For spring, nesting boxes together with feeders. "Inguruko hegaztiak" project

The project called "Inguruko hegaztiak" (birds of our surroundings) coordinated by the Urdaibai Bird Center began its second year in December, therefore, almost a hundred of families and schools spend almost three months with the feeders working. For those who have participated for the first time, they have probably seen day after day and week after week that the species and the number of birds have been increasing.

http://ingurukohegaztiak.blogspot.com.es/

Peanuts and birdseeds are very attractive food for Great tit, Eurasian Siskin, European Greenfinch and Eurasian blue tit. But at the same time that we are entering in the spring, we will see less birds in our feeders.

Blue tit and Eurasian blue tit enjoying peanuts

On the one hand, new food will appear in our surroundings: fruits, insects, seeds... therefore the dependence that birds have on feeders will decrease. On the other hand, many of these birds, such as Eurasian Siskin, will leave us to go to their breeding areas in the north of Europe. Finally, it is time for breeding for the species that will remain with us, besides, when the chicks born they change their diet and they prefer insects, which will give the proteins and fats needed by chicks.

Eurasian siskin on a feeder

But we must not lose heart, as during spring and summer we can carry out efforts to keep these birds visiting our gardens.
- We can continue laying food in the feeders, although they use them less or we can even put a water bowl.
- We can place nest boxes in the surroundings. These artificial nests are suitable for many birds, and if we place them in the right place close to the feeders, we will have a good percentage of occupancy.

We can enjoy birds during the breeding season with those nest boxes. We will enjoy with their songs made to pair them off, we will see how they bring different materials to build their nests, how the feed their chicks, and to finish, once the chicks leave the nest how they teach them to approach to our feeders so they know a new source of food.

They will be a invaluable help for us, as we can't imagine how many caterpillars and mosquitoes they can eat in our gardens to feed their young.

There are a lot of appropriate model for each species in the market, but apart from buy them, we can try to build them. An example:

http://www.ornitour.com/pdf/Manual_cajas_nido_VOLCAM.pdf

We use a specific model that produce excellent results and which have high durability, they are nest boxes of the “Schwegler” model made by wood and nature additives.

http://www.birdcenter.org/en/component/virtuemart/cajas-nido/caja-nido-universal-para-carboneros-y-herrerillos-producto

Among the most common birds that will use the nest boxes, are the Blue tit and Eurasian blue tit, but, pay attention! As we can also have surprises, because a not so common species can breed in our nest box as it recently happened to us.

Come on, cheer up!