Birdfeeders

There are some basic things to know before putting up a birdhouse. The first thing is to identify the bird or birds you want to attract to your birdhouse. Different species require different size birdhouses with different size openings. If you aren’t sure what species you have, an all-purpose birdhouse with a hole diameter of 1.5 inches will attract most small hole-nesting birds. After picking a birdhouse, the next decision is where to put it. When we put up our first bird house, we made the mistake of putting it so far from the house that we couldn’t observe the goings and comings of birds - no fun at all. While we want them close enough to watch, we also want to be sure they are safe. Do not put a birdhouse on a tree! The biggest reason to avoid trees is the raccoon. They are smart and will figure out how to raid a birdhouse in a tree very quickly. Snakes will also find it (I know it’s creepy, but it’s true!). This is also true of fence posts. While visiting Santa Fe, we took a train ride out in the surrounding countryside where there had been an extensive project of putting up bluebird houses. They had mounted hundreds on fence posts. After discovering how easily these houses were raided, they had to go back and remount them all on poles. The easiest solution is a galvanized metal pipe. We bought an eight foot long one with a diameter under one inch. Bury it two feet in the ground so it will be solid and sturdy, even in strong winds. This gives you a six foot pole to mount the birdhouse on. This will keep it safe from predators. Be sure to place it away from trees or other jumping off places.