Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-04-17

Among the birds which will nest In
boxes or other artificial nesting places
are the barn swallow. robin. chimney
1wift flickers, owls, bluebirds, purple
martins, wrens and chickadees. Besides
these there is q chance Of attracting
the red-headed woodpecker, white
breasted nuthatches and others.
The barn swallow will nest In an old
building or under the caves Of barn
or house If few cleats are nailed hor-
izontally along the side to furnish q
place Of attachment for the nest.
The chimney swifts nest In Mar
shalltown in large numbers In chim-
neys, and could easily be induced to
nest in box built in the shape OF an
old chimney. placed anywhere out OF
reach Of the cats. A few cleats nailed
In the sides will assist the birds. II q
door is left In the box chance can be
obtained to study these interesting
birds. Robins will often nest In rough
boxes or shelves placed under the caves
OF buildings or porches.
Wrens are perhaps the most easily
secured Of all birds. Boxes of any
kind with an opening small enough 10
keep out the sparrows, and placed out
or reach OF cats, are almost sure to at,
1S~>
should be about seven-elghths OF an
inch in diameter, or just about the size
Of q quarter.
F1ickers. owls, or red-headed wood
peckers are easily attracted by boxes
made OF rough implanted lumber. The
openings for these birds should be from
three to three and one-half inches in
diameter. Frank Pellet, Of Atlantic.
has had considerable success with this
method. His boxes were about twelve
inches long by eight inches square.
placed In trees about the house. An
other successful woodpecker house
used in the east Is an imitation hol-
low log. This is made by peeling the
park from limb Of elm four or five
inches in diameter and ten to eighteen
inches long. Sections should be
straight and without knots. A hole IS
made Of size desired for entrance, and
then the bark is peeled off by cutting
a slit the full length Of the section at
the back Of the nest. The top and bot
tom are made by saving pieces about
one inch at the top and bottom of the
peeled limb, and then shaving them
down until the bark can be Tapped
about half an inch and tackled to the
top and bottom. A roof of bark, tin,
or zinc can be put on to make it water
tight, and the nest nailed or screwed In
suitable place.
Chickadees will use an old can. a
box Of any kind, or an empty gourd
The nesting boxes are much the same
as wrens except the opening should be
one and quarter inches in diameter.
Bluebirds are much harder to get in
town, but II once attracted to place
they are apt to make it a permanent
home. The opening in their boxes
should be one and q half inches, other
wise they may be the same as wren
boxes.
A single tenement will usually care
for a colony Of martins. Sometimes
they will come to a single house. which
should be about the same size as a
bluebird box.
Boxes are better Of old weatherbeat-
IN material than freshly placed or
painted lumber. They should face the
south or west in the open, but about
town, In the shelter Of the houses or
trees. the direction Of the opening
makes little difference. Tin houses
should be shaded, but this is not so