5 Birdhouse Accessories That’ll Make Life More Enjoyable

Nesting season is in full swing, and those with birdhouses know the joy of offering shelter to birds.

But birdhouses aren’t always fun and games. They can be difficult to maintain, tough to protect from predators, and a pain to take down. So, we assembled this list of five cool birdhouse accessories that’ll make your life more enjoyable.

Telescoping Pole

Certain birdhouses, specifically Purple Martin houses, do best when they’re high off the ground. This can present some problems when you have to take down the birdhouse to remove unwanted guests or when the last of the colony is gone. That’s why a telescoping birdhouse pole is such an essential accessory.

This heavy duty telescoping pole from Birds Choice is made of 16-gauge galvanized steel and extends 12 feet. Zinc-plated thumb screws keep the pole secure, despite the weight of the birdhouse.

Without one of these, you can still enjoy your birdhouse… until you have to take it down.

Portal Protector

Anyone who owns a birdhouse will tell you just how coveted these nesting boxes can be. It’s not only larger bird species that want in. Critters like squirrels will also do everything they can to get inside. That’s why a portal protector is a must-have.

These metal rings go around the opening of the box and prevent critters and birds from pecking and gnawing away at the hole. Sometimes, it’ll even get to the point where the hole is so big, bluebirds will refuse to nest inside.

Many birdhouses come with hole guards, but if it doesn’t, these portal protectors will save you the headache or keeping out unwanted guests. Just make sure you get the right size for the hole in your birdhouse.

Nature Cam

In no way a necessity, nature cams are a relatively new accessory to the birdhouse world but will change your whole perspective. If you’ve ever wondered what was going on inside the nesting box, a nature cam gives you the opportunity to get up close and personal.

Miniature, high-definition nature cameras are no longer cost prohibitive either. You can get the Hawk Eye High Definition Nature Cam, which hooks up to your television and features night vision and a microphone, for relatively cheap.

Being able to see the nestlings grow will definitely make the whole birdhouse experience even more rewarding.

Nest-Building Materials

Offering material for nest building is not only a great way to give the birds a hand at nesting but also a great way to attract birds. With the availability of nesting materials, birds may be more inclined to use a nearby birdhouse.

Nest-building materials come in all shapes and sizes. There’s the Birds Choice Alpaca Fibers Hut that comes with a vibrant yellow rough to keep the fibers dry. Alpaca fleece is said to be seven times warmer than sheep’s wool and less absorbent than cotton. However, you can also get something simpler in the Birds Choice Cottontail Nest Building Ball, which is a combination of cotton and yarn tails.

Baffle

Squirrels are persistent creatures that love to go where you don’t want them to. An easy and effective way to keep them far away from birdhouses is to put up a baffle.

A baffle is a cone-shaped attachment that affixes to the pole leading up to the birdhouse. This stops the squirrels from climbing up the pole and reaching the top. Just make sure it’s positioned in a way that squirrels can’t jump over it.

Achla Designs has a great product called the Squirrel Deflector for a 4×4 post or you can opt for the typical wraparound squirrel baffle from Woodlink.