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Craft store birdhouses - do birds use these?
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Posted by kim0201 (My Page) on Fri, Feb 5, 10 at 13:57
| I have a couple of wooden craft store type birdhouses I was given for some decorative painting projects. I haven't painted them yet & do not plan to do so. Before I donate them to Goodwill, I was wondering if any birds might use them if I chose to hang them unfinished in my yard. Has anyone had any experiences w/ these?
The entry hole is approx 1" in diameter & the overall size is 4"x3.5 w/ a height of 8".
If they're useful, I'll put them out; otherwise they will be donated.
Thank you for your thoughts... |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Craft store birdhouses - do birds use these?
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| I build a lot of bird houses, many of which I hang out in the woods. If it was me I would hang them up. If things go well you might make a couple newly wed birds happy. Worst case scenario you end up with two more vacant houses in your neighborhood, but with the present state of the economy I doubt that it will effect property value any more than the rest of the vacant houses on your block, at east they won;t have foreclosure signs out front. |
RE: Craft store birdhouses - do birds use these?
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The only bird I know of that would use a one inch hole is the House Wren. Personally, I would never encourage a House Wren to nest because I try to attract other native birds (Eastern Bluebirds, Tree Swallows, Black-Capped Chickadees, etc.) to my boxes. The House Wren will break the other birds eggs and even toss the chicks. But if you happen to like House Wrens then you could put the boxes out. This is a good page with specifications for nesting boxes.
http://www.sialis.org/nestboxguide.htm |
RE: Craft store birdhouses - do birds use these?
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| I had several of these left over from a girl scout craft project and my husband decided to hang them out in the trees. Every single one has been occupied by a little family of birds. I know that some people don't care for house wrens, but after all, they are part of the bigger family of birds that we are all trying to attract to our yards. My younger children were really thrilled that those little houses were full of little cheeping baby birds when spring came around. |
RE: Craft store birdhouses - do birds use these?
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| Thank you all for your replies. Can't hurt to try so up they will go. And lazypup, I really enjoyed your comments. Very true! :) |
RE: Craft store birdhouses - do birds use these?
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| you can enlarge the hole with a rasp or a saber saw or other tools. you don't want to get it too big or the larger birds will raid the nest but a little larger hole would let the chickadees or other small birds be able to get in and out no perch though cause some other birds might perch and reach in. |
RE: Craft store birdhouses - do birds use these?
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| Yes put them up, just enlarge the hole TO 1.25 OR 1.5, you dont want House Wrens trust us |
RE: Craft store birdhouses - do birds use these?
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| You don't want English sparrows either. |
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