Why to Put Woodchips in a Chickadee Nestbox

Early this spring, I moved the nestbox from the edge of my front yard and tucked it into the corner of the yard, a bit further from the hustle and bustle of the 3 feeding stations in the front.   I also added wood chips to the bottom of the box (about 3-4" deep).

Black-capped Chickadee with wood chips (digiscoped image)

These two little moves seem to have been good ones since a pair of chickadees has been busy for days preparing a nest in the box.  Chickadees are known to carry away chips of excavated wood out of the nest cavity, and this little behavior is ideal for nest watchers.

Carrying chips off (digiscoped)

Here's what Don and Lillian Stokes have to say about it in their "A Guide to Bird Behavior Volume 1":

"(chickadees) have a marvelous habit of carrying the excavated wood chips away from the nest and dropping them from a perch nearby. Seeing the chips drop from their bills is a giveaway of the nest's location."

 

For about 2 weeks, both of the chickadee pair would enter the nest and emerge with a beak full of wood chips.  They would fly to a nearby perch and then drop the chips which would flutter down like large snowflakes.  They would often return to the same perch trip after trip.

Some chips now remain in the nest which is serving as a base to the rest of their nest of mosses and soft materials like wool and pet hair.  In past years, I've seen them pulling fibers out of a coir mat for their nest.

In a future post I'll talk about providing nesting materials for birds.  And if this is a nest the chickadees choose to use to nest in (they often build nests and never use them), I'll keep you posted on their progress.

Comments

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Rick, most birdfeeding hobby stores carry them in a variety of sizes. We have them in 3 sizes. If you can't find them, contact me off-blog and we'll take care of you.

[Rick Gray]

I've just built my first nest boxes and decided to try a 1-1/8" hole for chickadees. However, I've heard that squirrels will enlarge the hole to try to get inside in the winter. In your photo, there is a protective device screwed in place over the hole. What is it and where would a person get one?

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Bill - you're welcome and thanks for your visit and comment.

[Bill]

Great tip, and interesting behavior. Thanks!

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Dawn - good, spread the bird word!
MaineBirder - fun indeed. I'll keep you posted.
Juan - Thanks for stopping by and commenting.

[Juan Inca]

Amazing, really smart, I'm from Peru, I also have my birds, I collect pigeons abandoned in the streets and heal them until can be free and fly, I will follow your blog more often.

Juan Inca
http://www.incastreasures.com

[MaineBirder]

I use cedar shavings in our Chickadee boxes. It's fun watching them "drop chips".

Good luck with the nest!

[Dawn Fine]

Oh cool..I will pass this info on to friends and fam that have nest boxes!