Your Birdhouse Ready for Nesting Season this Spring? New and Old Birdhouse Tips

What to consider when you get a new Decorative birdhouse or Nesting box

• Determine what songbird or birds you want to attract. Take a look at Birdhouse Dimensions chart to make sure you know the specifications of the birdhouse you want


• When building or buying birdhouses make sure one side is on hinges. This door will provide easy access for cleaning and monitoring. Door on hinges reduces the possibility of disturbing any nest when checking


• Mount or hang your birdhouse in the best location (see chart) for the bird you are trying to attract. Follow these guidelines when mounting your birdhouse


• Become familiar with the materials and nesting seasons of the bird you are trying to attract (See Bird Nesting Chart)


• Keep your Birdfeeders filled with food and a birdbath with plenty of fresh water


• Remember it may take some time maybe even years before a pair of birds will use your birdhouse. But once your birdhouse is found many birds will use it for years to come

What to do this spring with the decorative birdhouse or nesting box already mounted in your backyard

• Look for evidence of growing fungus or parasites. Clean thoroughly as detailed below
  Look for evidence of birds, cats, mice or squirrels that may have used your birdhouse over the winter. Repair any damage.


• Check specifically for loose wood chips and exposed nails. Remove or repair so that birds do not get injured.


• Nesting birds could produce offspring more than once in a season and cleaning out nest boxes in between should be done
  
• Cleaning your decorative birdhouse or nesting box in the Spring (details)
  
• Keep eye out for House sparrows or European Starlings. They can become a nuisance and cause quite a problem to songbirds trying to make their home in your backyard. You can avoid this primarily by making sure your entrance holes are the correct size (see details) for songbirds which are too small for these nuisance birds. If you are having a real problem with these birds, visit the websites below.

Go to this website for details on how to deal with the problematic House Sparrow. Remember these particular birds are not native to North American. When discussing this problem no confusion should be made with and other sparrows such as Grasshopper Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, or Song Sparrow. This problem is with HOUSE SPARROWS only.

Go to this website for details on how to deal with the difficult European Starlings. This bird is primarily a problem in the Northeast, particularly New York

Visit my website-YourGardenRetreat.com for decorative birdhouses, birdfeeders, birdbaths, outdoor wooden furniture, windchimes and more for your backyard

Other articles that may interest you :
What you need to know when choosing a birdhouse
5 Elements you Need for Attracting Wildlife to your Backyard
What you need to know about the 39 Most Common Birds in America