« Wordless Wednesday - Kinglet | Main | Garage Sale to Benefit Food Pantry »

October 20, 2011

FAQ - Should Birdhouses Be Cleaned Out at End of Season?

P1180109Q.  Should I clean out my nestboxes at the end of the nesting season?

A.  It seems there are no hard-and-fast rules out there about cleaning out birdhouses at the end of the season.  If the nest is soiled with feces or ridden with mites or other insects, you should remove all materials and clean with a weak bleach (1part bleach to 9 parts water) solution.

We have left nests in our boxes, one of which is used regularly as a roost box by a sweet Downy Woodpecker female.  If you'd prefer that the nest remain unoccupied during the winter (whether by birds or by mice or squirrels), you can seal the entrance or leave the box with panels wide open.

RELATED POST:  This Downy's a Sweetie (about the downy woodpecker that roosts in a bluebird box)

Posted at 10:11 AM in Attention, FAQs, Feeder Birds, Responsibility |

Twitter | | Pinterest | Facebook

Comments

Feed You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.

The comments to this entry are closed.

My Photo

Nancy Castillo

Fledged Button 062315 307x256

Become a Fan

Search

Recent Posts

Recent Comments

ATTENTION

  • Our eyes and ears should be open and alert to the natural wonders that surround us every day. Take time to look out our windows to see the birds that visit us and open our windows to hear them. Walk around whatever space we have to enjoy the birds in nature. Every day, work on improving our powers of observation.

ACCEPTANCE

  • Nature happens. We cannot MAKE natural things happen (or NOT happen). We can create habitats to encourage natural things to happen around us, but there are no guarantees.

RESPONSIBILITY

  • Birdfeeding comes with responsibilities to the birds and the environment we share with them. If you are unwilling to accept these responsibilities, you shouldn’t feed the birds. We also have a responsibility to share these natural wonders with the next generation.

Categories

About