Where you place and install your birdhouse or nest box on your wildlife porch, patio, deck, or balcony may be critical to the initial nesting and survival of the wild birds involved.

Quick Tip

The best time to install a birdhouse is in the early spring.

1. Not Near Other Nests

Most bird species are particular about their space when it comes to nesting in birdhouses. If you have a small outdoor area, you probably will only be able to provide one nesting box or platform per bird species. Purple martins, barn swallows, and a few others are exceptions and do nest closely together in colonies.

2. Away From Predators

Wherever you hang your bird house, make sure it is placed in a location predators (cats, raccoons, snakes, squirrels) can't get to readily, but in a location you can access periodically.

3. Nesting Platforms

Nesting platforms are intended for spots on your house under the eaves or up in a fork in a tree limb. For balconies, decks, and porches, nesting platforms may be the best way to go.

4. Nest Boxes

Most nest boxes should be mounted to poles or trees. To keep from damaging trees, I suggest using wires looped through ventilation and drainage holes connected to a bungee cord you can wrap around the tree trunk or limb.

5. Pole- and Tree-Mounted

If your outdoor area doesn't have a tree limb, you can alternatively wrap the bungee cord around a balcony column or mount the nest box directly to an outside wall. As always, check for any apartment complex or community association restrictions.

6. Hanging

Some nest boxes are intended to hang from a tree limb or hook, but only a few birds, like chickadees and wrens, seem to tolerate the swinging motion.

More Information

• Basics of Nest Boxes and Birdhouses
  
• 3 Ways to Shelter Wild Birds at Home