You might have bought the most expensive birdhouse, or maybe, you’ve built your aviating pals a top-o’-the-line birdie townhouse. For the birds, it’s just like the old real estate adage– the three most important things in selling real estate are, “location, location, location.”
Of course, timing matters too. The house is for a nest, the nest is for eggs, and eggs only happen in the springtime. The best time to place your birdhouse is late winter to early spring, before the birdies meet their mates. But don’t stress if you’re a little behind, because there are plenty of reasons to go ahead and hang that house any time of the year.
First of all, young males may take longer to find their first mate, so those couples will be nesting later. Second, some birds are going to have more than one nest of chicks, and even if they don’t, Mama Bird may just move if she likes your house better. Your birdhouse will also be a good shelter in the colder months for those birds that do not migrate.
Growing gourds this year? Many types make splendidly durable homes for your backyard birds!
The specifics of birdhouse placement depend on the species you are targeting, because some species are looking for a very particular arrangement. There are birders who know all of this information, but I prefer to generalize, which maximizes my potential of getting a new resident in the birdhouse!
Hosting families of birds in the garden is one of the best pleasures we know, and you can make your landscape a safe and appealing residence for many of your favorite species by putting up nesting houses and providing year-round sources of food, water, and shelter.