The Bird Real-Estate Market

Spring is a good time to set up some bird houses in your yard because that’s when we’ll be shopping for nest sites. Here’s a Top Ten list of the most in-demand birdhouse qualities:

1.    Positioned in the shade: during the summer months, it can get toasty.

2.    Thick house walls of untreated wood for insulation: we don’t want to live in a house made of toxic materials

3.    Drainage and ventilation holes: a nice breeze is a joy on a hot summer’s day

4.    Extended or sloped roof: to keep the rain out

5.    Tidiness: we don’t want a house with someone’s leftovers in it (which can cause unwanted guests, such as parasites, that could harm us)

6.    Well-grounded: we prefer not to swing and sway in our houses

7.    Protection with a baffle: although we’re friendly, we do prefer to keep out some house guests, especially your cat or the local garden snake.

8.    Location: located at least 20 feet away from windows. We don’t want to crash into your windows when we’re trying to come home

9.    Perchless models: unless you want to attract house sparrows, we don’t need the perches

10.    Nearby amenities: bird baths and birdfeeders nearby make for an easy commute