News, Videos & Other Webcams > Birds in the News
News: Woodpeckers, Nuthatches & Chickadees
sami:
We have someone interested in making some boxes. There is another pair in the vicinity but so far they haven't shown any interest in attacking the steeple. But the nest boxes would be a precaution, even though in all the years the church has been there this hasn't happened before (built in 1837). There aren't any carpenter ants - or other insects that have been found - the behaviour seems to be the result of trying to hollow out a nest area, not an attempt to find food.
des:
--- Quote ---The solution - nest boxes. If large nest boxes, similar to the bluebird ones you see along highways, are erected - one for each bird - are erected, the birds will leave the buildings alone. There were pictures of a row of nestboxes, each with a pileated looking out. So there may well not be any insects, since that's not what they're looking for - they're just trying to hollow out spaces for themselves to roost in at night. Guess what we will be doing now?
And for the record - we simply asked conservation for help - it was their decision to shoot.
--- End quote ---
So you are going to try nest boxes - and, I assume, get rid of the carpenter ants?
The Peregrine Chick:
--- Quote from: sami on April 03, 2011, 18:10 ---The solution - nest boxes. If large nest boxes, similar to the bluebird ones you see along highways, are erected - one for each bird - are erected, the birds will leave the buildings alone. There were pictures of a row of nestboxes, each with a pileated looking out. So there may well not be any insects, since that's not what they're looking for - they're just trying to hollow out spaces for themselves to roost in at night. Guess what we will be doing now?
--- End quote ---
The nestbox idea sounds neat - if St Peters does do something like that to be proactive in case birds come back, you will have to keep an eye on it for us Sami! Heck, might even be a great idea for a webcam!
I hope your church manages to get a handle on the insect problem, the damage pileateds (heck all woodpeckers) can do is significant, and having been through it once, it wouldn't be fair for your church to have to go through it all again! Don't need for it to be a no win situation for the church and congregation as well!
sami:
Someone from the area sent us an article that originated (I think) with Texas Wild LIfe about woodpeckers, specifically pileated. They said there are three reasons the birds peck - forage (not the usual reason for what they do), mating, and roosting. Apparently they like to roost in large holes that they hollow out in trees. For some reason, even when there are plenty of suitable dead trees, they attack buildings - and keep on attacking because they are unable to hollow out the space they are trying for. Included was an article about a house that was attacked. The homeowners tried everything, but nothing worked. Painting or spraying the building with a variety of substances diden't work because the birds weren't tasting anything - they were just ripping off chunks of wood. They even got inside the house (more damage).
The solution - nest boxes. If large nest boxes, similar to the bluebird ones you see along highways, are erected - one for each bird - are erected, the birds will leave the buildings alone. There were pictures of a row of nestboxes, each with a pileated looking out. So there may well not be any insects, since that's not what they're looking for - they're just trying to hollow out spaces for themselves to roost in at night. Guess what we will be doing now?
And for the record - we simply asked conservation for help - it was their decision to shoot.
Kinderchick:
--- Quote from: The Peregrine Chick on April 03, 2011, 12:02 ---... Basically, its was a no-win situation from the start for the woodpeckers...
--- End quote ---
:'( :'(
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version