Evening star., 1949-01-21
This and That
By Charles Z. Trdce1Uell

How high should birdhouses be placed?
This is question that always comes up at
this time of year, when the thoughts of many
persons turn toward making houses for the
birds.
1t will not do, they believe, to stick them
up just any old place, and they are right
Better results-that is, more nesters-are
secured when the house placement is approxi-
mately right.
So, for best results put up the house as fol-
lows:
Flicker house, to 20 feet above the ground
Red-headed woodpecker, to 10 feet above
ground.
Downy woodpecker to IS feet above.
Hairy woodpecker, to % feet.
Crested fycatchers, 8 to 20 feet.
Tree swallow, 5 to Is feet, In open.
Chickadee, 5 to IS feet.
Titmouse, to IS feet
Nuthatch, - to 20 feet.
Wren, S to 10 feet
Robin shelf, to IS feet
Carolina wren, S to 10 feet.
Startling, to 20 feet
Common sparrow, IS feet and up
Bluebrd, to 10 feet, the lower the better
Martin at least 20 feet high, in open
Some persons may be surprised that starlings
and English sparrows get into the list.
Both these birds eat many harmful insects
thus helping in gardening and besides, there
are some persons who admire them, as strange
as that may seem to others.
Then too, one thinks of deep city conditions,
where 1t Is sometimes impossible to have any
other birds besides starlings and sparrows
The lower a sparrow box, the less likely they
will take to it. That is why the bluebird house
should be put low, to keep the common SPAR
rows out since the entrance to the bluebrd
house is ~ inches, Just the proper size for
sparrows.
The crested f1ycatcher house is just right,
in case you want to cater to starlings
The fycatcher house is one of the four
standard houses. 1t has a large entrance, 2
inches in diameter, and this, of course, will
admit OF almost anything in the feathered line,
at least almost anything the average yard is
likely to have
Even a squirrel. with a little gnawing, can
make that just right
The flycatcher house has a floor by 6
inches. In depth it should be about to 10
inches. If you have an orchard, or even an
apple tree, put it there.
Drape an old discarded snakeskin on it, for
best results. For some reason, fycatchers like
such ornamentation. Even a bit of the skin
sticking out of the entrance is said to provide
almost irresistible lure to a hycatcher
Another standard house-and this is, indeed,
a big one, is that for the flicker It should
have floor by inches and be about l8
inches deep, with the entrance inches in
diameter, placed about 2 inches from the top.
This is regulation for most birdhouses, except
for martin apartments, when the entrance is
near the bottom.
The little wrenhouse is everybodys favorite
Nice ones may be purchased at some drug
stores for as little as rs cents, or 40 cents, we
forget which.
But If you want to make one, do so accord
ing to the following measurements: Floor, 4
by 4; depth, to inches hole above floor,
5 or inches; diameter of entrance inch.
The last standard house is for the bluebird:
Floor, by inches; depth. inches: diameter
of entrance, 1h inches; hole above floor, 6
inches.
Two you may like to attempt to attract are
those perfect BIRDS the black-capped chickadee
and the equally famous tufted titmouse. The
chickadee house: Floor by 4; Depth to
10 inches; entrance. Ia inches; hole above
floor, to 8 inches The titmouse house is
the same, except that the diameter of the en-
trance is IL inches Both houses should be
covered with bark, for best results.
Properly made and properly placed houses
may or may not attract what one desires.
The fun is in the making. If that fact is kept
in mind no one will be disappointed-not
even the birds.