Learn How To Build A Bird House

A great family project for those cold winter days.

Birds are great additions to your backyard. Putting up bird houses is an excellent way to attract them. However, not all birds opt to nest in bird houses. Birds differ in their habitat preferences and only cavity-dwellers are probably interested in the bird shelters in your backyard. As it is, these cavity-dwellers also have their own specifications about the kind of house they like. These are minor measurements or feature issues but they are important for the birds. However, there are general guidelines in building these houses.

First, it is important to identify the species of birds that visit your backyard. It is also necessary to distinguish which are the cavity-dwellers from the tree and burrow dwellers. Common cavity-dwellers are wrens, chickadees, bluebirds, and flickers. Choose one you like best and focus your bird house design on it. Even if the idea of building multiple bird houses appeal to you, refrain from doing so because birds are territorial animals.

Second, determine the required dimensions of your chosen bird. Forget asking the birds for these because you'll get no answers. Dimensions of bird houses include entrance-hole, height, depth, and floor size. Smaller birds like wren and chickadees usually prefer 4x4 floor size and a reasonable 8" depth. Consult a bird book or the internet for information regarding the measurements of your bird house.

Third, it is better to use untreated wood and lumber for bird houses. Aside from mimicking the birds' natural habitat, natural wood also minimizes risks of poisoning and overheating. Treated and processed wood like plywood contains preservatives like formaldehyde, which poses serious health hazards to your feathered friends. Lumber that is classified as pressure-treated often contain toxic chemicals which can poison the nesting birds. Paint is also a no-no. Chipping paint can be mistaken by the bird for food and eat it. Also, metals and plastics are not suitable for building avian shelters since they are both prone to overheating. You would want to provide the birds shelter, not an outdoor oven.

Fourth, in drafting or designing a plan for your bird houses, it is important to consider the birds' safety against the elements and predators. Slanted roofs are preferable so rain, dirt, and moisture would not collect on top and rot the wood. It is also preferable that the roofs extend over the sides and front. Perches are not really necessary since cavity-dwellers do not perch. Consider drainage and ventilation needs. Drill small holes on the floor but make sure that these are smaller than the bird's feet. These holes are also best placed on corners to help in draining water out in case of rain. Baby birds drown easily and a bit of collected rainwater in their shelter is enough to send them to their deaths. Aside from the relatively larger entrance holes, place ventilation holes along the house's walls or back. These let heat escape to keep the structure comfortably cool. Placing the bird house atop a pole is a good way to discourage predators like cats and raccoons.

Fifth, maintenance and cleanliness are also factors in bird house building. Unkempt bird houses are causes of diseases, according to experts. To help you in maintaining cleanliness in the bird house, add a backdoor. This way, you can easily remove unused nest and disinfect the vacated house. Droppings and other dirt also contribute to the contamination and cleaning these out limits risks of infecting other birds.

With these tips, you are on your way to designing and building your own bird houses. Help the birds by treating these houses as if you live there. Considering the birds' safety in your bird houses ensure you of longer years with your feathered friends.

Tristan Andrews is a freelance author who writes articles about pet health and pet supplies.

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Famous Bird Sanctuaries of India

India is a home for many species of birds local as well as migrant birds. Bird sanctuaries in India are therefore a hot spot for personality lovers and birdwatchers. Some of the beautiful local inhabitants like The National Bird of India “Peacocks” , Great Indian bustard, Indian Horn-bill, Kingfishers and Indian Eagle “Garuda”, a Sacred Bird of Hindus. The Great Indian Horn-bill is the largest amongst all the horn-bills found in the forests of India. There are over 1200 species of birds found in the India, so one can enjoy birding or bird watching in India. Kulik (Raiganj) Bird Sanctuary is one of the largest bird sanctuaries in Asia. Nawabganj is one of the luckiest sanctuaries that have such enormous range of wildlife creatures in India. is an ideal tourist destination for birding, twitching and Bird watching in India. Twitching is refer to those who travel long distances to see a rare bird that would called as twitcher.

Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary:
The famous Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary also known as Keoladeo Ghana National Park is situated in Rajasthan. Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is one of the best bird sanctuaries in India and one of the finest bird parks in the world. Apart from the Great Thar Desert, Big forts and beautiful lakes, Birds of Bharatpur Sanctuary are one of the major tourist attractions in Rajasthan. Thousands of rare and highly endangered birds come here during the winter season. The Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is paradise for the bird lover’s to watch some of the most exotic birds in the world.

Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary:
Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary is home for several colorful winged migratory species, located at Gurgaon district of Haryana. Its small area comprising with shallow freshwater Sultanpur Lake, where 100 of migratory bird species visit to feed every year. The Sultanpur National Park also known for its rich variety of wild animals and birds.

Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary:
The Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary is home to many varieties of local and migratory birds, situated in chorao Island along the river Mandovi in Goa. Salim Ali Bird sanctuary is one of the best known bird sanctuaries and very famous bird sanctuary in India. It is one of the smallest bird sanctuaries where flying Sparrows, Beautiful peafowl, Parrots,pelican, Indian giant squirral and other rare species of fauna can be spotted. Beyond the Beaches of Goa, Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary is one of the major tourist attractions in Goa.

Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary:
Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary also known as Vembanad Bird Sanctuary is situated at in land of attraction Kerala, near to the famous Vembanad Lake. It offers a home to a large number of migratory birds like Flycatcher, Teal, Siberian Stork, Crane, Parrots and Wood Beetle. by riding a houseboat will be the best way for birdwatching in Kerala. It is a favorite spot for migratory birds and paradise for the bird lovers. Another bird Sanctuaries in Kerala are Mangalavanam and Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary, situated on the banks of the Periyar River and famous for some of the rarest species of birds and other unique fauna.

Ranganthittu Bird Sanctuary:
Ranganthittu Bird Sanctuary is situated near to the banks of the Kaveri River in Karnataka. The Exotic migratory birds like light Ibis, Egret, Partridge, Heron, River Tern, Snake Bird, stone Plougher are the attraction for the tourist. This is an important tourist destination of Mysore and is located about 20 kilometers from the famous Brindavan garden lies adjoining the Krishnarajasagara dam.

Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary:
The Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary is the oldest bird sanctuary in India, situated in Tamil Nadu. The Vedanthankal Lake region attracted a variety of birds such as pintail, garganey, grey wagtail, blue-winged teal, common sandpiper. One sixth of landmass of Tamil Nadu is covered with forests, which is paradise for animal lover and bird watchers. Kunthakulam bird sanctuary and Pulicat lake bird Sanctuary are also famous for bird watching situated at border of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Kaundinya Bird Sanctuary:
Kaundinya Bird Sanctuary is one of the best bird sanctuaries in India, situated near Chittor in Andhra Pradesh. The habitat is rugged with high hills and deep valleys and Kaigal and Kaundinya are two beautiful streams, which flow through the sanctuary. Kaundinya Sanctuary offers the best of wildlife and bird watching in India. Kolleru Lake bird Sanctuary also offers variety of migratory birds to its largest fresh water Kolleru Lake.

Chilka Lake bird Sanctuary:
Chilka Lake bird Sanctuary is very popular among tourists,located near puri in Orissa. The Chilka Lake is the most beautiful brackish water lake in Asia and famous for a rich variety of birds. Chilka Lake serves as a bird sanctuary and is the largest wintering ground for migratory birds in India. The pear-shaped Chilka Lake is one of the best bird watching spots in India.

Mayani Bird Sanctuary:
The Mayani Bird Sanctuary is globally reckoned for its gigantic range of species for migratory birds situated in Satara district of Maharashtra. Many migratory birds pass through the area, such as Flamingos from Siberia come in large numbers. It is one of the most prominent and Famous Bird Sancturiesi in India.

Nal Sarovar bird sanctury:
Nal Sarovar bird sanctury comprising of a huge lake and ambient marshes, is situated in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Nal Sarovar bird sanctury is the largest wetland bird sanctuary in Gujarat, and one of the largest in India, spot birds like Flamingos, Pelicans, Spoonbills, Avocets, Coots, Pintails, small Cormorants, small Grebes and Shovellers. It is count as one of the busiest tourist attraction spot in India.One of the famous sanctuary in Gujart is “Porbandar Bird Sanctuary”. The Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park is India’s first marine national park in the Indian Ocean at Gujrat.

Article source: walkthroughindia.com



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Make A Difference - Save Domestic Birds

Nature is awesome, only it may not be for a great deal longer. Did you realize that several of the most common bird species are being diminished in numbers at a worrying grade, species alike the tree sparrows and skylark songbirds numbers are in heavy descend, as a result in around ten years time period these types of species could become non existent. The decrease has as well been seen in several of the more common household garden bird wild life, like the birds as Blue Tits and Robins.So what can ourselves do about it?? Well a beginning would be to try to have home pets under control, fifty-five million birds are researched and studied to be attacked and killed by home cats a year by it self. Putting a collar bell on them perhaps will help, so that at least the bird in your garden will have gotten a warning signal when they are close to get jumped on. No-one likes seeing a cluster of bird feathers on your home garden lawn, its normally a awful sign. approximately twenty five percent of our bird species mates in our very own home gardens, what also we can do to farther better this figure and cut back the bird deaths by domestic cats is to get bird-houses in our very own home gardens. Bird-Houses, or nest-box's as they are as well acknowledged present the birds a secure surroundings to hang around in, hence will lead in a superior survivability measure for new bird species and likewise assist keep all predators away.

To provide a supply of bird food with bird feeders is as well another good manner to give the birds feed, this will pull in a large scope of bird species towards your home garden, what a lovely place the home garden is with birds cherping. A good practice is to provide the birds with a broad mixture of bird food so that the garden can draw in various types of bird species and likewise attempt to support the bird feed as high up as achievable, not simply so the bird species can visualize it best but likewise again from squirrels trying to get the bird feed, or fight the birds while they eat. Bird baths are likewise good for clean preserved drinking water supply for the birds that come to your garden, during cold seasons all birds main water supply can get froze to ice, so birds getting water to drink is much crucial than always. To not let your bird baths water getting frozen to ice, attempt putting it side by side to a garden heat source like a light, this heat source that will aid keep the drinking water heated up so it doesn't ice up. Its too doable to put a hollow ball in the bath so it moves around during high winds, this will help stop the full-length bird bath getting iced up and allow a small bit of drinking water gettable for the bird species to drink and bath. You can also drop heated tap water ontop the bird baths one time a day to heat the frozen water, this is in all likelihood the easiest method. So by making sure that birds have got a large supply of drinking water and food will maintain the wildlife birds coming to your garden home and support the population of birds on the upwards, instead than the downslope.Get hold of a bird table for the backyard to put the bird feeder on top of, or combine all these tips in the writing and make the home garden the quality bird birvana. We require to keep the bird population stabilized, support nature the manner it is and the best way ourselves can do this is by taking steps to help now, or else we might end up to be wishing we did more about it in later on to come.

Want to take action? check out this site to buy bird houses .

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Bird Supplies for Exotic Birds

Chirp n Squawk bird supplies is a first stop online shop for all the items an owner of an exotic bird, such as a parakeet, parrot, macaw or other species of bird kept in a domestic setting should ever need to buy.

Items such as bird toys, bird stands and fresh quality bird food are all available to buy from Chirp n Squawk bird supplies where a large selection of fresh bird food, stimulating and educational bird toys and puzzles, and comfortable and varied bird stands for the bird to perch on.

Chirp n Squawk was formed when the owners of the company were unable to source a regular supply of bird food specifically for their own collection of exotic birds; however since the companyâ??s creation, the range of quality fresh food for birds has increased dramatically, and now all bird species kept in a domestic environment is catered for.

Building on the success of the food for birds range, the company also has a large number of general supplies for birds, which include many of the regular items one associates with birds kept in a domestic environment, and also items one doesnâ??t necessarily associate with domestically kept birds, especially exotic birds.

All of the regular cage supplies including mirrors, straight perches, cage covers, bird swings and treat holders, as well as the bottom of the cage liners that catch the bird poop, ready for easy and hygienic disposal are all available.
Chirp n Squawk also stock items which are ingenious to say the least, including a bird diaper so the bird can fly freely in the home without leaving its personal autograph on the furniture (or the owners head) and little purpose made bird tents so the bird can engage in camping vacations around the home.

Chirp n Squawk have assembled a large collection and range of general and specialist supplies for birds, specializing, but not limited to exotic birds such as parrots, parakeets, and cockatoos to mention a few.

The list of books and videos dedicated to bird care in general, but with titles specifically pertaining to exotic bird care and health tips and advice, combined with DVD presentations on how to look after, care for and keep an exotic bird in a domestic environment, give weight to the companyâ??s claim that their philosophy is centered on the care, treatment and general well being of exotic birds.

Ordering from the company website is simplicity in itself, and there is a page dedicated to frequently asked questions, and there is also an email contact address for general enquiries not answered in FAQ.

For further information on parrot and exotic bird care, and to source a reliable supply of quality, fresh bird food, bird stands, bird toys and bird supplies in general log on to http://www.birdsupplies.com today.

For further information on parrot and exotic bird care, and to source a reliable supply of quality, fresh bird food, bird stands, bird toys and bird supplies in general log on to http://www.birdsupplies.com today.

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10 Bird keeping mistakes NOT to make:

10 Bird keeping mistakes NOT to make:

Throughout the centuries mankind has learnt how to get it right by getting it wrong. Every species has since the dawn of life has learnt through its mistakes, and evolved in order to get it right and survive (with the exception of our old friends, the dinosaurs perhaps).

How often have you found yourself saying "I'll not do that again!" Well it's the same with bird keeping (or keeping any pets for that matter). Over the 10 years or so that I have been keeping and breeding pet birds I have made many mistakes and learnt not to repeat my failures.

Keeping any type of animal is a long learning curve, you learn more as you go along.

I have put together this list to help you so that hopefully you will not make some of these mistakes yourself, giving you a head start along the bird keeping road.

10 bird keeping mistakes not to make:

1 Do not put new birds in with any others you may have as soon as you get them home! You don't know if your new bird might be carrying some illness or virus that could be easily passed to your other birds. For this reason I suggest a "quarantine" period of at least 2 weeks to see if your new bird is OK. Keeping your most recent feathered buddy in a cage on it's own separated from your other birds is perhaps the best option.

2 Don't feed your new bird the wrong food! By this I mean you must find out what the previous owner has been feeding, then try and get the same food and introduce a different type or brand of feed gradually over a period of time, gradually increasing the food you want to give while decreasing the previous food. Sudden changes in diet can play havoc with a bird's digestive system.

3 Do not let your guests torment your bird or birds in any way! Children especially are particularly efficient at this, but so are some adults. On the same vein you must not torment your bird yourself either. Loud noises - especially sudden ones, prodding your bird, shouting, and generally annoying your feathered pet can rapidly turn your beautiful, loving, tame bird into an annoying and aggressive monster that nobody likes.

4 Don't give your birds water straight from the tap - or faucet to our US friends! Mains supplied water contains some chemicals - used by the water company to supposedly keep your water safe - that could harm your bird. Clean, fresh rain water is best, but failing that if you use mains water then boil it and then allow it to cool before giving it to your birds, that way most toxins will be destroyed during the boiling process.

5 Do not feed your bird the same boring old food continuously! Basically, the proprietary food or seed mix you give to your bird is fine as it's staple diet, and so you should always have some available for your bird; but would you want to eat the same boring old stuff all the time? Didn't think so; well it's the same with your bird; staple food is fine but your pet bird requires some variety to his or her diet. Fresh vegetables, fresh fruit and nuts are an excellent extra food or for a special treat, preferably for both reasons. Please look out for my next article in the directory to find out what foods are safe and unsafe for your birds.

6 Don't force your bird to live it's whole life alone in an empty cage! Most birds that are commonly kept as pets are not solitary by nature and often live as part of a large flock, they enjoy company. Hookbills - such as parrots, budgies, cockatiels, and many other parrot and parakeet species - will soon get bored and depressed on their own, so if keeping just one be sure to interact with it and provide some toys to keep your pet bird occupied. Some other species - such as finches for example - although they may be part of a flock in the wild, don't have a lot of interest in toys - except perhaps the odd tunnel, hole or box to investigate - but they also like company. Again you need to interact with them a little, but the best advice I can give is to keep 2 or more of these energetic little critters together, this way then can amuse each other. Society (Bengalese) finches hate to be alone and will always be found huddled together or playing closely (It's so cute to see them huddled).

7 Do not allow your bird's water to go stagnant! This can make them very ill. Change the water at least every day, sometimes more often. Even if fresh water was only given today as soon as it starts to look a little murky you need to change it. Be sure to wash out the water container thoroughly with clean water at each change.

8 Don't allow your birds cage, aviary and fitting to get excessively soiled! When things start to look messy, get cleaning! Bird droppings and other soiled items harbour germs, give everything a good wash (with a very week disinfectant solution if necessary, but be sure to rinse thoroughly). Clean out the cage or aviary, get rid of sand, shavings or whatever else is covering the base and replace with clean and new. Wash perches, toys, food and water containers; and wipe down the bars of the cage, or the walls and mesh of the aviary. Cages should be cleaned and changed at least once every week; aviaries can go a little longer but still need doing regularly - at least once a month is a good start.

9 Do not over-exhaust you pet birds! Just like us, your bird will need time to chill out and relax. Too much activity or too much heat (although many originate from tropical countries, during the hottest part of the day they tend to like a siesta in the shade somewhere) can cause exhaustion, and an over-exhausted bird is as good as dead. Yes, they need to be active, but they need some R & R too. For this reason if you find your birds are actively breeding for example try not too allow them to raise more than 2 clutches of chicks per year, in the Autumn (Fall) remove their nest boxes in order to stop them or they will be continuously exhausted - this is especially apparent in an exposed outdoor aviary, as your birds need to build up their fat reserves to see them through the winter, but if they have young all their efforts will be focused on raising their young rather than looking after themselves.

10 Don't buy or acquire adult birds and expect them to be tame! Taming a bird begins when they are still young and have only just left the nest. For them to become tame they need to be nurtured and handled every day. If you get an adult bird that is tame it's a bonus, but don't expect it!

For more bird keeping related issues please email me with your questions.
More information available in my new pet bird keeping ebook available now, visit http://www.myebook.com/index.php?option=ebook&id=80653 to get your copy or paste the above url into your web browser.
Visit my blog at http://stantonbirdman.wordpress.com/
Pete Etheridge
Nottinghamshire, UK
Keeper and breeder of pet birds for 10 years.
Offering information and advice on all aspects of bird keeping.
stanton.birdman@gmail.com

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