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Where you locate your
birdhouses and how you mount them is very important to the level of success that you will have in
attracting wild birds to your birdhouses and keeping them safe and happy there.
Here are a few tips:
For sparrows or finches locate the birdhouse on trees or buildings: 10' - 20' high.
For woodpeckers or juncos locate the birdhouse on tree trunks: 12' - 20' high.
Keep all birdfeeders and birdbaths as far away from
your birdhouses as possible Some species of birds that visit the feeder or bath may
also attack the nest site.
Protection from cats:
Mount your birdhouse above a cat's leaping range and install a predator barrier. Poles, posts and trees can be fitted with an
aluminum or plastic sleeve that will prevent the traction of cat claws. It must be installed at least five feet above
the ground level. You can also place metal pie pans to serve as baffles on the wire to foil
intruders.
Mounting your bird house:
If you hang a bird house or bird feeder from a tree, wrap the branch with cloth or an inner tube where you attach the wire to the
branch to prevent damage to the tree. Make sure the branch is strong enough to support the
item.
Choosing a suitable post:
Use either metal or wood (square or round pressure treated lumber or cedar).
Set the post at least 18" into the ground using a post-hole digger and add gravel to the bottom of the hole
if using wood. Concrete isn't necessary, but pack the soil well around the
base of the pole. The top of a short metal pipe can be threaded to fit a floor flange attached to the
bottom of your birdhouse or feeder. Wooden posts can be easily reinforced with metal "L" brackets or wooden triangular braces at the top.
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