Bird Houses Boys Can Build - free ebook by Albert Frederick Siepert

ALBERT F. SIEPERT, B.S.

Professor of Manual Arts, Bradley Polytechnic Institute Editor, Shop Problems Series (on tracing paper) Editor, Shop Notes and Problems Department of Manual Training Magazine Copyright 1916 The Manual Arts Press Fourth Edition, 1919...

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FOREWORD.

Years ago a country boy heard or read that if a simple box having a hole of a certain size were set upon a post in March or early April it would not be long before bluebirds would be around to see if the place would do as a summer cottage. So he took an old paint keg such as white lead is sold in, nailed a cover across the top, cut an opening in the side and then placed it on a post ten or twelve feet high. Only a day or two passed before a soft call-note was heard, a flash of blue, and the song

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BLUEBIRD.

This bird may be found during the summer months in most of the states east of the Rocky Mountains, Figs. 1 and 59 . It spends its winter in the southern states and southward, returning north in March and April. The principal items of food are grasshoppers, caterpillars and beetles. It should have a house measuring about 5" in length and width, inside measurements, and 8" or more in depth. The entrance hole should be 1-1/2" in diameter and placed near the top, so that the young birds cannot get o

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ROBIN.

Robins usually announce the coming of spring when they return to their breeding grounds in the northern states, where they are general favorites. Figs. 2 and 60 . The nest is usually built of mud and lined with grasses; placed in the fork of a tree or on some sheltered ledge. Robins take kindly to nesting shelves put up for them and it is well to put up several since but one brood is reared in each nest built. This old nest should be removed after the young birds have gone. A simple shelf is sho

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CHICKADEE.

The chickadee is one of the brave little spirits who spends the entire winter with us, Fig. 3 . We can be of considerable service to him during the cold weather by providing food shelters. During the summer months his home is usually found in some decaying stump, hence nesting boxes of the rustic type placed in some remote spot of the orchard or park are most attractive to him....

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WREN.

When all other song birds fail to take advantage of a house built for them, the wren may still be counted on. Almost any sort of home from a tin can or hollow gourd on up is satisfactory if put in a safe place and provided with an opening 1" or slightly less in diameter, so the sparrows must stay out, Figs. 4 and 5 . Good homes are shown in Figs. 10 , 14 , 15 , 16 and others. FIG. 4. WREN AND RUSTIC HOUSE. FIG. 4. WREN AND RUSTIC HOUSE....

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HOUSE FINCH.

The house finch has made many enemies because of its fondness for cultivated fruits and berries. However, it has some redeeming features in its song and beauty. The nest is usually placed in the fork of a limb—evergreens being favorite nesting places. The house shown in Fig. 51 is suitable for these birds but is also acceptable to wrens. FIG. 5. WRENS. FIG. 5. WRENS. FIG. 6. FLICKER. FIG. 6. FLICKER....

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WOODPECKER.

The favorite of this interesting family is the little downy, Fig. 7 . Living largely upon harmful grubs and insects, this bird does an immense amount of good by protecting our forests from insect scourges. Woodpeckers do not build nests as most birds do, but excavate a deep cavity in some dead tree leaving a quantity of chips at the bottom on which the eggs are laid. Nesting boxes should be of the rustic type made as shown in Fig. 12 , leaving some sawdust mixed with a little earth in the cavity

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FLICKER.

The flickers spend much of their time on the ground in search of ants which form the larger percentage of their food. Since ants sometimes cause considerable trouble for other birds, a pair of flickers are worth cultivating for the sake of the work they can do. Artificial nesting boxes of sufficient depth and size are quite readily used, Figs. 6 , 20 and 25 ....

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MARTIN.

Nearly everyone knows swallows of one variety or another. The most beautiful of the family are the martins, Fig. 8 . This bird is of great service against the inroads of wasps, bugs and beetles. It prefers to live in colonies even though the males fight bitterly at times. Martin houses should have at least several rooms, each separate from all the others. Houses have been built to accommodate fifty and more families. Smaller ones are shown in Figs. 8 , 9 , 13 and 45 . FIG. 8. A MARTIN COLONY. FI

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DIMENSIONS OF NESTING BOXES.

The following table, copied from Farmers Bulletin, No. 609, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, gives in small space valuable information about dimensions that experience and investigation have indicated as good for particular varieties of birds. This list includes many varieties that do not commonly live in houses built for them, however. As time goes on, we may expect to find more of these birds living in our nesting boxes because they are apt to seek the same sort of home as the one in which they wer

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HOUSES OF SAWED LUMBER.

The boy with an outfit of tools at home, or with a teacher of manual training interested in birds, can make all of the houses to be described in this section. Figs. 10 and 11 show simple houses for wrens and bluebirds. Drawings for this type of house are shown in Figs. 14 , 15 and 21 . While the surfaces of lumber used for these houses may or may not be planed, care must be taken that all pieces are sawed or planed to the correct sizes with edges and ends square and true so there will be no bad

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RUSTIC HOUSES.

The first group of houses of this type are shown in Figs. 12 , 35 and 36 . These are made of slabs of wood with the bark left on, and in some cases, of the bark alone if it can be secured of sufficient thickness. It is usually a good plan to drive a sufficient number of nails into the bark to keep it in place, otherwise it will drop off. Houses such as these attract birds that would avoid a freshly painted imitation of some large residence or public building. Figs. 20 and 37 show houses made of

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CEMENT AND STUCCO HOUSES.

Houses may be cast of concrete as Fig. 39 . This requires a mold or form, and takes considerable planning to insure success. A form is made whose inside dimensions are those of the outside of the bird house, and of the desired shape. A second form, or core, to be placed inside of the first form, is made as large as the inside of the bird house. The two forms must be mounted so they will remain in the right relation while concrete is placed in the space between them. After this has set, the forms

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PLACING HOUSES.

The table given on page 16 states the height from the ground that different species of birds seem to prefer for their nests, to which several suggestions may be added. The houses should be so located that cats and other bird enemies do not have easy access to them. The openings ought to be turned away from the directions from which storms and winds most often come; and the house must hang or tilt so rain does not run in at the entrance. Such birds as the woodpeckers spend most of their time in t

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FOODS.

Food shelters become centers of interest in proportion to the number of birds attracted to them. The kind of food placed there determines in time the kind of birds that will be found frequenting them. Seed-eating birds are readily attracted by the use of small grains such as oats and wheat. However, every farmer finds a quantity of weed seeds upon cleaning his seed grain, which proves very acceptable to chickadees and blue jays. Bread crusts or crumbs, crackers and doughnuts may be placed in the

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BIRD BATHS.

The best bird baths have to meet two requirements: (a) clean, fresh water, and (b) safety from enemies. Almost any shallow dish will meet both requirements if properly placed and cared for. FIG. 62. THE PALM GARDEN EXHIBIT OF BIRD BATHS, ETC., ST. PAUL, MINN. FIG. 62. THE PALM GARDEN EXHIBIT OF BIRD BATHS, ETC., ST. PAUL, MINN. FIG. 63. (CONCRETE BIRD BATH) FIG. 63. Fig. 62 shows several baths made of concrete. The pedestal and basin are made of two separate pieces, and are cast in a form or mol

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BIRD ENEMIES.

One sometimes wonders that birds manage to exist and to actually increase in numbers. Possibly the first group of enemies should include men and boys who kill adult birds, leaving the fledglings to starve, or who rob the nests of eggs. It is the writer's belief that every boy who makes one or more of the projects in this booklet, and sees it occupied, will become one of a growing number who will care for instead of destroy the birds of his neighborhood. Further, if every man who now thoughtlessl

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BIRD HOUSE EXHIBITIONS.

Many cities are beginning to do excellent work along the lines of bird preservation and attraction. This usually leads into an exhibition or contest, though many times quantities of houses are made and sold for other purposes, such as raising money for athletic suits for the school teams. At Cleveland, Ohio, a large number of houses such as are shown in Figs. 15 - 19 were made for the city Bird Lovers' Association to be placed in the city parks. The boys received the profits of the sale after ma

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WHERE MORE INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED.

U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, Division of Publications: Bird Houses and How to Build Them, Bulletin No. 609; Fifty Common Birds, Bulletin No. 513 (15 cents); The English Sparrow as a Pest, Bulletin No. 493. Magazines which have published articles on birds and bird houses: Bird Lore; Country Life; The Craftsman; Elementary School Teacher; Ladies' Home Journal; Manual Training and Vocational Education; Outing; Outlook; School Arts Magazine; Something To Do; The Farm Journal; The National Geographic

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THE BOY'S WORKSHOP

Supervisor of Manual Training, Watertown, Mass. A popular boys' book that is truly educational. The projects are all new in the manual training shop. The text gives instructions for making each project and treats of tools and tool processes. The following is a partial list— THIRTY-FIVE FULL-PAGE PLATES OF WORKING DRAWINGS PRICE, POSTPAID, $1.15...

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AND KITE TOURNAMENTS

Assistant Supervisor of Manual Training Los Angeles, California A comprehensive and reliable treatment of kites and kite flying. Mr. Miller, the author of the book, for a number of years past, has made a wonderful success of kite flying in the schools of Los Angeles, California. The book deals with general kite construction, tells how to make all kinds of kites and how to fly them. Describes kite accessories and how to decorate kites. It also describes the construction and use of moving devices,

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FOR HOME AND SCHOOL LIBRARIES

BY WILLIAM NOYES. A book full of charm and distinction and the first to give due consideration to the esthetic side of woodworking. It is intended to give to beginners practice in designing simple projects in wood and an opportunity to acquire skill in handling tools. The book illustrates a series of projects and gives suggestions for other similar projects together with information regarding tools and processes for making. A pleasing volume abundantly and beautifully illustrated. Price, $1.75.

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THE "PROBLEMS SERIES" FOR EITHER HOME OR SCHOOL USE

BY SAMUEL A. BLACKBURN. A book of working drawings of 100 practical problems relating to agriculture and farm life. There are 60 full-page plates of working drawings, each accompanied by a page or more of text treating of "Purpose," "Material," "Bill of Stock," "Tools," "Directions" and "Assembly." A wonderfully practical book. Price, $1.25. BY IRA S. GRIFFITH. Consists of working drawings and working directions. The projects are such as have proved of exceptional service where woodworking and m

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