Attracting birds into nesting boxes (Urban area)

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Uber Geek

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#2800141 23-Oct-2021 19:19

Try glueing bits of branches and bark to make it look camouflaged. The orange strap holding it could be a put off as well. It’s a colour that a lot of reptiles etc show as a deterrent to other animals. I think making it as natural and inconspicuous as possible would make a difference.

MarkM536

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Ultimate Geek

#2800155 23-Oct-2021 20:06

Eva888: Try glueing bits of branches and bark to make it look camouflaged. The orange strap holding it could be a put off as well.

I think making it as natural and inconspicuous as possible would make a difference.

Thankyou. This idea has been on my list and I have completed it 🙂.

Terrible job, but it's a bit hard to hang on for dare life with strong winds up there right now!

Nest box V2 (next year) might be a hollowed out log like Robert E Fuller's nest cameras 😁 (great Youtube channel btw): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9fQcHqUtk8

neb

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#2800161 23-Oct-2021 20:24

MarkM536:
Terrible job, but it's a bit hard to hang on for dare life with strong winds up there right now!

That actually looks pretty neat, perfect as a bird home.

I like the bunch of dried grass to the side, I assume it's building material for the nest?

MarkM536

309 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2800171 23-Oct-2021 20:48

neb:
MarkM536:

Terrible job, but it's a bit hard to hang on for dare life with strong winds up there right now!

I like the bunch of dried grass to the side, I assume it's building material for the nest?

Yes, that is material that came from a nest which fell out of the palm tree. I do hope those sparrows see their nest material and try again here.

I removed the bits of plastic from it. 'Eeek' that birds find small bits of plastic around for their nests, worst is loose plastic woven weed mat.

richms

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#2800184 23-Oct-2021 21:32

I have 4 similar XMeye cameras, but older that I was planning on doing the same thing with - not IR capable tho. I got what looks like the same birdhouse kits and I nicely sanded and bogged and painted them up, put a hinge on the lid, and then was told that was a no-go for birds. Left it at that point.

If you want to add POE to the cameras, its all in the RJ45 socket on them. I got these ones - not available from that seller anymore and they work great but ID themselves as a crapload of power to the switch, so despite the camera taking near nothing the switch thinks its a huge load so a POE splitter will not power them up. I had to pairsplit out 2 of them when I was doing the test hookup.

Richard rich.ms

Eva888

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#2800196 23-Oct-2021 22:58

That looks great, well done. The bark is also good for their claws to grasp to on landing. Maybe start feeding them on the ground under the tree and add a dish of water to attract them to the tree above which will be their safe viewing platform to the food below. We look forward to hearing when a new family move in.

MarkM536

309 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2800205 24-Oct-2021 01:34

richms:

I have 4 similar XMeye cameras, but older that I was planning on doing the same thing with - not IR capable tho. I got what looks like the same birdhouse kits and I nicely sanded and bogged and painted them up, put a hinge on the lid, and then was told that was a no-go for birds. Left it at that point.

If you want to add POE to the cameras, its all in the RJ45 socket on them. I got these ones - not available from that seller anymore and they work great but ID themselves as a crapload of power to the switch, so despite the camera taking near nothing the switch thinks its a huge load so a POE splitter will not power them up. I had to pairsplit out 2 of them when I was doing the test hookup.

The seller I got mine from does do POE versions. I sadly bought the wrong one and realised it was already shipped.... I'll wire a small 12v IR light for extra light at the back of the garden for another camera nearby (plenty of power available from this POE run).

On https://ipcamtalk.com there is a thread about a Birdhouse camera (trying to disable P2P). The camera seems to be from a UK place and it apparently has the same interface.

Nice to know those expensive birdhouse camera kits use these cheap cameras from AliExpress.

(IP cam talk was down at 1:32am as I posted this).

Interesting that you mention this POE plug taking full power...

Eva888:

That looks great, well done. The bark is also good for their claws to grasp to on landing. Maybe start feeding them on the ground under the tree and add a dish of water to attract them to the tree above which will be their safe viewing platform to the food below. We look forward to hearing when a new family move in.

We (family) do occasionally put out food on the lawn (below this tree). There is also a birdbath very close too, with clean water, I put a solar pump to re-circulate and pass the water through a filter.

I'll look forward when a bird finally gets in too!

I spent an hour routing the cable through the roof, out down the wall, along a fence and up the tree so I hope someone does go into it!!

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richms

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#2800360 24-Oct-2021 15:13

I did try a wifi one first to make life easier but as soon as I take it outside, the trash that is 2.4GHz made it not work at all.

It had an annoyingly placed SMA plug on the rear of the camera for a cheap wifi antenna like used on routers 20 years ago. I was toying with the idea of putting a directional antenna on it but I got one with the wrong plug polarity and gave up at that point and settled on ethernet and POE instead of DC off the feed to the outside lights.

Richard rich.ms

MarkM536

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Ultimate Geek

#2802071 27-Oct-2021 16:02

We have a bird!

No... sadly not quite but getting there.

Two birds have triggered motion recording as they checked it out.

Bird in the second video looks to have feathers pattern like an Eastern Rosella.

First video looks to have black shinny feathers like a starling but the face doesn't look like one?

Oblivian

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#2802094 27-Oct-2021 16:47

I wonder if the 'stuff' inside has them spooked

'oh snap, not my hizzle. Someone else claimed this crib yo'

Guess you will soon find out in any cold or adverse weather ahead.

Bung

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#2802107 27-Oct-2021 17:05

Locally birds seem quite happy to try and take over letterboxes. Ours has a block of wood with eyes in it but the birds know it's not a cat.

eracode

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#2802197 27-Oct-2021 18:58

Oblivian:

I wonder if the 'stuff' inside has them spooked

'oh snap, not my hizzle. Someone else claimed this crib yo'

Guess you will soon find out in any cold or adverse weather ahead.

IANAn ornithologist but my understanding is that birds inhabit nests (and boxes) only in the young-raising period. Once the littlies have flown, birds don’t live in nests - and don’t return to former nests the next season. They start from scratch with a new nest each year.

At night they just perch in trees or in sandhills or wherever they live in the off-season. Perching birds have a muscle system that means that once grabbed-on to a branch, they are ‘attached’ and can’t/won’t fall off when asleep.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

Oblivian

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#2802204 27-Oct-2021 19:20

eracode:

IANAn ornithologist but my understanding is that birds inhabit nests (and boxes) only in the young-raising period. Once the littlies have flown, birds don’t live in nests - and don’t return to former nests the next season. They start from scratch with a new nest each year.

At night they just perch in trees or in sandhills or wherever they live in the off-season. Perching birds have a muscle system that means that once grabbed-on to a branch, they are ‘attached’ and can’t/won’t fall off when asleep.

Well, yes. But the key there. Is make a new one. Not take over one that has bits in it generally.

Much like these guys do each season

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Keq_ym_kKgc

eracode

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#2802222 27-Oct-2021 19:29

Oblivian:

eracode:

IANAn ornithologist but my understanding is that birds inhabit nests (and boxes) only in the young-raising period. Once the littlies have flown, birds don’t live in nests - and don’t return to former nests the next season. They start from scratch with a new nest each year.

At night they just perch in trees or in sandhills or wherever they live in the off-season. Perching birds have a muscle system that means that once grabbed-on to a branch, they are ‘attached’ and can’t/won’t fall off when asleep.

Well, yes. But the key there. Is make a new one. Not take over one that has bits in it generally.

Much like these guys do each season

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Keq_ym_kKgc

Yes, some species could adopt a box next spring (too late for this season) but my point is that they don’t go looking for a warm box to sleep in any old time just because there’s “cold or adverse weather ahead” as you said. Nesting is driven by the seasonal young-rearing instinct.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

Oblivian

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#2802243 27-Oct-2021 20:01

I guess birds must think a bit diff down here then *shrug*

When it comes time to roost avoiding wind or weather they seem go find trees, sheltered eaves, empty knots, attics, Wood piles, old sheds, comms cabinets at the top of the warehouse

Quite a few hidey spots at height like where this box is mounted in after investigating. Seemingly not just to nest.

That or my attempt at humor and suggesting they investigate and may find shelter where they can has been taken far too literal.

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