Thanks for speaking up. I love the Pileated Woodpeckers. I made a nestbox for some in my yard, but currently a Screech Owl is taking residence. That's okay, though. I love their calls at night. :)
Great information Mark, I've had 2 sightings of red bellied woodpeckers here, not a common bird for my area here in Northern Ontario Canada, let's hope he stays around! We have plenty of downy and peleted woodpeckers. 🥰
Recently, a female downy has been bedding down for the last three nights in my nest box intended for bluebirds that has a camera. She arrives at dusk, leaves at dawn--no hits during the day. The box doesn't have shavings. Should I add some?
It probably isn't practical or possibly safe from what I have read, but one can only hope a technology comes along soon to possibly eradicate the European Starling. It's just unreal how much damage they have caused. I am 35 years old now and have fed birds since age 14 and the increase in starlings since just in that time frame has easily doubled. Seeing flocks of thousands every 5 miles or so is nothing new in at my location in NW Ohio. House sparrow is second on that list of problems.
@@MarksBackyardBirdsThanks for the response. I appreciate it. I have no doubts on being past the point. I see it every time I look out my window lol. It's much like my other hobby/passion of forestry work. The amount of disease and imported pests right now are at an all time high. Apparently the Chestnut blight and Dutch Elm disease taught the powers that be nothing. And the birds suffer big time as a consequence. Lastly, I mentioned eradicating starlings only because I read where scientifically it can be done. They have a way to sterilize the species over a time period. The fear is a few birds get on a ship, cargo, etc.. to Europe that are sterilized and it wipes out Starlings there. Similar in the tree world to bringing back the chestnut tree. A wheat trait can make it immune to blight but they don't know the consequences in the forest of doing so. So its all controversial.
Thank you, that was interesting! I've got 2 questions for you, because you are so knowledgeable, please. 1) One of the mockingbirds coming to my raisin feeder quite often burps up one round red berry in the feeder before taking a raising. I am very intrigued by this behavior, when does it mean? 2) How far should the bluebird houses be situated from one another in the backyard? Thank you!
Bluebird houses should be no closer than 100 yards. The males spend too much time fighting. There are exceptions. If you have Tree Swallows wanting the bluebird box, you can place two pretty close and they will use one and the bluebirds will use the other. As for the mockingbird, that is odd. Only thing that makes since is he/she is making room for a preferred food. Maybe the red berry doesn’t taste as good.
What was the living tree that woodpeckers can live in. I have two sycamore trees one has to be compleatly removed the other has half the tree threatening our neighbors house. I rehoming in houses but want to keep with nature. Planting a new sycamore I seeded but want to add another woodpecker friendly tree.
Actually they can live in almost any living tree if they have access to the inner heartwood. This typically in an are where a limb breaks off and exposes the dead heartwood are that they can drill into. Sycamores are typically excellent for them. Cottowoods are also great.
Hi Colt, I will put that in the cue. Here is one I did last spring about the features I look for in a good bluebird box: ua-cam.com/video/y5mhvl98KAk/v-deo.html
THANK YOU, MARK!!! i appreciate you listening to my request and making this video!
You are welcome. Thank you for the suggestion!
Thanks for speaking up. I love the Pileated Woodpeckers. I made a nestbox for some in my yard, but currently a Screech Owl is taking residence. That's okay, though. I love their calls at night. :)
@@outdoorztime2923 Screech Owls are a win!
Thanks so much. I have found a woodpecker in my bluebird box so this was very insightful.
Glad it helped. Thanks for watching!
Great information Mark, I've had 2 sightings of red bellied woodpeckers here, not a common bird for my area here in Northern Ontario Canada, let's hope he stays around! We have plenty of downy and peleted woodpeckers. 🥰
Red-bellies are more southern birds. Great to hear about them that far north!
Recently, a female downy has been bedding down for the last three nights in my nest box intended for bluebirds that has a camera. She arrives at dusk, leaves at dawn--no hits during the day. The box doesn't have shavings. Should I add some?
@@bramblebear3121 I wouldn’t change anything while she is using it.
Great video thank you, good to know.
Glad it was helpful!
It probably isn't practical or possibly safe from what I have read, but one can only hope a technology comes along soon to possibly eradicate the European Starling. It's just unreal how much damage they have caused. I am 35 years old now and have fed birds since age 14 and the increase in starlings since just in that time frame has easily doubled. Seeing flocks of thousands every 5 miles or so is nothing new in at my location in NW Ohio. House sparrow is second on that list of problems.
Unfortunately, we are far past the point of being able to do anything substantial about these two pest.
@@MarksBackyardBirdsThanks for the response. I appreciate it.
I have no doubts on being past the point. I see it every time I look out my window lol. It's much like my other hobby/passion of forestry work. The amount of disease and imported pests right now are at an all time high. Apparently the Chestnut blight and Dutch Elm disease taught the powers that be nothing. And the birds suffer big time as a consequence.
Lastly, I mentioned eradicating starlings only because I read where scientifically it can be done. They have a way to sterilize the species over a time period. The fear is a few birds get on a ship, cargo, etc.. to Europe that are sterilized and it wipes out Starlings there. Similar in the tree world to bringing back the chestnut tree. A wheat trait can make it immune to blight but they don't know the consequences in the forest of doing so. So its all controversial.
Thank you, that was interesting! I've got 2 questions for you, because you are so knowledgeable, please. 1) One of the mockingbirds coming to my raisin feeder quite often burps up one round red berry in the feeder before taking a raising. I am very intrigued by this behavior, when does it mean? 2) How far should the bluebird houses be situated from one another in the backyard? Thank you!
Bluebird houses should be no closer than 100 yards. The males spend too much time fighting. There are exceptions. If you have Tree Swallows wanting the bluebird box, you can place two pretty close and they will use one and the bluebirds will use the other. As for the mockingbird, that is odd. Only thing that makes since is he/she is making room for a preferred food. Maybe the red berry doesn’t taste as good.
What was the living tree that woodpeckers can live in. I have two sycamore trees one has to be compleatly removed the other has half the tree threatening our neighbors house. I rehoming in houses but want to keep with nature. Planting a new sycamore I seeded but want to add another woodpecker friendly tree.
Actually they can live in almost any living tree if they have access to the inner heartwood. This typically in an are where a limb breaks off and exposes the dead heartwood are that they can drill into. Sycamores are typically excellent for them. Cottowoods are also great.
Can you do one on your favorite recommended bluebird boxes?
Hi Colt, I will put that in the cue. Here is one I did last spring about the features I look for in a good bluebird box: ua-cam.com/video/y5mhvl98KAk/v-deo.html
@@MarksBackyardBirds Thanks☺🐦
The bird houses that are put on the side of a house, especially when higher up, are much better against predators.
True but harder for most folks to maintain and monitor.
I've tried to build some downy boxes no luck with them so far
It is really habitat dependent. If they have access to a lot of dead wood, they will instinctively drill their own cavity.
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