Hi everyone,

I just started getting into feeding and bird watching and I have a few questions. I would appreciate any help or advice.

1) I built a Roosting house, and mounted it in a tree 11 days ago. How long should it take before they start using it?

2) I have alot of birds in my yard, mostly sparrows, finches and other smaller birds that I have yet to identify. I do get a woodpecker, and cardinals, and once in a while blue jays as well. IMy question is I go through alot of seed in a week. IHow much should I be putting out and how often do I refill the feeders?

Thanks in advance...Tony

Tony, I don't know much about roosting houses, but I have resolved the problem of seed excess. Birds are very loyal to the rest of the flock, especially sparrows and blackbirds (my curse was the brown-headed cowbird) and the feeders that utilize a saucer at the bottom to catch the seed allow one or two birds to rake all the seed out of a feeder onto the ground in just a few minutes for their brothers and sisters. One day at WalMart I discovered an ingeneous feeder made by a company in Arkansas that has four horseshoe shaped ports and a half-inch rim that forces the birds to only get one seed at a time and really frustrates blackbirds and sparrows. My blackbirds abandoned my yard in a couple of days. These things reduced my seed use dramatically. The company is called First Nature and these feeders are the seed-select models. Their web page is firstnature.net and honestly I am not connected with them, but merely applaud their design genius. I have wore out several sets of these things and my black -oil bill thanks them. They make a really cool hanging waterer, as well. Blessed, and in His grip, Dan

Hi Tony and welcome,

How long ago did you start with the bird feeding?  What kind of feeders and food do you offer? 

I remember when I started with the bird feeding.  It's fascinating and really habit-forming to watch them (isn't it)?  With time, you'll get more and more species and it gets to be even more fun.  I'm not sure where you're located, but it's beautiful when the Spring migrants start showing up and they begin to compete for mates. 

Anyway, as far as the roosting box is concerned, I'm willing to bet that your sparrows are already using it.  Birds very secretive about where they roost at night (and even more secretive about where they nest -- just wait until Spring!).  A good way to find out is to watch the box from a vantage point where the birds can't see you.

After I put out my roosting boxes, I thought no one was using them.  Then one late winter afternoon, I pulled into my driveway.  After shutting off my car's engine I saw a couple of house sparrows fly into it.

Enjoy ... and keep us posted.

Sarah (SW Connecticut)