The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1906-11-02
BIRD BOXES.

must be built and put in place for
nests for birds if they are to be used
this year. Birds do not require ex-
pensive nor beautifully flushed struc-
lures for nesting places, but rough
houses such as hollow logs cut across
and boarded at the ends, with hole
in one Of the boards; will serve the
purpose very we'll. 1t is said that if
boxes or houses for birds are arranged
to swing upon string or wire that
wrens and bluebrds will use them.
while the suspicious English sparrow
will avoid them.
In the construction of bird house,
it IS important to bear in mind that
birds enter their. nests from the top
and not from the bottom, as human
bipeds do in entering their abodes.
Therefore the holes in bird boxes
should be at the top, or at least some
distance above the bottom, or at the
middle.
There should be but one opening In
each box, and the size ot Lnis hole must
be in accordance with the siz or kind
OF bird to use it. The wren is the
ouly bird smaller than the English
sparrow, in this state, which nests in
bird houses or boxes, and which will
enter hole 80 small az to keep out
the sparrows. For the cherry little
wrens the hole need not be larger than
one inch in diameter, while the small
est hole through which the sparrow
crowds in one and one-fourth inches.
For bluebirds it must be one and
three-fourths inches in diameter, and
through this the sparrows pass readi-
ly. The way to prevent English
spparrows using boxes designed for
bluebirds is to shoot at the sparrows
stone them or otherwise frighten them
away about nesting time. They be-
come suspicious and are easily driven
away temporarily. After the blue.
birds once really gain possession and
decide to make their home in the box
or house placed for them, they will
fight successfully to protect their
chosen site.
Martins also nest in boxes, and need
an entrance Of at least two inches in
diameter, and an inside box of five or
more inches in each dimension.
The situation for boxes depends up
on the kind of bird for which it is in.
tended. For the wrens it need be but
only few feet above the ground, as
against porch post, or in the low
for ofa tree. For bluebirds it should
be at least eight feet above the ground
as under the cave of roof, or in q
post from eight to fifteen feet high.
For the martins the box should be on
post, in rather open place, where
they will have free opportunity for
flying, and it should be from twenty
to twenty five feet or more above the
ground. Since the martins are soci.
able birds and nest and live in colo
,nies it is we'll to have at least four
rooms or nesting places for each box
or house.
Sections.of logs containing aban-
doned woodpeckers' holes make good
places for the nests of certain kinds of
birds. Among these are not only the
downy woodpecker and sometimes the
twrens, but also the chickadees and
uutthatches. In those regions where
these birds nest it is advisable to put
up boxes and. also clean out holes in
the limbs ofold apple trees for them
and such. other very beneficial birds
as thealittie owls and bluebirds, and
other kinds that nest in such places.
1t is also: well to leave a few dead
posts or branches in the grove or
orchard to afford nesting sites for the
woodpeekers and fickers, which are
among our most beneficial BIRDS
Monthly Bulletin.