Birdhouse Design Modifications for Parasites

Birdhouse Design Modifications for Parasites
By Wendy V Sykora

Birds carry with them annoying little organisms known as parasites. Therefore, when birds live in a birdhouse, they bring with them less pleasant guests. It is for this reason that birdhouses must be cleaned, preferably after each brood, but at the very least after each summer. Some people argue that the cleaning should be done in early spring. In so doing, nesting material is left behind for any critters that might seek refuge in the birdhouse over winter.

Why not clear the parasites out for the winter visitors, and again in the spring or late winter? This reduces parasites to some degree for all critters involved. Try to do the spring cleaning during late winter or early spring. Prospective nesting birds often start checking out nest boxes even as early as late fall for the next year. While most nesting starts in the spring, there are some early birds. Therefore it is a good idea to aim for around February to prepare the nest box for the next season's broods.

When tackling the project, wear gloves, long sleeves, and possibly a mask to prevent breathing undesirable matter. Pour boiling water into the birdhouse to rinse it. Allow the box to dry thoroughly before replacing or closing any panels opened for cleaning purposes.

Another measure to consider for protecting birds, is to install an inverted wire basket in the bottom of the birdhouse. The birds will build their nest on top of the basket. Parasitic eggs and larva that fall through the nest to the inverted basket and will fall through the mesh openings and will not be able to get back up into the nest to impact the birds. The basket does not solve parasitic issues, but helps offer some protection.

Here are the instructions for those of you who have the materials handy. Running out to buy the mesh hardware cloth for just a handful of baskets may not be reasonable. The portion of the basket exposed to birds is smooth and safe for the birds. The birds will build their nest on top of the basket, which raises them approximately 1� inch from the bottom of the birdhouse.

All you need are the following items: hardware cloth with � inch square openings, wire cutters, and a surface that helps you to bend the cloth. I actually use a metal cash box to bend the hardware cloth. If preparing baskets for 4 x 4 inch space, make the basket a tad smaller than 4 x 4 inches so it fits inside.

Using the wire cutters, cut a piece of hardware cloth to size, such that there is enough to bend down 1� rows of the mesh on all four sides by 90 degrees. This bent portion rests on the inside perimeter of the birdhouse floor to raise a mesh platform above an air space. Any parasite larvae and/or eggs, such as that of a blow fly, will fall through the mesh to the birdhouse floor without anything to use to wiggle back up to the helpless chicks.

This easy modification to your birdhouse designs not only provides added protection to chicks, but also eases the clean up of the birdhouse floor. There will be less of a scrub job, as the hardware cloth can be removed to bring out all the clinging nesting material which usually sticks to the hardwood floor. The mesh can be hosed clean with a stream of water. As an added sanitary measure, pour boiling water over the mesh basket.

Creepy crawly parasites may play a role in the web of life, but let's do our part to minimize the impact of parasites on our birdhouse tenants!

Come visit me at http://www.gardenhousesforbirds.com to check out the birdhouses and bird feeders I have to offer. For any questions you might have, please contact me at: wsykora@gardenhousesforbirds.com

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