Part 4

The various species of wrens occupy more or less the whole country from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The wren is one of our most friendly birds and his presence should be encouraged about every farm, village, and suburban residence.

THE WOODPECKER.

The woodpeckers are the true bird carpenters and do a great amount of good in destroying harmful insects and boring worms.

These birds are found most everywhere in the United States, several species remaining in the northern States throughout the year.

Two of the best known woodpeckers, the hairy woodpecker and the downy woodpecker, range over a greater part of the United States.

One of the larger woodpeckers familiar to us all is the flicker, or golden winged woodpecker.

Most all of the woodpeckers will adopt the artificial house, especially those hollowed out of a split piece of limb.

BIRD HOUSE MATERIAL.

Great varieties of houses can be constructed of half inch lumber and can be made very attractive to the eye. Other material, however, can be utilized.

The most natural Bird Homes, and such as may often be provided with the least trouble, are pieces of hollow limbs or small hollow trunks of trees, or the old nesting holes of woodpeckers. If no limbs with suitable cavities are found, they may be made by taking a piece of a limb, about eight inches in diameter and fourteen to sixteen inches long, dividing it in half, with a rip saw, from one end to within three inches of the other, where the cut is met by a right-angle cut from the side. After this an entrance hole of the required size is made through the shorter or front half.

The two halves are hollowed out, as shown in Plate 19A, so as to form a cylindrical cavity about three and one-half inches in diameter and ten inches deep; then the two halves are placed together and held with screws or bolts. A similar Bird Home is made by boring an auger hole from one end of a piece of limb to within a couple inches of the other, plugging the bored end, and making an entrance hole near the other end. These homes are adapted to woodpeckers, bluebirds, house wrens, chickadees and tree swallows. A little larger home of the same type is required for crested fly catchers and decidedly larger ones for the flicker.

A good sized, deserted flickers’ home or similar cavity provides a nesting place attractive to the screech owl.

A piece of wooden tubing from a chainpump, with the ends plugged, and an entrance made in the side near the upper end, the tube being covered with bark, makes a very good substitute for a hollow limb.

If old and weather stained boards are used in making the box houses, bark covering is not absolutely necessary, but it adds to the attractiveness, from both the birds’ and the human standpoint, and bark affords a good foothold for the birds as they alight at the entrance. Woodpeckers especially should have bark covered exteriors to their homes.

Dried gourds, hollowed out, and with an opening made for an entrance, often attract wrens and bluebirds.

While tin cans may be used, it is not desirable, in the author’s opinion to make use of this medium as tin becomes very hot in the sun. If cans are used, care should be taken to place them in shaded places. Flower pots inverted, as illustrated in Plate 19, are suitable for some of the smaller birds.

The old fashioned chimney having been replaced by the modern chimney with small flues, the chimney swifts may be provided with suitable nesting quarters by building on the roofs of barns or sheds, artificial chimneys of wood.

Birds may not always respond promptly to the first attempt at placing a Bird Box, but the would-be landlord must not get discouraged.

Prepare some Bird Homes in as attractive a manner as possible, keep a supply of water for bathing and drinking at hand, and prevent their being disturbed. Then watch for the results that are almost sure to come.

Persistent and intelligent effort will bring ultimate results, which will be sure to reward the attempt. Experience is the best teacher.

METHODS OF FINISHING EXTERIORS.

As has been before stated, the best finish for the outside of our Bird Houses is bark.

The writer has experimented with various kinds of bark and has obtained the best results with the bark from the cedar.

It is rough enough for the birds to obtain a good foothold upon, it is very artistic in appearance, cuts and bends very easily and can be held with four ounce tacks.

A word should be said here about obtaining this bark, as it should never be taken from the living tree. Cedar posts are used very much for supports in building and most any contractor or mill man has quantities on hand. These posts most always must have the bark removed, especially the part to show above ground, and the owners, I have found, are glad to have the boys remove the bark from them. Sometimes a fallen cedar will be found in the woods and from it may be obtained all the bark necessary for a number of boxes.

If the whole Bird Box is not to be bark covered it is a good plan to see that the roof is protected by bark.

The remaining portions of the house should be stained or painted a very somber color, such as dull gray, brown, or dark green. Avoid all gloss paints as they reflect light and tend to drive away rather than attract the birds. Bright colors should also be avoided. A nicely constructed Bird Box painted a brilliant red with yellow trimmings or some other equally absurd combination such as the writer has seen, is a travesty on proper Bird House construction. Gloss paints can be dulled by adding turpentine.

Painted or stained houses should be put out at least a month or more before the time for the birds to arrive. This is to weather them and remove all odors. It is a good plan to put out Bird Boxes in the fall if possible, and they are then in excellent shape for spring use. Do not paint or stain Bird Boxes on the inside.