Keeping Wild Birds Safe from Predators
Article brought to you by Garden Bird Feeder s & Bird Houses UK
When you hang a bird house or bird feeder in your garden you will need to ensure that it is in a safe place and that predators cannot get to the birds or the baby birds in a nesting box. Predators include wasps, ants, yellow jackets, squirrels, snakes and other invasive birds.
Do not have perches in front of the entrance hole. The wild birds do not need perches and it only supplies an easy way for predators to reach into the box and pull out baby birds.
For a bird house that is mounted on a pole a metal baffle will prevent predators from climbing up the pole. You can also place a baffle on a tree trunk if your bird house it attached to the trunk or a tree branch. A metal baffle is preferable as plastic baffles can be chewed.
To prevent the entrance hole being enlarged by predators fit a metal plate with a small entrance hole to the front of the bird house.
Check regularly in the area around the bird house or bird feeder for ants nests. Kill the ants with a method that is not toxic to birds.
For a bird house or feeder mounted on a pole you could slip a large piece of PVC pipe over the pole before mounting. This will prevent predators from climbing the pole.
Always clean up around a bird feeder regularly to prevent ants and other unwanted pests from congregating around uneaten food.
if you have a cat fit her with a collar with a bell to warn the birds.