70birds
That Nest in Birdhouses70birds
That Nest in BirdhousesToo many bird houses can drive off nesting birds, including a specific bird species we want to attract.
For most yards, select just one or two bird species that are known to nest in bird houses in that region.
Put the right nest boxes in the right place.
Keep nest boxes clean.
Protect birds from pests and predators.
Feeding birds will not attract birds to nest and raise a family in a bird house.
Nesting, egg laying birds need seclusion and are unlikely to nest in a bird house near throngs of birds flocking to bird feeders.
Even cities have large bird populations that live in birdhouses.
See City Birds
Say’s Phoebe
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Tyrannidae
Genus: Sayornis
Species: Saya
La. passer sparrow, small bird
La. forma form, kind, species
Gr. turannos tyrant
La. tyrannus tyrant, despot, king
La. -idae appearance, resemblance
La. Sayorins for zoologist, Thomas Say
About 8 inches long. Brownish-gray, sometimes olivaceous tinge upper parts, darker on the head. Grayish throat and breast, cinnamon belly. Wings dusky, lined with tawny-whitish, edged with white on coverts. Exhibits typical phoebe up and down tail motion.
Say’s phoebes inhabit the foothills, rocky canyons and open country of western North America in the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains from Saskatchewan to central Texas over to California up through British Columbia, the Yukon, to Alaska. It is of accidental occurrence east of the Mississippi. It’s been reported in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Iowa.
They forage often in open country, prairies and pastures watching for flying insects usually from a perch then dart, hover or drop to the ground and return with their catch.
They also take fruit. Attract phoebes by planting blackberry, black cherry, elderberry, juniper and mulberry. They like bird baths.
Say’s phoebes build nests of sticks, grass, moss, hair and spider webs in tree hollows, caves, rock crevices, in farm out buildings, under eaves and on ledges under home porches.
Females lay 3-7 white eggs, which hatch after about two weeks incubation and young leave the nest in about another two weeks.
The Phoebe Platform has approximately a 6″ by 6″ base, measures approximately 6″ from floor to ceiling, an open front and partially open sides.
Assemble with corrosion resistant screws fit to pre-drilled countersunk pilot holes to reduce splitting wood.
Install a platform on the side of a garage, shed or porch under open shelter or an eave over looking both open spaces and foliage in your back yard from seven to twelve feet high.
Never install in a tree or near objects that cats and squirrels can climb. Squirrels can leap 8′ horizontally!
Platform nesting birds claim platforms that best simulate ledges on cliff faces which are difficult for predators to scale. They can also scan the surrounding area and below.
If the location is under a roof, use the Open Platform.
Phoebe Platform
Phoebe Platform Plans
Open Platform
Open Platform Plans
Installing the larger platform shelters will likely invite a wider range of platform nesting birds, including phoebes.
Robin Platform
Robin Platform Plans
Mourning Dove Platform
Mourning Dove Shelter Plans
Say’s Phoebe
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Tyrannidae
Genus: Sayornis
Species: Saya
La. passer sparrow, small bird
La. forma form, kind, species
Gr. turannos tyrant
La. tyrannus tyrant, despot, king
La. -idae appearance, resemblance
La. Sayorins for zoologist, Thomas Say
About 8 inches long. Brownish-gray, sometimes olivaceous tinge upper parts, darker on the head. Grayish throat and breast, cinnamon belly. Wings dusky, lined with tawny-whitish, edged with white on coverts. Exhibits typical phoebe up and down tail motion.
Say’s phoebes inhabit the foothills, rocky canyons and open country of western North America in the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains from Saskatchewan to central Texas over to California up through British Columbia, the Yukon, to Alaska. It is of accidental occurrence east of the Mississippi. It’s been reported in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Iowa.
They forage often in open country, prairies and pastures watching for flying insects usually from a perch then dart, hover or drop to the ground and return with their catch.
They also take fruit. Attract phoebes by planting blackberry, black cherry, elderberry, juniper and mulberry. They like bird baths.
Say’s phoebes build nests of sticks, grass, moss, hair and spider webs in tree hollows, caves, rock crevices, in farm out buildings, under eaves and on ledges under home porches.
Females lay 3-7 white eggs, which hatch after about two weeks incubation and young leave the nest in about another two weeks.
Phoebe Platform
Phoebe Platform Plans
Robin Platform
Robin Platform Plans
The Phoebe Platform has approximately a 6″ by 6″ base, measures approximately 6″ from floor to ceiling, an open front and partially open sides.
Assemble with corrosion resistant screws fit to pre-drilled countersunk pilot holes to reduce splitting wood.
Install a platform on the side of a garage, shed or porch under open shelter or an eave over looking both open spaces and foliage in your back yard from seven to twelve feet high.
Never install in a tree or near objects that cats and squirrels can climb. Squirrels can leap 8′ horizontally!
Platform nesting birds claim platforms that best simulate ledges on cliff faces which are difficult for predators to scale. They can also scan the surrounding area and below.
The Robin Platform might also be suitable for phoebes. It has is slightly taller for the larger back yard platform nesters: mourning doves, robins and blue jays. It has an 8″ by 6 1/2″ base, is about 8″ floor to ceiling and has an open front and partially open sides.
If the location is under a roof, use the Open Platform.
Open Platform
Open Platform Plans
Installing the larger platform shelters will likely invite a wider range of platform nesting birds, including phoebes.
Mourning Dove Platform
Mourning Dove Shelter Plans
Say’s Phoebe
Birds | Birdhouses | Plans | Home
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Tyrannidae
Genus: Sayornis
Species: Saya
La. passer sparrow, small bird
La. forma form, kind, species
Gr. turannos tyrant
La. tyrannus tyrant, despot, king
La. -idae appearance, resemblance
La. Sayorins for zoologist, Thomas Say
About 8 inches long. Brownish-gray, sometimes olivaceous tinge upper parts, darker on the head. Grayish throat and breast, cinnamon belly. Wings dusky, lined with tawny-whitish, edged with white on coverts. Exhibits typical phoebe up and down tail motion.
Say’s phoebes inhabit the foothills, rocky canyons and open country of western North America in the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains from Saskatchewan to central Texas over to California up through British Columbia, the Yukon, to Alaska. It is of accidental occurrence east of the Mississippi. It’s been reported in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Iowa.
They forage often in open country, prairies and pastures watching for flying insects usually from a perch then dart, hover or drop to the ground and return with their catch.
They also take fruit. Attract phoebes by planting blackberry, black cherry, elderberry, juniper and mulberry. They like bird baths.
Say’s phoebes build nests of sticks, grass, moss, hair and spider webs in tree hollows, caves, rock crevices, in farm out buildings, under eaves and on ledges under home porches.
Females lay 3-7 white eggs, which hatch after about two weeks incubation and young leave the nest in about another two weeks.
Phoebe Platform Shelter
Phoebe Platform Plans
The Phoebe Platform has approximately a 6″ by 6″ base, measures approximately 6″ from floor to ceiling, an open front and partially open sides.
Assemble with corrosion resistant screws fit to pre-drilled countersunk pilot holes to reduce splitting wood.
Install a platform on the side of a garage, shed or porch under open shelter or an eave over looking both open spaces and foliage in your back yard from seven to twelve feet high.
Never install in a tree or near objects that cats and squirrels can climb. Squirrels can leap 8′ horizontally!
Platform nesting birds claim platforms that best simulate ledges on cliff faces which are difficult for predators to scale. They can also scan the surrounding area and below.
If the location is under a roof, use the Open Platform.
Open Platform
Open Platform Plans
Installing the larger platform shelters will likely invite a wider range of platform nesting birds, including phoebes.
Robin Platform
Robin Platform Plans
Mourning Dove Platform
Mourning Dove Platform Plans
Birds | Birdhouses | Plans | Home