the rules to follow to help birds

Bird populations are not doing particularly well. The number of species is decreasing as much as the number of remaining species. Installing nest boxes can help some! However, make sure to respect certain rules.

Installing a birdhouse or even several can help both sedentary and transient birds. But for the installation to work and above all not to be counterproductive, there are a few rules to respect.

Why install birdhouses?

The search for nesting sites can be an obstacle course for certain species that are demanding in this area. Because yes, depending on the species of bird, their needs are not the same. The modification of our landscapes with the disappearance of hedges or even rural trees has had a negative effect on bird populations which therefore have difficulty finding places to make their nests.

The intensification of urbanization also played a role in the loss of habitat for birds. Some species, such as the peregrine falcon, have been able to adapt to the urban environment, but most are struggling to find their place in a world so profoundly modified by humans.

Installing nest boxes can therefore greatly help the birds to find a place to make their nest to have young. But beyond a shelternest boxes also allow birds to spend less energy to make their nest. However, for a pair of birds, spending less energy creating a nesting place means having more energy searching for food to feed their young!

Nest boxes for which birds?

Each species of bird therefore has its own needs. Some species need relatively large nest boxes, others prefer smaller nest boxes, etc. In reality, each species of bird has its own dedicated nest box. We call this the specific nest box.
The size and shape of the nest box’s flight hole will affect the type of species that will visit your nest box. The same goes for the shape of the nest box because, if it is square and small, it will not attract the same species as if it is rectangular and long!

It exists thus and almost one type of nest box per species of birdfinding out about the nest box you choose is essential.

Finally, note that certain species are not found everywhere in France or in any environment (city birds are not necessarily field birds) and do your research before buying a nest box for a bird that will never pass by by your home.

Also read – Feeding birds: be careful of these foods that are often given and yet toxic

What characteristics do nest boxes have?

Regardless of the type of nest box you choose, there are certain basic rules to follow:

• Favor nest boxes raw wood or, at least, wood thick enough to guarantee a certain form ofthermal insulation.
• Prohibit varnished or glued nest boxes. Chemicals and birds don’t mix very well.
• Avoid poor quality nest boxes which could flee and drown the baby birds which have no capacity to fend for themselves in the first days of their life.
• If you opt for a nest box that is not made of wood, make sure that this nest box “breathes”, that is to say that there is no no condensation humidity inside as this is often fatal for the chicks (diseases, suffocation, etc.)

Other species can come and settle in a nest box. Squirrels, for example, can also find their benefit there, as can certain wasps and other spiders and even lerots.

Biodiversity is respected. If your preference was for a bird, install a second nest box and leave the guests of the first one in peace!

Where to place nest boxes to help birds?

Yes… Not only are our bird friends demanding about their roost, but they are also demanding about their location:

1. Place the nest box minimum two meters in height (this does not apply to a nest box placed on a balcony or terrace).
2. Orient the nest box so that there is no rain falling directly on the flight hole to prevent water from entering the nest box. In general, we therefore orient the nest box to the southeast.
3. Make sure the nest box is not accessible to cats who will not hesitate to come and catch the birds that nest there. Also take care to ensure that these same cats cannot catch the birds as they fly away or return to the nest box.

Different birdhouses – © S Lung

How to maintain nest boxes?

As nest boxes are artificial nesting places, you will need ensure cleaning once a year. The nest box is cleaned before the breeding season of the target species, usually in mid-autumn.

It is then a matter of rinsing it with plenty of water, brushing it if necessary and letting it dry for a few days before reinstalling it. And the circle will be closed for another year of observing these feathered dinosaurs!

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Article updated and republished