Hi everyone,
I'm new to birding and need some help/advice. Chickadees moved into a birdhouse in my yard and had a nest of babies--all seemed to be going well but I got scared when I saw nearby sparrows starting hang out above their birdhouse and when I saw one come out of the hole I installed some hanging fishing line with nuts tied to the end (hung it from my roof about 6" in front of the birdhouse.) Shortly thereafter the chickadees quit coming to the house..I don't know if it was because of the fishing line or because of the sparrows, but the poor babies ended up dying and I feel heartsick.
Any advice on how to keep other birds out of the chickadee houses? This house has a 1 1/4" hole which I see now is too big. Should I do 1" or 1 1/8" hole? It almost seems like a sparrow could still get in 1 1/8".
Thanks in advance.
I'm new to birding and need some help/advice. Chickadees moved into a birdhouse in my yard and had a nest of babies--all seemed to be going well but I got scared when I saw nearby sparrows starting hang out above their birdhouse and when I saw one come out of the hole I installed some hanging fishing line with nuts tied to the end (hung it from my roof about 6" in front of the birdhouse.) Shortly thereafter the chickadees quit coming to the house..I don't know if it was because of the fishing line or because of the sparrows, but the poor babies ended up dying and I feel heartsick.
Any advice on how to keep other birds out of the chickadee houses? This house has a 1 1/4" hole which I see now is too big. Should I do 1" or 1 1/8" hole? It almost seems like a sparrow could still get in 1 1/8".
Thanks in advance.