If
you have a yard without mature trees but you still want to have birds
nesting in your yard, there are a few options available to you. Some
bird species will roost in bushes, which mature much more quickly than
most trees. Or, if you don’t want to have to wait you can put
up a bird house pole.
What is a bird house pole exactly you ask? Well, it is a
substitute for a tree. It can be metal or wooden, and can have many supplemental
features as well. Perhaps the best advantage a pole has over a tree is
that it can be any height you want it to be, within reason. Bluebirds
nest at 2-3 feet; chickadees prefer 6 feet or so. You can set up a pole
for each, in a separate location.
Another great feature of a bird house pole is the ability
to protect your birds from predators. Oftentimes cats, raccoons, or other
predators will attempt to invade a birdhouse. A simple screen two feet
of the ground will prevent even the most agile of predators from being
able to climb the pole to reach the house. You can also buy telescoping
poles that let you lower the house to the ground for easy cleaning and
maintenance during the months it is not inhabited.