BUILDING BIRD HOUSES 



663 



Fig. 13. — Foundation 

 for house shown in 

 figure 12. 



Fig. 14. — Floor and posts 

 added to foundation 

 shown in figure 13. 



by such tenants as chickadees, tiifted 

 titmice, white-breasted nuthatches, Bewick 

 and CaroHna wrens, violet-green swallows, 

 crested flycatchers, screech owls, sparrow 

 hawks, and even some of the woodpeckers, 

 the master builders themselves. Flickers 

 readily accept houses built according to 

 their standards. Red-headed and golden- 

 fronted woodpeckers are willing occupants 

 of artificial houses, and even the downy 

 woodpecker, that sturdy little carpenter, 

 has, in one instance, at least — this according 

 to Jefferson Butler occurring on the Ford 

 farm, near Detroit, where great pains have 

 been taken to provide for birds — deemed 

 such a home a satisfactory abode in which to raise 

 a family. Shelters having one or more sides open 

 are used by birds which would never venture into 

 dark houses suited to woodpeckers. They have 

 been occupied by robins and brown thrashers, and, 

 in one instance, by a song sparrow. This song 

 sparrow record is another surprise from the Ford 

 farm, announced by Mr. Butler, which is very 

 encouraging to those experimenting with bird 

 houses. 



The number of house birds may be still further 

 augmented as time goes on. All of the commoner 

 woodpeckers are likely to be included, as are several 

 of the small owls and wrens, and a few of the wild 

 ducks, as the golden-eye. The wood duck is already 

 Houses set close to streams in the western mountains 

 will probably be occupied by ousels or dippers. Florida grackles sometimes 

 breed in flicker holes and may be expected to occupy houses now and then. In 

 every locality having trees there is a group of birds ready to appropriate houses 

 when they have the opportunity. 



Fig. 15. — House ready to place over 

 floor and posts as shown in figure 14. 



known to use nesting boxes. 



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Fig. 16. — Lumber diagrams for building 

 house shown in figures 12 to 15. Thick- 

 ness of boards J^ inch. 



Fig. 17. — Diagrammatic drawings of bluebird house. This 

 house can be removed from its floor by unfastening two 

 wire hooks. 



