Clean Them Out Before They Start Building
If you’ve kept your nesting boxes up during the winter for roosting you may already have noticed some of your birds coming by and checking them out. I’ve already got a pair of bluebirds and a some chickadees who are checking to make sure everything’s ready for them. That’s my clue to do the same.
Here’s what I recommend:
- Clean out any old nesting materials and wood chips from the boxes.
- Get a bucket of warm water with a 10% bleach solution and clean them inside and out to sanitize and kill any parasites.
- Prop the door open to let them dry completely.
- Put them up and wait for the fun to begin.
- Provide nesting material to give them a head start.
Other Notes
If you have squirrels, make sure to not put them up too close to any trees and use baffles around the poles to keep them out.
After Your Nest Boxes Are Up
In a word, pay attention. Pay attention to the birds that are taking an interest in them. It wasn’t until I actively discouraged sparrows and starlings that I had my first bluebird nesting. I’ll talk more about that in a later post but for now I would recommend monitoring your nest boxes and removing anything placed in them by either of these two species. They don’t need your help to grow their numbers like bluebirds and others like them do. Their populations are already completely out of control.
Have You Had Success With Your Current Nesting Box?
If not, consider getting a different type of nesting box this year to see if the male will be able to sell the new digs to his lady friend.
Or maybe look at moving the box to a different location. There may have been something that spooked them where it was before. Boxes should be located where birds feel they can watch them easily from above and evacuate to safety quickly if they need to.
Above all, keep your eyes open and adjust to what you see and you’ll have a great time watching your backyard friends building nests and raising young this year.
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