The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1906-05-19
BIRD BOXES.

The time is at hand when 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 finished 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 well. 1t is said that if
boxes or houses for birds are arrang-
ed to swing upon string or wire that
wrens and bluedirds will use them,
while the suspicious English sparrow
will avoid them.
In the construction ofa 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 of this hole
must be in accordance with the size or
kind of bird to use it. The wren is
the only bird smaller than the Eng
lish sparrow, in this state, which
nests in bird houses or boxes, and
which will enter hole SO small as to
keep out the sparrows. For the
cherry little wrens the hole need not
be larger than one inch in diameter,
while the smallest hole through
which the sparrow crowds is one and
one-fourth inches. For bluebirds it
must be one and three fourths inches
in diameter, and through this the
sparrows pass readily. The way to
prevent English sparrows using box
es designed for bluebirds is to shoot
at the sparrows, stone them or other
wise frighten them away about nest
ing time. They become suspicious
and are easily driven away temporari-
ly. After the bluebirds 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 inch
es in diameter, and an inside box of
FIVE or more inches in each dimen-
sion.
The situation for boxes depends
upon the kind of bird for which it is
intended. For the wrens it need be
but only few feet above the ground,
as against porch post, or in the low
fork of a tree. For bluebirds it
should be at least eight feet above
the ground, as under the cave of a
roof, or in a rather open tree, or upon
a post from eight to fifteen feet high.
For the martins the box should be on
a post, in rather open place, where
they will have free opportunity for
hying, and it should be from twenty
to twenty-five feet or more above the
ground. Since the martins are soci-
able birds and nest aud live in C0f0-
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 gooc
places for the nests of certain kinds
of birds. Among these are not only
the downy wookpecker and sometimes
the wrens, but also the chickadees
and nuthatches. In those regions
where these birds nest it is advisable
to put up boxes and also clean out
holes in the limbs of old apple trees
for them AMI such other very bene6-
cial birds as the little owls and blue
birds, and other kinds that nest in
such places. 1t is also well to leave
few dead posts or branches in the
grove or orchard to afford nesting
sites for the woodpeckers and flick
ers, which are among our most bene-
fetal birds. .-MonthLy Bulletin.