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Common mistakes that keep birdhouses unoccupied

A birdhouse showing a bird feeding its youngBird-watching is a popular hobby and many people find that putting up a birdhouse helps attract more birds to their yard. It can be very entertaining to watch as a brooding pair takes up residence and a bird family takes shape in the home you have provided. There are few more frustrating feelings, however, than that of waiting season after season for your birdhouse to become a home with no results. If you are stuck in this birdhouse purgatory, consider the following possible mistakes you could be making:

1.  A perch near the hole
Many bird houses feature a perch of some sort, whether meant to be of use to the house's inhabitants, or just for decoration. However, birds that use natural nesting cavities rarely, if ever, choose entrances with a nearby perch. Instead, they choose nesting holes that they can fit in and out of easily without the help of a perch, which only serves to attract predators. Using the foothold provided by a perch, other birds or small mammals will be able to see and reach inside the nest, hoping to come away with a prize of eggs or hatchlings.
 
2.  A birdhouse accessible to cats
If your birdhouse is mounted lower than six feet from the ground or from any surface on which a cat could stand, you may find yourself on hand for a spectacular show of feline hunting. A very strong or agile cat may be able to leap even farther than six feet, and after silently positioning itself within striking distance of a nesting hole, will make short work of any bird that enters or exits without extreme caution.

3.  An improperly designed birdhouse
Many bird species can be quite particular about their nesting cavities. The shape and dimensions of a house's interior, as well as the materials and supplies used in its manufacture, can deter many a potential inhabitant. Some species prefer a certain size entrance hole or a specific ceiling angle, while in general all birds tend to shy away from homes in which there is a strong scent of paint, stain, or sealant.
 
4.  Leftover nests
It may seem logical and even helpful to leave old nesting materials or even an entire nest from seasons past inside your birdhouse. Most birds, however, much prefer to start their nests from scratch in an empty cavity. Even if a brooding pair returns to nest in the same spot each season, they may choose to seek other lodging if they come back to find that their old home has not been cleaned, which can make it much more difficult to prepare a fresh nest.
 
5. An improperly placed house
Some birds prefer to nest under eaves, some in trees, and some on poles, among other common places. If birds refuse to use the house in your yard, it could be for the simple reason that there are no species in the area that are likely to nest in the spot where you have placed it. The best solution to this problem is to familiarize yourself with the species of birds that frequent your yard, and put a house in a spot that is suitable to their liking.

Remember, the better you know the birds that frequent your yard, the better you can provide for them!

Copyright © Sarah on NiceAnswers.com 2017

Editor's Note: You might also want to check out these additional links to more bird house problems, how to protect back yard birds from cats, and choosing the right birdhouse .
 
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