SNEAK PEAK:
Attracting Birds
Birds are great fun to watch. You
could think of them as wild pets. In addition to
entertainment,
remember that
birds also help
control insect
populations,
pollinate flowers and disperse seeds. Birds are important to a healthy environment.
Birds bring hours of enjoyment and education to your family.
Getting Started
First, take a look at your lawn and garden from a bird's eye view. Ask yourself:
• Are there places for shelter and nesting? Birds need protection from inclement weather and predators. Trees, vines, shrubs and hedges are inviting environments for nesting birds.
• Is there food and water? A combination of natural food sources and bird feeders will attract a variety of birds all year long. A year-round supply of clean water is also essential.
Shelter and Habitat
Shelter is vital to a bird's survival. Essential for nesting and resting, an inviting
habitat
will attract birds. The best shelter is the living kind - shrubs and trees. A mixture of evergreen and deciduous plants
p rovide syearround warmth and protecti on.
Dead trees and limbs can also provide a home for nesting birds. If a dead tree doesn't endanger lives or property, leave it in place for the birds. Plant ivy or a
blooming vine at the base to "disguise" it.
Shelter is especially important during the nesting season. During the spring nesting season (about 6 weeks) provide an environment free from man or other animals. To add or supplement natural habitat, birdhouses are a good choice.
BIRD HOUSE
This simple design will serve all bird-box-nesting species. It is the size of the house and its dimensions that influence which birds you will attract. By making the roof or a side detachable, it will be easy to clean
A B C Type Size of Depth Height of of Floor of Box Entrance Bird
(inches) (inches) above Floor (inches)
D Height Diameter above
of Ground Entrance (feet) Hole
(inches)
Bluebird 5x5 8 6 1-1/2 5-10
Chickadee 4x4 8-10 6-8 1 1/8 6-15
Titmouse 4x4 8-10 6-8 1 1/4 6-15
Nuthatch 4x4 8-10 6-8 2-20 -House Wren
and 4x4 6-8 4-6 1-1 1/4 6-10Bewick's
Wren
Carolina 4x4 6-8 4-6 1 1/2 6-10Wren
Violet-green
Swallow and 5x5 6 1-5 1 1/2 10-15Tree
Swallow
Purple 6x6 6 1 2 1/2 15-20Martin
House Finch6x6 6 4 2 8-12 Starling 6x6 16-18 14-16 2 10-25 Crested 6x6 8-10 6-8 2 8-20Flycatcher
Flicker 7x7 16-18 14-16 2 1/2 6-20 Golden
fronted
Woodpecker 6x6 12-15 9-12 2 12-20 and Red
headed
Woodpecker
Downy 4x4 8-10 6-8 1 1/4 6-20 Woodpecker
Hairy 6x6 12-15 9-12 1 1/2 12-20 Woodpecker
Screech Owl8x8 12-15 9-12 3 10-30 Saw-whet 6x6 10-12 8-10 2 1/2 12-20 Owl
Barn Owl 10x18 15-18 4 6 12-18 American 8x8 12-15 9-12 3 10-30 Kestrel
Wood Duck 10x18 10-24 12-16 4 10-20
Build a better birdhouse
Start with the basic wood shell, then embellish
T his shed-roof birdhouse, sized for small birds such as wrens, chickadees, and bluebirds, incorporates birdfriendly characteristics: the deep overhang, perchless entry, openings for air circulation, and easy access to the interior for cleaning. It's built from rough-sawn redwood, but you can substitute other woods. The birdhouse is based on a design from
Howard Rathlesberger, a member of the California Bluebird Recovery Program: CBRP, 2021 Ptarmigan Dr., Suite 1, Walnut Creek, CA 94595.
TIME: About an hour
COST: About $5
MATERIALS
4 feet of 1-by-6 redwood fencing
25 inches of 1-by-8 fencing
15 1 1/2-inch woodscrews
Two eightpenny nails
You don't have to be a woodworking whiz to build the shell: it requires only straight cuts that you can make with a handsaw, saber saw, circular saw, or table saw. You'll also need an electric drill, drill bits, a 11/4-inch paddle bit, a tape measure, a straight-edged ruler or combination square, and a pencil.
DIRECTIONS
The rough-sawn lumber we used was 7/8 inch thick. The width was 5 7/8 inches for the 1-by-6 and 7 7/8 inches for the 1-by-8. Check the dimensions of your lumber, since it could affect the size of the door and floor pieces.
1. Cut boards to the sizes shown in plan at right. Trim corners off floor piece (for ventilation).
2. Stand the side pieces on their 12-inch-long edges, overlay the back flush to the outside and bottom edges of the sides, and secure it with three woodscrews per side. Note: The tips of the angled sides should extend 1/4 inch above the back to create an air-circulation gap when the roof is added.
3. Position the floor piece between the sides 2 inches from the bottom, and secure to the sides and back, using one screw for each board.
TO BE CONTINUED... Download now and enjoy the contents in full!
