I have 25 bird houses and I never have a bug problem in my garden. I have noticed the birds are checking out my bird houses already. I have a few bird houses that need to be repaired, today is repair day. I will be replacing the Blue Bird house today too. I do not like spraying stuff on my plants to kill bugs it makes me not want to eat the vegatables. The birds have been the solution to the bug problem for 35 years.
Birds like to stay in bird houses that are hanging from a wire, if the house is attached to a tree or pole they won't like it. One exception is the Blue Birds they will only stay in a house mounted 6 ft off the ground on a pole with the front facing a large open area and the back facing trees or brush. Houses must be designed for birds you want to attract. I like Wrens they love to SING and they eat their body weight in bugs every day.
Watch this video.
Double click the photo gets larger.
[img]https://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e358/gary350/Wren01.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e358/gary350/th_smileys1.gif[/img]
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Gary350
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 7415
- Joined: Mon Mar 23, 2009 1:59 pm
- Location: TN. 50 years of gardening experience.
I build the bird houses out of pressure treated 1"x6" lumber but they still do not last for every. When the boards get cracked and the houses start falling apart I take them apart and save the screw and wood that is still useful. I can take the wood form 2 or 3 old bird houses and build 1 good bird house. Then I buy new lumber to replace the bird houses that I lost.
I have several bird baths near the tomato plants. When the weather gets hot and there is no rain birds get thirsty. Birds will peck the tomatoes to get a drink of water. 1 bird bath is not enough I have 6 bird baths in the tomato row. Birds are lazy just like people too lazy to fly 20 ft for water when a tomato is only 5 ft away.
The Blue Bird house on the left needed the whole front replaced Black Birds pecked the hole larger trying to get at the eggs. The roof is hinged to clean out the old bird nest and wash out the inside with soapy water other wise a new family of birds will never move in.
The next bird house to the right was made from parts of 3 old bird houses. The front needed to be completely replaced.
The last 3 bird houses to the right are brand new I built them today. I assemble everything with sheetrock screws it make assembly and repairs extremely fast and easy.
If I put up several bird houses facing all different directions so the birds have a choice they always pick the bird houses with the door facing EAST. They will not live in the other bird houses. LOL.....I think this is interesting. If the bird houses are too close together the birds do not like it. I try to keep the bird houses 20 ft from each other.
[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h292/mikeweaver/BirdHouse.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h292/mikeweaver/100_2117.jpg[/img]
I have several bird baths near the tomato plants. When the weather gets hot and there is no rain birds get thirsty. Birds will peck the tomatoes to get a drink of water. 1 bird bath is not enough I have 6 bird baths in the tomato row. Birds are lazy just like people too lazy to fly 20 ft for water when a tomato is only 5 ft away.
The Blue Bird house on the left needed the whole front replaced Black Birds pecked the hole larger trying to get at the eggs. The roof is hinged to clean out the old bird nest and wash out the inside with soapy water other wise a new family of birds will never move in.
The next bird house to the right was made from parts of 3 old bird houses. The front needed to be completely replaced.
The last 3 bird houses to the right are brand new I built them today. I assemble everything with sheetrock screws it make assembly and repairs extremely fast and easy.
If I put up several bird houses facing all different directions so the birds have a choice they always pick the bird houses with the door facing EAST. They will not live in the other bird houses. LOL.....I think this is interesting. If the bird houses are too close together the birds do not like it. I try to keep the bird houses 20 ft from each other.
[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h292/mikeweaver/BirdHouse.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h292/mikeweaver/100_2117.jpg[/img]
Last edited by Gary350 on Sun Feb 26, 2012 2:46 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Gary.. Those bluebird houses bring back great memories of teaching environmental science. We had a bluebird trail for over 20 years and had bluebird nestlings every year, Plus sometimes tree swallows which the bluebirds tolerated being nearby. We bandEd the young each year. It was a wonderful learning experience.
Keep up your good works!
Keep up your good works!
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PunkRotten
- Greener Thumb
- Posts: 1989
- Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2011 8:48 pm
- Location: Monterey, CA.
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PunkRotten
- Greener Thumb
- Posts: 1989
- Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2011 8:48 pm
- Location: Monterey, CA.
That is pretty cool. What do you keep in it? Is it just plants? I have a 55 gallon rubbermaid that was made into a pond. I keep a bunch of aquatic plants plus fish. All the fish are small native fish; Florida Flagfish, Arroya chubs that I caught, 1 Mosquitofish that I caught, and some Pygmy Sunfish.
I was thinking about using a big kiddie pool to set up another pond in the future though.
I was thinking about using a big kiddie pool to set up another pond in the future though.
I am a huge fan of warblers. They are voracious for insects and they do not seem to eat my vegetables. Any advice? I see conflicting advice on hole size and placement. I have some success and some failures, but not sure why. Houses on a wire are a problem in the midwest where the wind gets strong. I had not thought of facing east. Any other points? I like the way you screw on a branch on the front. Please share more.
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applestar
- Mod
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- Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
- Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)
Hmmm... I think you are thinking of housewrens maybe? I don't think warblers nest in boxes. They are very shy in my garden and only come at certain times of the year to pick the bugs off the plum trees.
Housewrens, on the other hand, are not shy at all. Housewrens are fun to watch, though they can be aggressive and oust other nesting birds. The males stuff every possible nesting site with sticks and sing their hearts out to the females who will take a look to see if the nest ...and the male who prepared it... is worthy. I've watched as the eager male anxiously hops about occasionally uttering his "sales pitch" which are often hickey cut off while the female inspects the box. Sometimes, with a flick of her tail, she renders her verdict and flies off, leaving the dejected male utterly silent until he shakes it off and starts singing again.
I've had them nest in small wrenboxes tied to a tree, much bigger bluebird houses on a pole right next to a window, nailed to a tree, tied with a bungee to a fence post, as well as a hanging dried Turkish turban gourd with a hole cut out of it. Facing northwest, southwest, south, and east.
Housewrens, on the other hand, are not shy at all. Housewrens are fun to watch, though they can be aggressive and oust other nesting birds. The males stuff every possible nesting site with sticks and sing their hearts out to the females who will take a look to see if the nest ...and the male who prepared it... is worthy. I've watched as the eager male anxiously hops about occasionally uttering his "sales pitch" which are often hickey cut off while the female inspects the box. Sometimes, with a flick of her tail, she renders her verdict and flies off, leaving the dejected male utterly silent until he shakes it off and starts singing again.
I've had them nest in small wrenboxes tied to a tree, much bigger bluebird houses on a pole right next to a window, nailed to a tree, tied with a bungee to a fence post, as well as a hanging dried Turkish turban gourd with a hole cut out of it. Facing northwest, southwest, south, and east.
Actually, I am thinking of warblers. They are smaller than wrens. But they are incredible song birds. Turns out you are right. Most warblers do not use nest boxes. There are a few, but they will only nest close to standing water, which I do not have. No wonder I am having no luck with warblers. Thanks for steering me in the right direction. Apparently, I need to allow some thickets to grow if I want warblers nesting nearby.