Garden owners usually also have a heart for the feathered tenants. Birdhouses can fulfill various functions here: In winter you can offer food in them. In the summer months, nesting boxes, also known as birdhouses, provide shelter.
How do you install a birdhouse correctly?
To install a bird house correctly, choose a sheltered, semi-shady place, point the entry hole to the southeast and ensure a distance of at least 1.5 meters from predators. Note the height rules for songbirds (1.5-2 m) and other species (3-6 m).
Set up the bird feeder correctly
This birdhouse must not be too small, otherwise there will be competition for food. Set it up like this:
- Choose a place where the immediate surroundings of the feeding area can be clearly seen. This means that predators and domestic cats cannot sneak up on you unnoticed.
- There should be trees in which the birds can find shelter at a distance of around two meters.
- Never hang bird feeders in the immediate vicinity of a window, as the animals cannot recognize the glass, fly into it and injure themselves.
- Place free-standing birdhouses on a smooth plastic or metal tube. Cats can't climb up this one.
- If you want to hang the house in a tree, attach it so that the distance to the trunk is at least 1.5 meters.
Assemble nesting boxes correctly
Even with nesting boxes, it is important that you set them up so that predators and cats cannot reach them. Also pay attention to the following points:
- The birdhouses must be installed so that they do not overheat. A sheltered, partially shaded spot is ideal.
- The entry hole should ideally face southeast.
- Wind and rain must not be able to penetrate the flight opening.
- Young birds need rest. Therefore, do not hang the boxes directly on the garden path or next to the terrace.
- The birds should be able to find shelter in trees near the nesting box.
- You should install birdhouses for songbirds at a height of 1.5 to 2 meters, other nesting aids, depending on the size of the animals, at a height of 3 to 6 meters.
- Always attach the birdhouses to trees with an aluminum nail (€4.00 on Amazon), as this does not harm the wood. Additionally attach a cuff, for example made from an old garden hose. To ensure that the house hangs stably, secure it with a long bar.
- If you would like to offer several birdhouses, a minimum distance of ten meters should be maintained between them.
Tip
If a hanging birdhouse will not be used for two breeding seasons, it is recommended to hang it in another location.
