Are You a Good Landlord for Nesting Birds?
All last spring and summer customers told us about the birds that nested and raised young in their yards. Some birds like cardinals, robins and hummingbirds built open nests in tree branches and in bushes. Others built their nests in tree cavities or in nesting boxes/bird houses. These birds include woodpeckers, bluebirds, wrens and chickadees. Having birds nest in your yard is quite a thrill, but if they nested in your house(s), it’s time to clean them so their ready for this year’s nesting birds.
First you will need to take the houses down and while wearing gloves remove all the nesting material and scrape out any feces that may have accumulated on the walls or floor. Use a plastic bag to dispose of this matter. Dirty bird houses can attract rodents, mites and bacteria that can be hazardous to baby birds.
Next, you will want to scrub the house with a solution of one part chlorine bleach and ten parts hot water. Once clean, rinse the house with hot water to make sure all the bleach solution is removed. Before you reinstall the house, let it dry thoroughly in the sun. This last step will ensure that no mold or mildew grows on the inside of the house.
Now you will be ready to welcome this year’s bird tenants!
If you are interested in putting up a bird house, here is a link to all our houses https://order.wbu.com/sudbury/bird-baths-&-houses/bird-houses-&-nesting
By the way, the nest in the photo was built by House Wrens who build a platform of sticks and then top that with soft material such as feathers, grasses and sometimes mosses.