Wood Duck House
for Wood Ducks, Hooded Mergansers, Screech Owls & Kestrels
Construct this nest box with cedar, pine or most any softwood. Use wood stock rough-cut on both sides so birds can grip interior and exterior surfaces.
Make a 10″ by 10″ floor (inside dimensions) and a 24″ floor to ceiling height (inside front). Cut a 4″ wide by 3″ high entrance hole located 21″ above the floor (to top of hole). Drill or cut and ventilation openings in the floor and under the roof.
Make a fixed roof and side opening doors for duck houses. Always use corrosion resistant screws and hardware.
If full width wood stock is not available, use two 1″x 6″, or 1″x 8″ boards. They usually vary from 5 1/4″ to 5 1/2″ wide and 7 1/4″ to 7 1/2″ wide. Cut them to width and secure well. Reinforce with chamfer strips (inside) or batten strips (inside or outside) fastened perpendicular to vertical panels.
Plywood consists of glued, thin laminated panels. They are strong but prone to deterioration from moisture even when surfaces and edges are sealed with paint.
Always use corrosion resistant screws and hardware.Drill countersunk pilot holes in primary work pieces. Drill regular pilot holes in secondary work pieces. This reduces a tendency for wood to split. It also makes for easy assembly in minutes with a power or hand held screwdriver.
Extend the back wall panel beyond both top and bottom. Drill pilot holes in these long panels for mounting. Drill an extra mounting hole inside the box just under the roof. Stagger these holes so that all are not in line along a single wood grain. Holes in line with grain can weaken and cause wood to split.
Some attach wire mesh on the inside front panel to help ducklings climb out of the box. If you do this, bend the needle sharp ends over and fold behind. A better alternative may be to use plastic poultry or snow fencing, or similar material.
Fasten boxes for wood ducks and hooded mergansers firmly to metal (preferable) or to wood posts. Mount 4' above water, 6' if above ground, higher if it is likely to attract the curious. If above ground, locate near ponds and where vegetation provides cover for ducklings to travel to water. Always protect with 3' wide cone predator guards around the post, under the box.
Do not mount duck boxes in trees. Not on, under or too close to trees where squirrels can leap on to boxes. Predation from snakes, raccoons and a number of other mammals and birds is horrible thing. Proper placement and predator guards are essential.
Place 3" to 4" of wood chips (not saw dust) in the boxes. Remove everything from the box and clean well after the brood rearing season is past.
For kestrels and screech owls, mount at the edge of a forest area or on a post in an open area in a rural or city yard between twelve and twenty feet high. Place some wood chips on the floor.
Installations out of reach and further should be installed and maintained by professionals with the right equipment and experience: carpenters, electricians, line workers, etc.
Various owls, woodpeckers and squirrels may also use this nest box.
Birds that Nest in this Birdhouse
Wood Duck House
for Wood Ducks, Hooded Mergansers, Screech Owls & Kestrels
Construct this nest box with cedar, pine or most any softwood. Use wood stock rough-cut on both sides so birds can grip interior and exterior surfaces.
Make a 10" by 10" floor (inside dimensions) and a 24" floor to ceiling height (inside front). Cut a 4" wide by 3" high entrance hole located 21" above the floor (to top of hole). Drill or cut and ventilation openings in the floor and under the roof.
Make a fixed roof and side opening doors for duck houses. Always use corrosion resistant screws and hardware.
If full width wood stock is not available, use two 1"x 6", or 1"x 8" boards. They usually vary from 5 1/4" to 5 1/2" wide and 7 1/4" to 7 1/2" wide. Cut them to width and secure well. Reinforce with chamfer strips (inside) or batten strips (inside or outside) fastened perpendicular to vertical panels.
Plywood consists of glued, thin laminated panels. They are strong but prone to deterioration from moisture even when surfaces and edges are sealed with paint.
Always use corrosion resistant screws and hardware.Drill countersunk pilot holes in primary work pieces. Drill regular pilot holes in secondary work pieces. This reduces a tendency for wood to split. It also makes for easy assembly in minutes with a power or hand held screwdriver.
Extend the back wall panel beyond both top and bottom. Drill pilot holes in these long panels for mounting. Drill an extra mounting hole inside the box just under the roof. Stagger these holes so that all are not in line along a single wood grain. Holes in line with grain can weaken and cause wood to split.
Some attach wire mesh on the inside front panel to help ducklings climb out of the box. If you do this, bend the needle sharp ends over and fold behind. A better alternative may be to use plastic poultry or snow fencing, or similar material.
Fasten boxes for wood ducks and hooded mergansers firmly to metal (preferable) or to wood posts. Mount 4' above water, 6' if above ground, higher if it is likely to attract the curious. Always protect with 3' wide cone predator guards around the post, under the box.
Do not mount duck boxes in trees. Not on, under or too close to trees where squirrels can leap on to boxes. Predation from snakes, raccoons and a number of other mammals and birds is horrible thing. Proper placement and predator guards are essential.
Place 3" to 4" of wood chips (not saw dust) in the boxes. Remove everything from the box and clean well after the brood rearing season is past.
Above all, please do not attract duck families and leave them vulnerable to predators. Significant reduction in predation has been achieved through proper location, installation and use of cone predator guards.
For kestrels and screech owls, mount at the edge of a forest area or on a post in an open area in a rural or city yard between twelve and twenty feet high. Place some wood chips on the floor.
Installations out of reach and further should be installed and maintained by professionals with the right equipment and experience: carpenters, electricians, line workers, etc.
Various owls, woodpeckers and squirrels also may use this nest box.
Birds that Nest in this Birdhouse
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