Tips and Tricks

Placement

• Placement is critical to which bird you want to attract. Smaller birds prefer a home in the trees for protection. Ground eaters (ones that swoop to the ground for their prey) prefer an open field or edge of woodland area. Arial eating birds (those that catch their prey in flight) prefer a house on the edge of woodland area.
• Avoid placing the birdhouse in oak trees if gypsy moths are present in your area.
• Hanging the birdhouse on a line will allow for swaying, thus less likely to be taken over by the more aggressive house sparrow and starling.
• Birds, with the exception of purple martins, are not social. Hang houses at a distance of 20-25 feet from each other or back to back.
• Houses can be hung at any time, as the more weathered the better but they should be out by February in the south and March in the north to catch the first nesting season.

Predators and Invaders

• Hang from limbs or mount on poles. Limbs will allow for swaying to discourage other birds. Mount to poles if predators are an issue as this allows for ease of adding predator guards.
• Adding predator guard to entrance. If squirrels are opening your entrance holes a simple piece of metal of tin placed around the entrance hole should deter them.
• Snakes – Lather pole or wire with Vaseline or hot red cayenne pepper.
• Inspect houses for signs of gypsy moths, blow flies, wasp ants, gnats and bees. You can prevent wasps and bees from attaching their nest to the interior of the house by coating the inside of the roof with a bar of soap.

Upkeep / Landlord Responsibilities

• A few wood shavings placed inside the hole will act as a welcome mat for your birds, letting them know the house is safe. 
• Bird houses should be thoroughly cleaned once a year to remove old nest materials and to make sure the house is ready for the new year. The best time to do this is before February in the south and before March in the north depending upon your nesting season.
• The home should be accessible so you can see how your birds are doing and clean, monitor and evict unwanted tenants such as sparrows, starlings, rodents, snakes and insects.
• If using an insect spray, assure the spray is bird friendly with no more than 1% rotenons or pyrethrin spray.
• If you are cleaning out mouse contaminated houses, your risk of becoming infected may be small, but proper precautions should be followed to prevent infection. Wearing a good quality dust mask and disposable gloves wet down the mouse nest and house with a 5% bleach solution or other household disinfectant to deactivate any virus and prevent dust from becoming air born.
• Purple martin entrance holes are large. You need to plug the hole after nesting to prevent
  other animals from using the nest in the off season.
• It’s a good idea while cleaning to do a quick spray with a clear coat to help preserve
  colors. Make sure it has at least two weeks before nesting season to air out any
  fumes that may linger.