birdhouses

[H20fwler]

How do you mount them, other than facing east? Are they on field edges? Mounted on t-posts? How high off the ground?

I think I'll go ahead and build a few this summer. My parents have taken to feeding and watching birds in the winter. I'd like to put winterberry and beautyberry shrubs outside the windows and see if that offers some winter interest.

Most of ours are mounted on T posts, attached with stainless steel wire, they are probably 4’-5’ off ground.
At our house they are around the edges of property and along the orchard.
At the big woods along edge of property and down the middle of pasture. Most are probably 40 to 50 yards apart.
I’ve even attached a few right to the wire cages on fruit trees.

Edit; Let Darcy out for a quick frigid run on this fine morning and snapped a couple pics.

 

[fishin coyote]

I have and maintain 30+ bird boxes. Ranging from small chickadee/wren houses up to wood duck and owl boxes. Most are bluebird boxes. Aesthetically I like Peterson style boxes but have made them in all shapes and forms. As far as mounting I don’t have a preference Tposts , telephone poles , trees, ect. all work. I also tend to put more boxes in an area then recommend unless I’m using power poles along farm fields that way it lessens the competition. Like H2O I use wire to mount them when possible

 

[Telemark]

Most of ours are mounted on T posts, attached with stainless steel wire, they are probably 4’-5’ off ground.
At our house they are around the edges of property and along the orchard.
At the big woods along edge of property and down the middle of pasture. Most are probably 40 to 50 yards apart.
I’ve even attached a few right to the wire cages on fruit trees.

Edit; Let Darcy out for a quick frigid run on this fine morning and snapped a couple pics.

View attachment 88609

View attachment 88610

Is the extra bit around the hole to discourage woodpeckers?

Does some part of it have a hinge for cleaning?

 

[KY wild]

How do you mount them, other than facing east? Are they on field edges? Mounted on t-posts? How high off the ground?

I think I'll go ahead and build a few this summer. My parents have taken to feeding and watching birds in the winter. I'd like to put winterberry and beautyberry shrubs outside the windows and see if that offers some winter interest.

I drive a T post in the ground like 4 to 5 feet above ground, slide a pvc pipe over T post leaving top 15 inches or so of T post uncovered with PVC. I then wire the bird box to the T post, also setting it on top of the pvc (very cheap and quick way to mount. Like H2O bottom pic but with PVC over it, keeps out next robbers better but the birds will use either way but plastic does its job usually. Make hole 1.5 inches for blue birds and look up box dimensions. Bluebirds don't like to be in the woods, so out in the open works best. I also get close to 100% use

 

[H20fwler]

Is the extra bit around the hole to discourage woodpeckers?

Does some part of it have a hinge for cleaning?

No, it’s more for discouraging coons, supposed to make it so they can’t reach in.
I don’t know if it works or not, it sure doesn’t hurt or bother the bluebirds. Those boxes were just like that when I got them.
I’ve got a LOT of raccoons around but if boxes aren’t up close to woods they don’t seem to notice or pay attention to them.

I have a few different styles of boxes, all of them are set up so I can just take one drywall screw out to check them or clean. Most of them front panel design of box just swings/pivots up to open after I pull screw.

My wife’s favorite birds are bluebirds and she absolutely loves watching them through spring early summer, sitting at boxes and feeding the chicks… then watching them still feed chicks for a few days after they fledge.