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Except in isolated cases, the minimum height at which to set bird
houses is four to five feet, or even at the height of a fence post. Although
in nature bluebirds nest much higher, they will sometimes adapt themselves to the low placement. Most birds seem to prefer a height of eight
to twelve feet or more from the ground for their houses. The table at
the end of this text will give you recommendations for placement, as
well as other information on building houses for specific species. If you
are troubled with squirrels-they often steal eggs and rip up the nests-
or with neighborhood cats, the answer may be to place the house in the
open where it will be beyond leaping distance from trees or buildings.
Neither cats nor squirrels can climb a pipe, and their jumping capacities
are limited, too.
. . . building the house
If you are buying new wood, the best kinds are cypress, cedar, and
redwood. White pine and poplar may also be used. Purchase the 1-inch
thickness (note that the finished size is less than that, when you are
making your measurements and preparing to cut the wood) except if
plywood is to be used, when 1/2-inch or 3/4-inch may be bought. (Thickness
measurements in plywood are reasonably exact.) All woods will last
longer if they are treated with preservatives, and if aluminum or brass
screws and non-rusting nails are used. Similarly, if hinges are required,
try to purchase non-rusting types. Countersinking screws and puttying
all holes will also make a better-looking and longer-lasting bird house or
shelter.
Two coats of stain or paint should be given initially, and repainting
of the houses should be done every three or four years, oftener if necessary, to keep the structures in good condition. Yearly cleaning of the
houses to remove nesting materials will help to keep them attractive to
birds. Although many bird lovers take their houses down and store
them indoors in winter, it is recommended that they be left out as winter
shelters, particularly in cold regions. On cold nights many birds will
enter houses, often piling up on top of each other to keep warm, even
if the house is not the type they would use for nesting.
Several types of cleanouts are shown in the accompanying sketches.
They may be adapted to any of the houses shown in the design pages.
When you have cleaned the house, it may be well to take it down and
paint it so that it will withstand winter moisture better, and also to be
certain that the paint smell will have dissipated long before spring
nesting time.
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