Predators

Squirrels
Raccoons and Cats
View Types of Predator Guards
View Predator Guard Plans

What to do about Predators

Although birdhouses serve the wonderful purpose of providing nesting opportunities for many native birds, they can also provide easy targets for predators and unwanted competitors.Common predators of nest boxes include raccoons, snakes, cats, and squirrels. For years, nest box providers have been inventing ways to fortify their nest boxes against these predators. Here are some tips to help you thwart common nest box predators.

The most passive way to prevent predation is to avoid placing nest boxes in areas where predators are prevalent. But, because some predators are prevalent everywhere, this is often easier said than done. Protect your cavity-nesting birds by placing predator guards around your nest boxes.

Squirrels

In some regions, squirrels do great damage to nest boxes. By chewing at entrance holes to enlarge them, they make it easier for themselves and other predators to enter. If squirrels are a problem in your area, simply cut a hole in a small rectangular piece of sheet metal, which is the same size and shape as the nest box entrance hole. Attach the sheet metal to the front of the nest box, aligning the entrance hole with the hole in the metal.

Raccoons and Domestic Cats

Raccoons and cats are abundant in both rural and suburban areas. Raccoons seem especially difficult to deter because they are very intelligent. Once they learn that nest boxes are a good food source, these nocturnal creatures have been known to wipe out entire groups of nest boxes.

In raiding nest boxes, both raccoons and cats will leap to the top of the box, sit on the roof, and "dip" into the entrance hole with their front paws to grab the contents.

Ways to prevent raccoons and cats from raiding your boxes:

• Lengthening the roof so that it extends five inches beyond the front of the box will prevent these animals from easily reaching into the entrance hole.
• Mount your box high enough and away from trees so cats cannot spring to the top of the box in a single leap.
• Attach predator guards to your boxes to prevent these animals from climbing up to your box. Three commonly used guards are shown below.

Predator Guard Examples

Stovepipe baffle

This device is the most complex and perhaps, the most effective baffle. It is made of a stovepipe or PVC pipe that encircles the nest-box pole. It is held in place by hardware cloth and iron straps. Also, encircling the nest-box pole with metal sheeting can be just as effective.