Hang Bird Nest Boxes in the Fall
It’s Better to Install Nesting Boxes for Birds in Autumn Than Spring
Many people hang nesting boxes for their backyard birds in the spring, but fall is actually a better time to do it for several reasons.
When the days start to get longer in the spring we look forward to the return of migratory birds that have spent the winter in warmer climes. When they arrive in their breeding ranges, their priority is to find a good nest site. Many of us hope that nest site will be in our own backyard habitat—cavity nesting birds like bird houses, robins will nest on ledges and shelves, and birds of prey will nest on raised platforms.
It’s a good idea to build (or buy), and install those nesting boxes, ledges, and platforms in the fall, before winter sets in, because many birds are busy nesting long before we think it’s warm enough to spend a lot of time outside. A nest box installed in the autumn will be ready and waiting for occupants (and you won’t have to struggle through snow or freeze fingers to install them in late winter). Boxes will also be a bit weathered by spring and any odors of glue, paint, and other substances that might deter the birds will have dissipated.
The fall is also the perfect time to clean out any birdhouses that have already been occupied so they’ll be ready again in the spring, and if you have roosting boxes to provide shelter to birds that stay all winter, make sure they’re clean and in position long before the first bitter winter wind blows through the treetops.
Related content:
