| Style |
Protects From |
Pros |
Cons |
Picture |
More Info |
Conical Baffle
(galvanized sheet metal / hardware cloth) |
Raccoons
Snakes < 5ft.
Cats
Rats
Squirrels
|
- Cheap to make
- Can be installed without disturbing nestbox, anytime, remain year-round
- Suitable for 4x4 wood post
- Durable
- Can see hornet/ wasp nest starts underneath |
- May not stop snakes over 5 feet long
- Tricky to mount on EMT?
- Some raccoons learn to defeat
- Sharp edges on hardware cloth can cut hands
|
|
How to make
- traditional
- tennis ball mount (LBBS) |
| Stovepipe (Kingston), wobbling or wobbling PVC tube/bucket |
Raccoons
Cats
Squirrels Chipmunks
Mice and rats |
- Effective against wide range of predators
- Can remain year-round
- Durable |
- Can rust if not painted
- Not suitable for 4x4 wood post mount
- More expensive
- Need to install when mounting box
- May bang in windy conditions if not installed with hanger iron per instructions
- Hornets or wasps may nest underneath if top is solid (vs. hardware cloth)
- open top on conduit pipe fills with water - if it freezes it can split the pipe. Cap with a leftover wine cork
- Conduit connector (connecting conduit to
rebar) requires a longer screw to catch rebar to prevent spinning around - sometimes it slips down or spins. Duct tape will stop spinning.
|
|
How to make |
|
| Above: bucket with rims removed |
| Noel |
Raccoons
Cats
Squirrels |
- Cheap to make
- Can be used with any mounting method
- Easy to remove
|
- Sharp edges can cut hands
- May deter birds
-
Should be placed on box after first egg
- Must be deep enough & strong enough to deter coons
|
|
How to make |
| Krueger (mesh) Trap |
Snakes |
- Works on any pole type and tree mount |
- Snakes not released will die. |
 |
How to make |
| Wooden block over entrance |
Large avian
Squirrels (prevents enlarging) |
- Cheap to make
- Slows down hole enlargement (e.g., by squirrels or woodpeckers)
- Easy to replace
- Can install anytime
- For any mounting method |
-? deeper entrance may be attractive to HOSP?
- Can interfere with front opening box that opens from top (change to open from bottom/use screw that allows swiveling down of block during monitoring)
- Can cause a bit more wear and tear on feathers
- Can make it a bit harder for parents to dip head in to feed older nestlings/for nestlings to stick head out for food.
- probably does not deter raccoon predation
|
|
1.5"- 2" thick block screwed over hole |
Hole Restrictor/
Guard |
Squirrels Woodpeckers
(prevents enlarging hole)
Avian (keeps larger cavity nesters out) |
- Inexpensive
- Durable
- For any mounting method |
- Can get expensive to purchase for large trail
- If used as restrictor, wait for first egg. |
|
- About
- Purchase
- Size tests |
| Carpet Tack Strips |
Raccoons
Snakes
Cats
Squirrels |
- Suitable for 4x4 wooden post
- inexpensive |
- Unattractive |
 |
|
| Hanger |
Bears
Cats (jumping)
Humans |
- Inexpensive
- Durable
(Combine with deeper box and large overhanging roof to deter access via roof) |
- Need tree (location may attract squirrels/House Wrens)
- Not suitable in areas with tree snakes
- If high up, requires system to raise and lower |
|
- Purvis Hanging Systems (p.12)
- Violett |
| Greased Pole |
Snakes
Raccoons |
- Inexpensive |
- Not suitable for wooden posts unless covered with duct tape first
- Lithium grease accumulates dirt, must be re-applied regularly |
 |
Rub with steel wool, then apply a generous coating of carnauba car wax or lithium grease |
| Hutchings Coon Guard |
Raccoons
Cats |
- Cheap to make
- For any mounting method
- Durable
|
- May not be accepted, although 4" PVC may be better accepted than Bird Guardian
- Wait for first egg |
|
How to make |
| Bird Guardian |
Raccoons
Cats
Large avian |
- Easy to install
- Any mounting method
- Durable
- inexpensive
|
- Not well accepted by birds; may deter nesting; thus not recommended
- Wait for first egg if you decide to use - then verify next afternoon that a second egg has been laid - if not, remove.
- must be purchased |
|
for purchase
(two styles) |
 |
