Are you doing anything for Mosquito control? Swallow houses?

[Ken07AOVette]

I have seen them flying around the last few days and I generally get out and clean out all the houses, but when I saw one on every 3rd fencepost with swallows in them I thought maybe they don't want them cleaned out? What do you do? I have 13 of these in my yard, another half dozen close by. I try to put up a few new ones every year.

[58thecat]

Dragon flies!

We get lots of'em.

I leave mine as is and every year there are birds in them. Replace only when they rot out about every ten years.

[Zip-in-Z]

Custom Built Log House





Apartment Style Bat House

[JareS]

Nice! Good deal for both you and the birds!

To answer your question, some people empty them out and clean with soap in the spring time before the birds arrive back.

Since they’re already here, its just fine to leave them as be. Just don’t clean it out now that they’ve begun rebuilding

[Ken07AOVette]

Generally what happens here is the damn sparrows fill them full of sticks. Bird version of 'we dont want your kind here' I guess.

[expedition]

Cleaning out the houses increases chick survival. Parasites can be present and waiting for a new host! I clean out in the fall !

[expedition]

Originally Posted by Ken07AOVette

Generally what happens here is the damn sparrows fill them full of sticks. Bird version of 'we dont want your kind here' I guess.

if its full of sticks that is probably wrens . Swallows usually grass and feathers ! In my experience

[Sooner]

Turned an old speaker into a bird house. Only one hole never sees a nest. Not sure why. I find if I clean it out or not, the birds come back. 3 speakers boxes left to use but no room lol



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[huntsfurfish]

Originally Posted by Sooner

Turned an old speaker into a bird house. Only one hole never sees a nest. Not sure why. I find if I clean it out or not, the birds come back. 3 speakers boxes left to use but no room lol



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Noisy neighbor.

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by Sooner

Turned an old speaker into a bird house. Only one hole never sees a nest. Not sure why. I find if I clean it out or not, the birds come back. 3 speakers boxes left to use but no room lol



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The nesting box is probably too low. It should be 10 to 20 feet up. Too close to the ground and on the side of a building makes the nests vulnerable to predators which might be why more birds won't nest in the box.

Another thing a person can do for mosquito control is plant lots of these plants around the yard.
Lavender, Marigolds, Citronella Grass, Catnip, Rosemary, Basil and Scented Geraniums.

[Marten1576]

Hey zip n z nice bat box looks new ? Any bats occuping?

[silverdoctor]

Neighbor has a bat box on the side of her house, not helping much. I'm sure I lost a pint today to the little blood suckers.

[Sooner]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

The nesting box is probably too low. It should be 10 to 20 feet up. Too close to the ground and on the side of a building makes the nests vulnerable to predators which might be why more birds won't nest in the box.

Another thing a person can do for mosquito control is plant lots of these plants around the yard.
Lavender, Marigolds, Citronella Grass, Catnip, Rosemary, Basil and Scented Geraniums.

All rooms but one and the house beside have active nests on that shed Doesn't look like the sparrows mind. I plan to add onto that shed wall so higher is in the works.

[Marten1576]

Originally Posted by Sooner

All rooms but one and the house beside have active nests on that shed Doesn't look like the sparrows mind. I plan to add onto that shed wall so higher is in the works.

Any idea what species of bird ?

[FCLightning]

Nest boxes are paired up all around the place - I put them in pairs because the tree swallows and bluebirds will not compete for territory with each other and will nest side by side. 11 pairs of boxes out - 11 boxes occupied by tree swallows and more birds around than that - will need to find space for more boxes next spring. Only one pair of bluebirds - same box that they nested in last year, but we had two pair nesting in the yard last year and all their offspring hanging around for fall migration so not sure what happened to all the others.
Have had a bat house up for 3 years now - haven't seen a bat in it yet.
Put up a purple martin house last year - haven't seen a purple martin yet but hoping they will show up one day.

[Lornce]

What size entrance hole for swallow houses?

[oilngas]

I clean out the "house wrens" boxes every fall, disinfect with spray, re linseed oil and store for spring. In spring I add shavings, supposedly this helps young birds leave the box, wish I'd thought of that with kids (kidding), supposedly cedar shavings work best due to mild toxic properties, (mites). If I put in tooo many shaving, the wren take em out. It seems that wrens like two or three nest boxes, they choose one but build a sort of nest in the others. Just my observations, the male showed up Sat., and that about 5 days early this year.

The wrens are merciless to the sparrows and swallows who would invade, I love their pluck, and they are constantly on the roses etc. looking for food.

[FCLightning]

Originally Posted by Lornce

What size entrance hole for swallow houses?

1 9/16 Will allow bluebirds and tree swallows in but prevent starlings from entering. Bluebirds will prefer a 1 5/8 entrance but then starlings Can get in and kill the bluebirds tree swallows and build on top of them


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Lornce]

Originally Posted by FCLightning

1 9/16 Will allow bluebirds and tree swallows in but prevent starlings from entering. Bluebirds will prefer a 1 5/8 entrance but then starlings Can get in and kill the bluebirds tree swallows and build on top of them


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks

[Ken07AOVette]

I generally go 1 3/8" but read today 1 1/2"

A properly designed and constructed Tree Swallow nest box has an entrance hole of 1 1⁄2 inches in diameter. Tree Swallow nest boxes should never have a perch on the outside. The birds do not need them and they may attract undesirable European starlings and house sparrows.

I take a nail and scratch footholds across under the hole for them. I am going to do them inside too now

[KegRiver]

I try to clean out all the nest boxes I've made. To control parasites.

I don't clean out the nest holes the birds make but I do note that the birds don't use them two years in a row, I suspect because of ticks and such that overwinter in the nest material.

The do use the holes again, after a year vacant.

Bats do more for mosquito control from what I've read but the birds do make a difference and besides I like having them around.

I have had no luck attracting bats so far but I have two pairs of Swallows, a Phoebe, a couple of pairs of Robins and a pair of Flickers nesting in my yard so far.
I expect the ducks will nest here again as will several species of Sparrow, no House Sparrows, and an assortment of Warblers and such.

I know I never find all the nests and often I don't find them until fall, long after the occupants have moved on. I don't look for nests, I don't want to disturb any nest.

Oh there is a Raven pair nesting across the road from us. The keep the Hawks out so they too are welcome.

[Au revoir, Gopher]

I just use my wife as bait, for some reason the mosquitoes prefer her.

Planning on building some bird houses and bat boxes, just need to find some time...

ARG

[FCLightning]

Originally Posted by Ken07AOVette

Tree Swallow nest boxes should never have a perch on the outside. The birds do not need them and they may attract undesirable European starlings and house sparrows.

Starlings should not be a problem with 1 1/2" holes, but bluebirds will have trouble using the box.
The perches are a real problem in that they allow magpies to sit outside and reach their head in through the hole to feast on the young.

[wolf308]

What the heck are we talking about ? Bolt and wrench sizes or something about birds butt hole sizes.

Some of you are just sick

[wolf308]

Originally Posted by wolf308

What the heck are we talking about ? Bolt and wrench sizes or something about birds butt hole sizes.

Some of you are just sick

Play tweet tweet somewhere else

[wolf308]

Lol. Oops. 17 more of these and then I can put up objects for sale.

[Pixel Shooter]

Stick with the 1 3/8’s. Sparrows are their worst enemy and can easily get in 1 1/2” hole. Even with the smaller hole I have dead babies or parents in boxes every year. Hence another good reason to clean boxes. They are my nemesis. Been doing great job in shooting all the sparrow males as they are the dominant and raise havoc. Seem to have them under control for the first time this year. God i luv my weinrauch lol

My boxes all full for weeks now. I always empty mine as it’s part of their mating ritual. Up to 20 boxes and man i have twice that flying around. Very cool to watch. Been trying to establish purple Martin colony this year. Fingers crossed

If u seriously want better mosquito control as someone said add bat boxes, they eat incredible amount per day and encourage dragon flies

Originally Posted by Ken07AOVette

I generally go 1 3/8" but read today 1 1/2"

A properly designed and constructed Tree Swallow nest box has an entrance hole of 1 1⁄2 inches in diameter. Tree Swallow nest boxes should never have a perch on the outside. The birds do not need them and they may attract undesirable European starlings and house sparrows.

I take a nail and scratch footholds across under the hole for them. I am going to do them inside too now

[FCLightning]

Originally Posted by Pixel Shooter

Stick with the 1 3/8’s. Sparrows are their worst enemy and can easily get in 1 1/2” hole.

I am sort of partial to trying to help the Mountain Bluebird population so all my boxes are set in pairs (16' apart)t o accommodate territorial needs of both species and all holes are 1 9/16" so both species can use. As per the research at the Ellis Bird Farm at the Joffre Chemical Plant.
Reducing hole size is not effective at controlling House Sparrows - shooting or trapping is the only real option.

Exclusion
Starlings cannot squeeze through a hole smaller than 1 1/2”, so an entrance hole of this size or smaller will exclude starlings from boxes intended for smaller birds. House Sparrows can fit through entrance holes as small as 1 1/4”; therefore, most cavity-nesting songbirds using nest boxes are vulnerable to House Sparrow competition. There currently is no scientifically-documented way to exclude House Sparrows that works permanently

[FCLightning]

The new Martin house is occupied. Now if I could just get the bats to show up - 4 years and nothing in the house yet.

[Scott h]

Originally Posted by FCLightning

The new Martin house is occupied. Now if I could just get the bats to show up - 4 years and nothing in the house yet.

That is an amazing bird house !!!