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Perch areas near to the nest box are a big plus. These can be telephone poles, tomato stakes, small trees, etc. 7. Place the boxes away from bird feeders and your main house - at least 50 feet or more.

Every pole supporting a bird house should have a predator baffle on it. Otherwise, pole-climbing predators, such as snakes, raccoons or squirrels can make an easy meal of your birds, their eggs, or their young nestlings. ... Close any gaps between the hardware cloth and the stovepipe, so snakes can't squeeze through.Feb 26, 2015

Snakes can climb smooth poles, even greased ones. ... The stovepipe and cone guards shown below are effective for snake control; the larger the diameter of the guard, the better its effectiveness.

Bluebird houses are mounted on poles rather than in trees to make them more attractive to bluebirds than to other types of birds. ... A baffle is an effective solution you place below a bluebird house on a pole.

Humans have been providing nest boxes for cavity-nesting birds for hundreds of years. ... Enter the predator guard, a device that is installed on or below the nest box to keep predators away from vulnerable eggs, nestlings, and even incubating females.

Snakes can climb smooth poles, even greased ones. ... The stovepipe, PVC pipe, and cone guards shown below are effective for snake control; the larger the diameter of the guard, the better its effectiveness.

Snakes can climb smooth poles, even greased ones. ... The stovepipe and cone guards shown below are effective for snake control; the larger the diameter of the guard, the better its effectiveness.

Bluebirds prefer large expanses of short grass with a clear flight path, ideally facing a field. Try not to place the house too close to feeders. Make sure it is mounted 5 to 10 feet off the ground. Bluebirds do not tolerate swaying birdhouses, so anchor the nest box firmly to a smooth round pipe.Jan 5, 2021

Snakes will often eat insects, amphibians, and other reptiles, so keeping them at bay is key. What scents do snakes dislike? There are many scents snakes don't like including smoke, cinnamon, cloves, onions, garlic, and lime. You can use oils or sprays containing these fragrances or grow plants featuring these scents.Aug 21, 2020

A Noel Guard, invented by Jim Noel, is used to deter raccoons, cats and large birds like hawks from preying on the contents of nestboxes. It is inexpensive and useful for boxes mounted on trees and wooden posts that offer easy access to climbing predators.Sep 1, 2017

• Every pole supporting a bird house should have a predator baffle on it. Otherwise, pole-climbing predators, such as snakes, raccoons or squirrels can make an easy meal of your birds, their eggs, or their young nestlings. Below are plans for making an effective baffle.

• If you have a bluebird house or any kind of bird nesting box, you might not have given much thought to snake guards. Nor had we until that fateful morning… But let’s back up. Just what is a snake guard? Snakes, like all critters, need to eat. And one of their favorite foods is bird eggs, baby birds or even baby bats. Yikes.

• Try Building Your Own Baffle: There are many tutorials online for building a stove pipe snake baffle that may prove effective guarding against snakes. However, this will require some knowledge of metal working in order to create the snake baffle.

• Snakes can eat eggs and curl up inside the house, causing considerable alarm for the birds upon returning home. With a few additional procedures when installing, you can help prevent snakes from gaining access to a bluebird house.

Every pole supporting a bird house should have a predator baffle on it. Otherwise, pole-climbing predators, such as snakes, raccoons or squirrels can make an easy meal of your birds, their eggs, or their young nestlings. Below are plans for making an effective baffle.

If you have a bluebird house or any kind of bird nesting box, you might not have given much thought to snake guards. Nor had we until that fateful morning… But let’s back up. Just what is a snake guard? Snakes, like all critters, need to eat. And one of their favorite foods is bird eggs, baby birds or even baby bats. Yikes.

Try Building Your Own Baffle: There are many tutorials online for building a stove pipe snake baffle that may prove effective guarding against snakes. However, this will require some knowledge of metal working in order to create the snake baffle.

Snakes can eat eggs and curl up inside the house, causing considerable alarm for the birds upon returning home. With a few additional procedures when installing, you can help prevent snakes from gaining access to a bluebird house.

Place nest boxes in the sunniest, most open area possible, away from your house or deep shade. Bluebirds prefer large expanses of short grass with a clear flight path, ideally facing a field. Try not to place the house too close to feeders. Make sure it is mounted 5 to 10 feet off the ground.Jan 5, 2021

Height: Bluebirds nest within a wide range of heights, from two to 50 feet. Mounting at eye level provides easy checking; however, if cats or other predators are problems, hang nest boxes at least six to eight feet from the ground.Apr 26, 2019

Raccoons and Red Squirrels

Red squirrels can enlarge the hole of the bluebird house and even take up residence if able to get inside.

The house should face south or southeast. Selecting a suitable location for the bluebird house is of house. They should be set out by February 15.

Enter the predator guard, a device that is installed on or below the nest box to keep predators away from vulnerable eggs, nestlings, and even incubating females.

Eastern bluebirds can live up to 6 to 10 years. The oldest known wild individual lived 10 years and 5 months. However, most mortality occurs in the first year of life, making average lifespans much shorter than this.

You must clean out your Bluebird house or else no others Bluebirds are likely to use it. And while Bluebirds can return to the same bird house every year, it still must be cleared of its nesting material so it can be cleaned thoroughly.Mar 25, 2021

Woodlink Audubon Wrap Around Baffle

This 18 inch baffle, intended for squirrels, also works at guarding against snakes at your feeder as it is difficult for them to work their way around the baffle. These types of baffles can be found online as well as at most local lawn and garden shops.

• If you have a bluebird house or any kind of bird nesting box, you might not have given much thought to snake guards. Nor had we until that fateful morning… But let’s back up. Just what is a snake guard? Snakes, like all critters, need to eat. And one of their favorite foods is bird eggs, baby birds or even baby bats. Yikes.

• This is most likely because for some snakes it will deter them, but for more ambitious and capable snakes, such as the rat snake, it will not stop them. We know it can be frustrating to have a bird house and constantly be worried about snakes preying on your birds, especially bluebirds and other songbirds.

• Unfortunately, predators have a fondness for bird nests, and snakes in particular seem able to climb up most any pole. Snakes can eat eggs and curl up inside the house, causing considerable alarm for the birds upon returning home. With a few additional procedures when installing, you can help prevent snakes from gaining access to a bluebird house.

• Bluebirds are popular songbirds that tend to look for hollowed-out spaces for nesting, making birdhouses ideal. Unfortunately, predators have a fondness for bird nests, and snakes in particular seem able to climb up most any pole. Snakes can eat eggs and curl up inside the house, causing considerable alarm for the birds upon returning home.