Having read a great deal of your different questions and answers re the spacing of bird boxes to allow for each species' required territories, I'm curious to find out whther there's an argument for simply providing the maximum number of potential nesting/roosting niches and leaving the birds to choose the spots they fancy? I have empty, clean paint cans, which, screwed to the fence, hidden away in the ivy, I thought might suit robins, and knowing they are extremely territorial, may only have room for maybe no more than 2. Old traditional hanging baskets, lined with coy and moss, I thought might make roosting/nesting hideaways for maybe wrens or long-tailed tits. And more traditional nesting boxes for hedge sparrows in another shrubbery with a nesting box colony up on the house wall for the house sparrows? We also have dunnocks which favour the dense foliage of the pampas grass and goldfinches who boldy build their nests in the privet hedge bounding a busy main road. I would love to make the hedges and shrubbery more finch friendly since their traditional local homes - the hedgerows that recently bounded 3 farms that have now disappeared under brick and concrete housing estates. We barely see the odd greenfinch, chaffinch or bullfinch, where they were abundant 5 years ago. I'd love to hear your opinions and learn from your expertise on my trying to make the most of every nesting opportunity, my garden can afford.
-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
As a wildlife gardener I am seeking ways to improve the wildlife facilities within my garden (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter pamu
- Start date
Hi pamu and a warm welcome to you from me too.
The reason for leaving the "required spaces" is that too many birds trying to raise young in a busy space shared with other birds, can actually cause a lot of stress for the adults, who may fear that the other species could be a threat to their own eggs or young.
It's fine to put a lot of nest spaces close to each other when you're trying to attract colony nesters, such as House Sparrows.
I'm sure you will enjoy it here and I look forward to hearing your news.
The reason for leaving the "required spaces" is that too many birds trying to raise young in a busy space shared with other birds, can actually cause a lot of stress for the adults, who may fear that the other species could be a threat to their own eggs or young.
It's fine to put a lot of nest spaces close to each other when you're trying to attract colony nesters, such as House Sparrows.
I'm sure you will enjoy it here and I look forward to hearing your news.
Montereyman
Well-known member
I use species specific nest boxes with varying degrees of success. Important to have them at the right height and protected from rodents and cats.
You can buy nesting materials and have them available in the spring.
Biggest gain in birds at my house was adding a 24 x 2 inch clay tray for water. Every day I replace the 2 gallons of water in the tray and every other week I disinfect it with a weak bleach solution. There are more than two dozen species using it.
You can buy nesting materials and have them available in the spring.
Biggest gain in birds at my house was adding a 24 x 2 inch clay tray for water. Every day I replace the 2 gallons of water in the tray and every other week I disinfect it with a weak bleach solution. There are more than two dozen species using it.
Similar threads
