Do you want to help the birds? Now is the best time!
The nesting boxes in which the birds will nest this year should be installed in February. It’s best to do so now, before starlings, hoopoes, redstarts, flycatchers and cinderellas arrive from their wintering grounds, Dr. Marian Stój, an ornithologist from Jasło (Podkarpackie Voivodeship), told PAP.
As he noted, ‘by hanging nesting boxes we help birds; especially where there are no natural tree cavities.” – This mainly applies to young orchards, forests and cities – explained the naturalist.
– Before we do this – noted Dr. Stój – remember that in areas where there are martens, squirrels or dormice, the opening of the box must be additionally secured.
What to make a birdhouse out of?
We hang them in places protected from the wind and excessive heating by the sun. For tits, at a height of about two meters from the ground, for starlings, four-six meters, and for owls, eight-ten meters.
In turn, for the cinderella and gray flycatcher, we hang semi-open boxes, preferably on buildings under the eaves of the roof. – emphasized the ornithologist.
He added that “the best building material are coniferous tree boards.”
According to the naturalist, “it is better to hang the boxes in autumn.”
The idea is for the birds to find them and get used to their appearance – said the naturalist.
Nesting boxes can be attached to trees, buildings, perches or poles.
Man has been building artificial bird nests since the dawn of time. In the 19th century, structures appeared to facilitate nesting for birds, mainly for cognitive and aesthetic purposes. Back then, the singing of birds at the booths made people’s lives more pleasant.
However, in the next century, nesting boxes were hung primarily to protect forests and orchards against harmful insects that birds eat. “Nowadays, the boxes are hung to protect the birds, as there are fewer and fewer old hollow trees. We also hang them for the beautiful singing of birds,” noted Dr. Stój.
