Hobby gardeners who are close to nature have a big heart for the endangered bird world and hang up a nesting box. The commendable undertaking raises important questions about direction, mounting height or location. You can find out how to hang up a bird house correctly here.

A birdhouse should be hung in a shady and sheltered place

Hanging up the birdhouse - which direction?

The orientation of the bird house makes a significant contribution to the fact that the feathered tenants actually move in. The entrance hole on the nest box should point in this direction:

  • rule of thumb: Hang up the bird house in the shade to half shade, protected from rain, wind and sun
  • Ideal alignment: East, Northeast, Southeast, North
  • Wrong direction: west or south

Please use a compass to determine the recommended direction for a bird house. Moss on the tree is uncertain because it doesn't always grow on the north side.

How high to put a bird house?

A suspension height of at least 1.5 to 2 meters guarantees that a bird house is safe from nest robbers. It is better if you adjust the height to the bird species in question. The following overview provides important framework data:

  • Bird house for tits: hang 1.5 to 3.5 m high
  • Semi-cave for robins or wrens: place 2.0 to 4.0 m high
  • Star box: hang up 5 to 10 m high

If you hang up a birdhouse at the species-appropriate height, please make sure that there is an approach path without obstacles.

Where and how to hang a bird house?

Birds are not choosy when looking for an apartment if the direction and height of the compass are right. You can hang a birdhouse at the following locations:

  • Premium location: old, large tree
  • Alternative location: house wall (ideal in the corner of the wall, under the eaves)
  • Optional hanging places: garage, barn, silo, bridge, balcony
  • Important: do not hang the bird house over the house entrance, seating area or window

We recommend rustproof aluminum nails and a coated wire hanger as fastening material to the tree. If you hang the bird house on a wall, screwed metal brackets are suitable.

How many nest boxes can you hang?

A natural garden usually has enough food to offer for different bird species. By hanging multiple birdhouses with species-specific hole sizes and designs, you alleviate the housing shortage for all feathered gardeners. So that tits, sparrows, starlings, robins or wrens don't get in each other's enclosures, the right distance is important. This is to be considered when hanging several birdhouses:

  • Bird houses of the same design: minimum distance 5 to 10 m (e.g. for tits)
  • Different types of birdhouses: Minimum distance 3 m (e.g. birdhouse with entrance hole next to semi-cave house)

These distancing rules do not apply if you are hanging colony breeder nest boxes. Swallows, sparrows, starlings or swifts breed preferably in sociable neighborhoods.

tips

The perfect bird house is ready to move in without any inventory. Please do not use nesting material such as straw, leaves or sawdust. Mr. and Mrs. Meise or the Sperling couple prefer to take care of the furnishings themselves.

Category:

Animals in the garden