| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 651.1 | Break their teeth | ROCKS::ROBINSON | Seasonally adjusted | Thu Mar 13 1997 08:12 | 12 |
| Perches are not necessary so saw them off anyway - you don't see birds
at a natural nest perching right by the hole, that's a dead giveaway. As
for whether they aid English Sparrows to evict residents, I somehow doubt
it - lack of a perch certainly doesn't stop them nesting in a box in
the first place and I can't see what help they get from one in usurping
an occupier. They just move in!
I don't think ropes would help against squirrels - they'd just climb
down them. If you did use them you'd have to use 3 or 4 to stop it
spinning. Boxes made of concrete are very effective against squirrels -
can you get them in the US?
Chris
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| 651.2 | haven't seen any tenants though.. | BIGQ::GARDNER | justme....jacqui | Thu Mar 13 1997 09:01 | 3 |
|
Concrete birdhouses are available in the states. I have one
hanging in a tree by a rope! ;*)
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| 651.3 | Concrete birdhouses?!? | TLE::JRICHARD | | Fri Mar 14 1997 08:26 | 12 |
|
This is a joke right?
What about a concrete birdhouse would discourage squirrels?
They didn't seem to mind living in my parents basement or
garage (both concrete foundations).
In any case, I was more concerned with the squirrels and raccoons
getting their little paws into the birdhouse and having baby
bird breakfast (this is what happened to my birdhouse attempts
in Medford, MA).
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| 651.4 | What is your inside leg measurement, Mr. Squirrel, Sir? | ROCKS::ROBINSON | Seasonally adjusted | Tue Mar 18 1997 08:59 | 11 |
| I am a deeply serious person. I do not make jokes.
The concrete boxes are very effective against squirrels - they find it
very difficult to chew. Also, as the boxes have a front that slides into
place rather than a conventional hinging lid, they can't get in that
way either. I presume racoons would have the same problem.
If your squirrels/racoons were hooking young out through the hole, I
suggest that the hole was too near to the bottom of the box - 5" was a
minimum figure I read recently. That sounds like an arm's length plus
a bit to me.
Chris
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| 651.5 | | BIGQ::GARDNER | justme....jacqui | Wed Mar 19 1997 08:38 | 14 |
|
I am also serious about concrete boxes and feeding stations
being available. Whether they are very popular here in the
states is another story. I have one of each in my backyard
birding system. I must admit that the nesting box has not
been habited as yet...maybe this year! ;*) The feeding
station has wooden dowel perches that the fuzzy furfaces have
enjoyed munching on so i think a complete removal of them
this year is in order.
justme....jacqui
p.s. Wildbirds Unlimited was where I picked up my concrete!
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| 651.6 | | CSTMSO::WILBUR | | Wed Mar 19 1997 15:53 | 10 |
|
.4 Squirrel eat young birds?
I thought the concrete box was to discourage them from chewing
the opening large enough for them to move in and take the box
as thier own home.
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| 651.7 | How big is your box? | ROCKS::ROBINSON | Seasonally adjusted | Tue Mar 25 1997 07:12 | 4 |
| Re .6
Be a kinda tight fit wouldn't it?
Chris
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| 651.8 | | TLE::JRICHARD | | Tue Mar 25 1997 08:50 | 9 |
| > .4 Squirrel eat young birds?
Well, they do in Medford, MA. The raccoons would try at dusk
and the squirrels would try in the morning. Eventually they got
them all. Fortunately, they were English Sparrows.
That box didn't have a 5 inch depth from the entrance hole. Now
I know why it's needed! Thanks...
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| 651.9 | bad squirrels | NETCAD::CREEGAN | | Fri Mar 28 1997 13:08 | 10 |
| I've seen steel sheets with a hole in the middle
that you can add to the doorway of your bird boxes.
Four nails or screws in each corner of the sheet is
all you need. The squirrel can't chew on that to
enlarge the opening large enough for it to get in
and eat the clutch. They are available at wild bird
food stores.
I had a family of chickadees destroyed by a hungry
squirrel. I was heart-broken.
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