Birds and Housekeeping

Q: Should I clean my birdhouses every year?

A: Most experts agree that it's not necessary to clean out birdhouses every year. After all, birds in the wild don't have anyone doing their housekeeping chores for them. However, cleaning out a birdhouse doesn't do any harm and it gives you a chance to see how different species build their nests.

If one of your birdhouses was raided by predators, such as snakes or squirrels, the parent birds won't return to the house. In this case, it's best to clean out the house. Remove the house, clean it thoroughly, disinfect it with a 10% solution of bleach and water, let it dry in the sun, and mount it in a different location.

A: Since birds prefer to perch on the tallest object, you can place a tall stake behind a garden bench, for instance. Birds will more likely land on the stake and leave the bench alone.