BUILDING BIRD HOUSES 



661 



Fig. 1. — Tomato can with circular piece 

 of board fitted in one end, to make 

 house for bluebirds or wrens. 



Fig. 2. — Tomato can, with 

 one end removed, fas- 

 tened to top of post. Hole 

 cut in side for entrance. 

 Suitable for bluebirds or 

 wrens if put in shady 

 place. 



Fig. 3. — Gourd for 

 martins. 



5) 



ITWZ^ 



interesting than during any other season. There is, therefore, 

 a double purpose in offering them special nesting facilities. If 

 mud is available, swallows, robins, and phoebes will found and 

 wall their nests with it. If we put out feathers, bits of wool, or 

 twine, a dozen different kinds of birds will make use of them. If 

 we furnish safe retreats in which they can rear their young com- 

 fortably, most of them will be occupied. In fact no attraction 

 for summer birds is more effectual than a series of houses suited 

 to the needs and habits of the various kinds of house birds. 



A few years ago only four species were commonly regarded as 

 house birds — the house wren, the bluebird, the tree swallow, and 

 the martin. Since the movement to protect birds and make 

 neighbors of them began, however, their natures and needs have 

 become better understood, and it is now known that many other 

 species will avail themselves of houses constructed for them by 

 their human friends. The practice of erecting bird houses in Fig 

 this country, while now nation-wide, is not so common and 

 uniformlv distributed as it should be, and more extended provisions 

 of this nature can not fail to result in a largely increased number of house birds. 



HOUSE BIRDS INCREASING IN NUMBER 



The habit of nesting in birds houses has been adopted by individuals of many 

 species which would not ordinarily be expected to make use of such homes, and 

 this may be taken as indicating that it will become more general from year to year 

 as facilities are afforded and as the number of birds hatched in houses increases. 



—Gourds ar- 

 ranged foi martins 





Fig. 5. — Gourds for wrens or bluebirds. 



Fig. 6. — House made 

 from hollow log. 



