Birdhouses for specific species.

[TwoGuns]

I love watching the wildlife in my backyard. I see Cardinals, Bluejays, Robins, Doves and Zebra Woodpeckers almost daily. I would like to attract more Chickadees, Buntings, Wrens, Hummingbirds and different species of Woodpeckers over the winter and early next spring (Eastern Nebraska). I have several bird feeders out with various types of mixes for the different species. What I need are plans for birdhouses that will encourage the type of birds I want and help protect them from the predators. If I could attract a few owls they would get fat and happy with the abundance of squirrels in the neighborhood. Do any of you have suggestions?

T.I.A,

Dennis

[B A R R Y]

Do you have a local agricultural or cooperative extension service?

(Hint: check the blue pages in the phone book)

If so, they might be able to point you to specific resources for _your_ local birds.

My wild bird knowledge isn't huge, but what I've learned is that there are usually specific features that attract certain birds. For example, some birds really want a specific entrance size hole, while other birds may be picky only about the facing (east, north...) of the hole, while others key of the location (height above ground and distance from the woods) of a non-specific box.

My wife and I have at least 35 species of wild birds in our back yard, mostly by luck, so it's worth the effort.

Good luck!

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[J T]

Sun, Sep 30, 2007, 4:20pm (EDT-3) [e-mail] (TwoGuns) doth sayeth: I love watching I have several bird feeders What I need are plans for birdhouses Do any of you have suggestions?

Yeah, I've got a suggestion. Do a web search for "free birdhouse plans", or something similar, and you'll get about lebenty leben million hits; then all you have to do is pick. And, they aren't bird feeders, the correct title is squirrel feeder.

JOAT "I'm an Igor, thur. We don't athk quethtionth." "Really? Why not?" "I don't know, thur. I didn't athk."

[DerbyDad03]

Be careful of what you ask for. Are you sure you want to attract more woodpeckers? I'm a nature loving kind of guy, but I also like to sleep past day-break.

[Dean H.]

"TwoGuns" (are they bird guns?)...

Some specifications from From Bauhaus To Birdhouse posted at alt.binaries.pictures.woodworking ISBN 0-06-016742-4

Same author, Leslie Garisto, has another New Birdhouse Book

HTH, Dean

[George]

Attract with appropriate environment.

Then provide comfort in hope they will stay, in accordance with the kind of information you'll find here. clever observations over the ones already given.

[B A R R Y]

Ever have one chase bugs in a metal rain gutter?

We have woodpeckers and flickers, and man, can they make a racket on aluminum!

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[Han]

B A R R Y wrote in news: [e-mail]:

We call people who drive around in convertibles with their stereo at full blast (and their bass volume way up) woodpeckers, because those young people announce the same thing woodpeckers state:

I'm here!!!

[Phisherman]

I built a bluebird house and the first year bluebirds moved in. I built three wren houses and all three had wren families. We have hummingbirds, chickadees, buntings, woodpeckers, jays, robins, woodpeckers, etc--none used birdhouses. But a robin decided to build her nest on top of my rose trellis, sandwiched between thorny branches. Robins prefer to nest on a shelf rather than in a birdhouse. A hawk decided to nest on top of a pine tree, and has been returning every year to making the nest bigger. I've seen hawks and owls kill squirrels but there are thousands of squirrels here (I call them tree rats). Go to your local library and check out a book on bird houses--they provide the proper dimensions and where/how to mount. Leave the insides unfinished and provide a couple drainage holes. Build houses for birds you see in the area. I found that birds prefer aged and weathered birdhouses over newly built. I have one birdhouse (built over 25 years ago) that still gets used and is the preferred house.

[TwoGuns]

I want to thank everyone for all the good ideas. I have a large pile of scrap wood that I plan on turning into bird condos this winter.

Dennis