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Why Are Bird Houses Important? (10 Good Reasons)

Why Are Bird Houses Important? (10 Good Reasons)

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There are around 900 different bird species in North America, which is roughly one-tenth of all the bird types in the world. This means that as you walk around your backyard, you can watch tens or hundreds of bird varieties flying by.

You can actually invite them to take residence in your garden by giving them food and shelter. I have done that over the years, so let me tell you why are bird houses important.

Interestingly, as you read my stories, you’ll notice that having a few bird houses hanging outside isn’t just good for the birds, or for the environment. It’s also good for you!

Read on to know all about it.

Why Are Bird Houses Important?

I have way more than 10 reasons why installing bird houses is a brilliant idea. But let me focus here on the fundamentals.

Birds are lovely creatures that appear to be incredibly resourceful. But the truth is, they wouldn’t mind some help. So first of all, when you offer a bird house, you might be saving a family of birds.

Secondly, the environment needs to have a nice balance. Thus, if a bird species go extinct, or its numbers fall drastically, this would affect much more than the birds.

The following are some of the reasons why helping little birds by installing bird houses is important.

1 – Giving Little Birds a Nice Shelter

This might come as a bit of a surprise for many people, but the fact is, not all birds are clever nest builders.

Many birds are cavity nesters, which means that they’d take residence in any little crevice or hole they can find. It’s a common sight to see little birds nesting inside a tree hole that a hummingbird created.

Additionally, some little birds prefer to build small nests inside a bird house, rather than on a tree branch, or a ledge.

2 – Protecting the Birds From Predators

Nature is full of natural predators that feed on little birds or their eggs. This includes squirrels, owls, eagles, snakes, and cats.

There are some seasonal and location-specific predators as well, which makes birds pretty vulnerable. These lovely creatures, unfortunately, rank pretty low on the food chain.

You can increase their odds of survival though by simply giving them a sturdy house. The tight opening, elevated position, and rugged wooden material would be sufficient to ward off plenty of threats.

Little birds, eggs, and hatchlings would still be exposed to some danger. However, that doesn’t even come close to the kinds of threats birds face on a tree branch.

3 – A Warm Bird House During the Chilly Season

Migratory birds are well aware that they can’t survive the harsh winters of the north. Thus, by the end of the fall, they often take flight and travel south to warmer lands.

Not all birds are migratory though. Some species decide to stay put all year round, including the chilly months of the winter.

While their presence in the middle of the barren snow sends cheer and happiness, these little birds suffer a lot in the cold. Common examples are the Northern cardinal and the blue jay.

Providing these little birds with a warm house that keeps them protected during the rain and snow is priceless.

If you also add food, that would give them an opportunity to stay warm, without having to fly too far and too long in search of sustenance.

Some people add little bird baths with warm water. And the birds that come by for refreshing or drinking, seem to appreciate that a lot.

4 – Helping Dwindling Bird Populations to Grow

Natural disasters like hurricanes, wildfires, and draughts affect bird populations in tragic ways. Additionally, rapid development and urbanization of forests deplete bird habitats.

In a matter of a few years, the numbers of a once thriving bird population dwindle rapidly. We don’t want to see any species driven to extinction for any reason, so we need to offer these birds alternative habitats.

Backyard bird houses have helped many bird species to increase again. Given the right food and proper shelter, the little birds flock to these tiny houses in droves.

Additionally, the extra protection of the bird house gives their hatchlings a better chance of survival.

5 – Adding More Pollinators to Your Area

Having a bird in your backyard is actually a give-and-take interaction. Some birds are very effective pollinators. The most common example is the hummingbird.

These birds love sipping the nectar of some flowers, and as they do so, they move the pollen from one flower to the next. This process makes a garden lush and fruitful.

There’s another process that also helps the plants, and that’s where the birds ingest certain fruits or seeds and then excrete them elsewhere. The digestion sequence prepared the seed for germination, and as it’s excreted away from the original plant, this helps in propagating it.

6 – The Soil Can Benefit From Bird Remains

Fertilizing the soil with bird remains is among the best ways to enrich it with vital nutrients. In fact, many gardeners work hard to collect bird poop. Then, they add it to their potting mix or garden soil.

With a bird house, you don’t need to go through all that trouble. The birds give it away for free and stomp it into the soil with their little feet.

7 – Controlling the Pests and weeds

Many birds feed on insects. They actually consider them an amazing source of protein and nutrients. That’s why, when you install a bird house, they tend to control the pests in your garden.

Additionally, birds feed on weeds and their seeds. This eventually eliminates the annoying weeds, or at least, limits their growth.

8 – Filming Interesting Bird Behavior

Every bird species has its own quirky behavior, particular tastes, and hilarious antics. You might’ve seen some of that in National Geographic or Animal Planet documentaries.

With a bird house in your backyard, you can film endless hours of bird life. One or two cameras placed around the bird house can stream amazing content all day long.

It’s worth noting that you’d probably get 10 to 20 bird species visiting your garden throughout the year. This means that you’d have a wide variety of bird stories.

9 – Becoming a Birdwatcher

Birdwatchers start out as nature photography enthusiasts, but once they get to see the world of birds up close, they’re hooked!

Having a bustling bird house, or a set of condo-like bird houses, can keep you busy watching them all day.

You can also join a local or regional birdwatching society, which would enrich your social life tremendously. Spending good times with like-minded people is priceless.

10 – Increasing Property Value

A backyard with lush greenery, fragrant flowers, and colorful chirrupy birds fluttering all around; seems a lot like heaven.

Whenever you’d like to sell your property, rent it, or list it on Airbnb, you could get an extra rate because of the picturesque ecosystem you have in your backyard.

Final Thoughts

There are plenty of reasons why are bird houses important. The benefits listed here are the basic ones, but there are even more good outcomes you can get by hanging a few bird houses.

The environmental effects certainly have the highest impact, since many bird species are already suffering from the depletion of their habitat. The little birds, from their side, give back right away by improving your garden.

Other than that, the beauty of watching these gorgeous colorful birds every morning is simply overwhelming. That’s not even all there is! By doing their antics and singing their songs, they brighten up your place and spread endless cheer.

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