Whether it’s feral cats, stray animals or your house cat, they all kill millions of wild birds every year. Although the cats are not to blame as they are only following their natural instincts after all, it is still a good idea to protect the nest box and aviary in the garden from the cats’ prey. Luckily, there are things you can do to secure bird habitat and control cat behavior to minimize attacks on bird nests.
How to protect the nest box and bird house from cats?
Cats are predators and this is a challenge even at home. They chase anything that moves, like feet, curtains, or cables. But the real danger is actually outdoors. As more and more domestic cats hunt outside, it becomes increasingly difficult to keep the birds nesting in the garden safe. With these simple tips and methods it is possible!
Consider the location of the nest box and birdhouse
Nesting birds and fledglings are most at risk of being attacked by cats.
The cats learn very quickly that the nest boxes and aviary are reliable sources of food. Therefore, you should make access to the nest as difficult as possible.
Choose the location of the nest box by keeping it as far away from the large trees in your yard as possible. Also, clear any nearby branches that cats may use as stepping stones. The higher you can get the nest boxes off the ground, the better. Keep them at least 2 meters from the ground and ideally 3 to 4 meters from shrubs to prevent your cat from reaching them. Consider attaching them to metal or plastic poles that stray cats can’t easily climb on.
Protect nest box and aviary from cats
Choose secure nest boxes and birdhouses that have steep roofs, or insure your nest box yourself with a canopy over the entrance hole. So you can make access of the cat’s paws to the nesting birds impossible. However, make sure that this does not prevent the birds from feeding their young. You can also build a nest box yourself, just make sure it’s cat-proof.
Do not let cats run free on the canopy, as their presence can deter nesting birds. To do this, hammer several sharp nails onto the roof, head down. This creates the possibility of injury when the cats perch on the aviary and they have no choice but to retreat.
Another way to protect the birds in the nest box is to make sure the nest is low enough under the hole that cats cannot reach it with their paws. To ensure this, it is often sufficient to remove old nests from the box so that the new nest is not built above and higher.
For added protection, use predator repellents. The harsh pepper sprays, citrus oils, or other strong-smelling substances on the outside of the house serve to keep the cats and other threats away. Songbirds don’t usually have a very good sense of smell, so they won’t mind.
Last but not least, there is an easy option and that is to attach a wire guard surrounding the entrance hole. He will prevent any predators from getting into the nest box via the roof. Make sure the nest boxes and birdhouses have all sizes of entry holes so this wire guard needs to be well out of reach of the hole.
Control the cats
If your cat is killing birds and destroying nests, the easiest thing to do is control them and keep them indoors. Only let them outside under supervision, but not during the morning hours or other peak bird feeding times. Use collar bells to warn the birds in the yard of approaching. While this is not always effective, it is a measure that can be useful when the birds are alerted by a jingling or jingling bell.
Have the cat’s claws clipped so they can’t climb trees and catch the birds. The claws are a cat’s most dangerous weapon, but with regular care they are easy to tame.
Do not feed or shelter feral cats. The hunting instinct is independent of hunger, and well-fed, stronger, and healthier cats simply have more energy to attack birds.
If stray cats are a serious problem, you should contact your local animal shelter or animal welfare organization for help with capture and relocation.