pellett] tfEST BOXES I : OR WOODPECKERS 17 



in the country. Here I have had ample opportunity to study the 

 birds, under natural conditions. Three species of woodpeckers 

 have reared their young in the cavities excavated by themselves 

 in the trees near at hand. They have occupied our boxes, not 

 because of lack of suitable nesting sites, but because the boxes 

 supplied all their requirements equally well, and saved them the 

 labor of boring the hole in a tree. 



Golden-winged woodpeckers have, at various times, made a 

 number of holes in the cornice of our house, but have not at- 

 tempted to occupy them. Such incidents must be familiar to 

 every reader. This fact convinced me that woodpeckers would 

 readily occupy boxes if they could. The trouble was, of course, 

 with the interior of the box. If the birds were to lay their eggs 

 on the bottom, there was nothing to serve the purpose of a nest. 

 In making their excavation in the decayed wood of a linden tree 

 near by, they left the bottom rounded somewhat like the bottom of 

 a cup, and allowed a lot of chips to remain, instead of bringing 

 in foreign material as do other birds. 



In making our boxes we had two things in mind : that the 

 cavity must be deep, and that there must be something to serve 

 the purpose of a nest. The result was such boxes as shown in the 

 accompanying pictures. Old lumber was used, as I felt doubt- 

 ful as to whether these birds would take kindly to painted houses. 

 With four boards eight inches wide, and two and a half feet long, 

 it is easy to supply the requirements of a golden winged wood- 

 pecker. Boards six inches wide will make a box large enough 

 for the smaller species. The opening is made near the top of 

 the upright box, just large enough to allow the birds to enter 

 easily. To supply the nest, ground cork, such as grapes are 

 packed in, secured from a fruit store, is placed in the bottom -of 

 the box to a depth of about six inches. Of course, it is not neces- 

 sary to put in so much. The space between the opening and the 

 cork should be at least twelve inches, and I am inclined to regard 

 fifteen inches as better, especially for golden wings (flickers). 



The birds take readily to these boxes, if placed in a suitable 

 situation, which with us is usually at the top of a pole fifteen feet 

 or more above ground, or nailed well up to the side of a tree. 

 Although woodpeckers often make for themselves homes within 

 a few feet of the ground, we have not succeeded in inducing 

 them to occupy boxes lower than about fifteen feet. The eggs are 

 placed on the cork, which supplies nearly the same conditions as 



