Both
are good – necessities to most birds – but a very common misstep is putting a birdhouse near a birdfeeder. Feeders
should be in very visible locations. When a bird sees it and it’s safe, they
fly to the feeder and often eat neaerbny. Consequently, there can be a lot of activity near a feeder.
On
the other hand, a birdhouse (sometimes called a nestbox) should be in a
somewhat secretive, almost hidden place. This is where incubation takes place,
and baby birds are raised. Lots of activity and high visibility are big negatives. A
few species (like Wrens and Swallows) don’t mind this, but most avoid nesting
near a high-activity area.
The
main thing that prospective bird parents look for is the availability of insects. After all, almost all nestling birds eat
insects – not seed. So a nearby birdfeeder is definitely not a bonus.
 |
| Tufted Titmouse |
Titmice’s
high-protein diet
|
|
One of north
Texas’ most common birds is the Tufted Titmouse. Primarily these medium-sized, mostly gray
birds eat seeds. But about 40% of their
diet is ants, beetles, wasps, insect eggs, spiders, bees and their favorite -
caterpillars. If you spray your whole yard with bug poison forget about having Titmice or many other species of birds.
OWEN
YOST, in addition to being a blogger, is a licensed Landscape Architect
emeritus who has lived and worked in north Texas for over 30 years. He is a
recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award of the Native Plant Society of Texas,
and is a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA),
International Federation of Landscape Architects, National Wildlife Federation
and the Audubon Society. His office is at Yost87@charter.net
in Denton.
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