Why Use Roosting Boxes for Backyard Birds?
Where the roosting box is mounted makes a big difference. It should be in a protected area of your yard, preferably in a dense evergreen shrub or tree at least 8 feet off the ground. Make sure it is easily accessible to you, or you won't bother to maintain it.
Another good place would be under your house eaves on the non-prevailing wind side of your home. The area around your home makes its own micro-climate where some measure of warmth exists in all seasons. If the roosting box is placed where it will get the most sun exposure during the day, that would be best.
Your roosting box will be heavier than your bird houses as a rule. So make sure it is securely mounted to whatever place you decide. It wouldn't do to have it blow down during a blizzard! You can use a sturdy metal or wooden pole to support your roosting box as well. Adding a metal baffle below the box is an easy way to thwart would-be predators.
Once the bad weather season has passed and the breeding season begins, it is best to cover the hole on your roosting box to prevent uninvited guests from using the box as their home. You should clean out any debris left from the wintering birds before either storing your roost box or covering the hole.
Birds like to return to familiar structures year after year. That is why I choose to leave my roosting and nesting boxes in place and just cover the entrance holes after maintenance and cleaning, depending upon the season. This ensures my birds have a good place to raise their young year after year, or to survive all the bad stuff Mother Nature throws at them!
They show their appreciation by keeping my yard and gardens relatively free of bugs and bad insects as well as weed seeds. I also get to enjoy their beautiful and cheery songs and acrobatic antics. I show my appreciation by providing food and shelter year round. It's a good deal!
Another good place would be under your house eaves on the non-prevailing wind side of your home. The area around your home makes its own micro-climate where some measure of warmth exists in all seasons. If the roosting box is placed where it will get the most sun exposure during the day, that would be best.
Your roosting box will be heavier than your bird houses as a rule. So make sure it is securely mounted to whatever place you decide. It wouldn't do to have it blow down during a blizzard! You can use a sturdy metal or wooden pole to support your roosting box as well. Adding a metal baffle below the box is an easy way to thwart would-be predators.
Once the bad weather season has passed and the breeding season begins, it is best to cover the hole on your roosting box to prevent uninvited guests from using the box as their home. You should clean out any debris left from the wintering birds before either storing your roost box or covering the hole.
Birds like to return to familiar structures year after year. That is why I choose to leave my roosting and nesting boxes in place and just cover the entrance holes after maintenance and cleaning, depending upon the season. This ensures my birds have a good place to raise their young year after year, or to survive all the bad stuff Mother Nature throws at them!
They show their appreciation by keeping my yard and gardens relatively free of bugs and bad insects as well as weed seeds. I also get to enjoy their beautiful and cheery songs and acrobatic antics. I show my appreciation by providing food and shelter year round. It's a good deal!
