can use a little bleach to clean it out well but be sure to rinse very well . There is also a bird bath protector available, just a capfull in a clean bird bath will really help to keep the algae down. Cover can be many things in your yard such as trees, shrubs, bushes and anything that offers protection from predators and the weather and increases the chances for birds to nest. Enjoy yourself, take time to smell the roses and see and hear our wonderful birds. |
AuthorKathy Coward, Owner Of Just For The Birds Shop Archives
August 2021
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