If in the spring you have placed a bird cage in the backyard garden or in the forest, which was happy with its inhabitants this year, then now, before the onset of winter, is the last moment to inspect it and check its technical condition. By cleaning the cage regularly, its practical life can be extended even several times.
Houses for chickadees and starlings
For many nature lovers, bird watching is an interesting and educational activity. Waiting for winter, surely not one person has placed a bird feeder near their house, on the balcony or by the window, even in the city, and is waiting when, when the frost sets in, they will be able to treat the winged creatures and watch what species come for a meal. But while the snow has not yet fallen and the thermometer remains in the pluses, it is time to clean out the bird cages for the birds you have put them in in the spring and in previous years. These works can be done both in the countryside and in the cities.
“If we talk about bird cages intended for small birds, such as titmouses, then we must remember that small birds do not clean their nests. Each time they nest, they build a new nest, regardless of whether the previous year’s nest is already in the cage, so there comes a time when the cage is full. The little birds don’t like it. And a nest built on top of one or more old nests is easier for different ones to reach predators, such as cats or martens, which can threaten baby birds,” says the ornithologist, JSC Latvian State Forests environmental expert Aigars Kalvāns.
In addition, various parasites tend to multiply in the old nest materials: fleas, bloodsuckers, feather gnats, as well as eggshells accumulate, so the entire contents of the cage must be thrown out to eliminate parasites and so that the birds have enough space to build new nests next spring. “For adult birds, these parasites may not be so harmful, but they can be dangerous for their babies. It may even happen that all the baby birds die because of the parasites living in the cage,” explains Aigars Kalvāns.
Fasten the cleaned cage back to the tree or move it to another place if the previous one has become unsuitable for it.
Many have cages for starlings in their backyard gardens. “Unlike chickadees, house starlings clean their cages themselves. Every year in the spring they fly back and remove the old nest materials, however, it would also be desirable to clean these cages and check their condition in the fall, because this way they will not accumulate excess moisture during the winter and you will extend the life of these cages For the sake of safety, it is recommended to inspect the bird cages again in the early spring, even if you have cleaned them after the end of the nesting season. It has happened that in the autumn months, other animals also live in the cages: mice or shrews, which pull leaves, nuts or acorns when making a nest. You can’t just put it on and forget about it. When cleaning bird cages, work must be done with gloves to protect yourself from parasites, as well as if it happens that a mouse has taken up residence in the cage, it should not be an unpleasant surprise,” says Aigars Kalvāns. Do not leave the contents removed from the cages lying on the soil near the tree where the cage is located – it is not only unsightly, but also unhygienic, these remains should not be thrown in the compost either, but placed in a waste container.
It is important that the cage is made correctly
When making or buying a new birdcage yourself, you should choose one that can be opened easily. “It is important that the birdcage has an easily removable roof that allows it to be easily cleaned, but it is necessary to make sure that it does not fall down in a strong wind. It would be good if the roof was made of a durable material, such as tin. The roof of the cage should not be nailed, but attached tie with screws or wire, which would ensure stability, but at the same time it could be easily opened and cleaned.Generally, people like to put new bird cages in the spring, but it can also be done in the autumn. For example, you can see the new cage that you put up in the fall, it is more likely that the birds will already be living in it in the spring predators would not get in. If we put out a cage and a cat is placed in it, we put out a kind of ecological trap or trap for the birds. Before making a bird cage, it is worth looking for different materials that can be easily found on the Internet today,” said Aigars Kalvāns. .
Bird cages also in the forest
Most birds nest in the forest and are an integral part of this ecosystem. The majority of forest-nesting birds are cavity-nesters, which in natural conditions use the hollows of various trees for nesting, but they are also happy to live in man-made cages. Such forest-nesting cave-dwelling species as the great tit, the blue tit and the pied tit live in the forests of Latvia all year round and use the cages as a place to sleep. In nature, there are a smaller number of large cavities, which are chosen as their homes by rare and specially protected bird species: the Ural owl, the short-eared owl, the wood pigeon, the great gaura and others. These bird species can also be helped by placing suitable cages.
In order to reduce the proliferation of various pests in the forest, JSC Latvijas State Forests also manufactures and places several thousand new bird cages every year. Along with the end of the nesting season in the forests, the cleaning of the bird cages and small repairs continue in November. At the same time as cleaning the cages, its defects are also eliminated, for example, broken wires are replaced or a new roof is put on if the old one is broken. In order to know which of the cages have been cleaned, after the work is done, the specialists blow a circle on the side of the tree with the marking paint. Since birds feed on various insects, their larvae, eggs and larvae, by placing a sufficient number of bird cages in the forest, it is possible to significantly reduce the risk of forest pests, rodents and leaf beetles multiplying.
Also in the backyard garden, placing bird cages can significantly reduce the amount of mosquitoes, flies and garden pests near the house.
Source: www.diena.lv
