When should I put my bird house out?

As Lois Hole used to say about the best time to plant an oak tree (“now, or 20 years ago”), any time through the year is a good time to put up a nesting box. But if you want to attract nesting birds this Spring, now is the time. If you already have nesting boxes, clean them out now so that birds, such as chickadees, who begin to look for nesting spots early, will find clean and sanitized nests when they begin to nest. Typical users of nesting boxes in the city are wrens and sparrows. Chickadees and nuthatches will also use them. Different hole sizes determine which birds will use the box.

Male Wrens will build as many as five nests after their arrival back to our part of the world in the late spring. They are fiesty little birds with a beautiful song. The female will inspect and then choose one of the nests, leaving the other nests abandoned. So if you feel disappointed that your nest was not selected, the male did his best, and together the male and female really only need one nest in the end.

Chickadees will also nest in boxes designed for wrens. While wrens are willing to use a variety of places such as flower pots to build their nests, chickadees prefer nesting boxes. They are cavity nesters and in the wild will excavate a small round hole in a dead tree and remove wood from inside the tree to create space for the nest. For boxes we put up, you can encourage chickadees to nest there if you put sawdust or wood shavings in the bottom of the box. The chickadees prefer to have this material in the cavity, perhaps as it looks more like "home" to them.

How can I help birds survive the cold weather?

Just as we rely on coats, hats and mittens to keep us warm in the face of winter's icy grip, birds employ a number of methods to survive the adversity of winter. And you can help! Food is the most essential element, providing birds with the energy, stamina and nutrition they need.

To stay warm, birds will expend energy very quickly, some losing up to 10% of their body weight on extremely cold nights. Most backyard birds need an ample supply of high-calorie foods such as black oil sunflower, insects and suet to keep up their high metabolic rate during cold snaps. Most songbirds will fill a special storage pouch in the esophagus with food before dark and digest the food overnight.

While birds are equipped to withstand most winter weather, survival can be made easier by providing food, a heated, open source of water and protection from the elements with natural plant cover or a roosting box. We can play a crucial role in helping birds survive when extremely cold conditions occur. At these times, a supply of food can mean the difference between life and death for a bird.

Dave