Birds and Their Houses: Cavity Nesters in Florida

Naturally Florida

Birds come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. They play a critical role in our ecosystems, keeping insect populations in-check, serving as a valuable prey item for our larger mammals, and helping to disperse seeds! Just like people, birds need food, water and shelter to survive. In this episode, we will explore a special type of bird called cavity nesters, who, as the name implies, need cavities to nest, reproduce and thrive.

Learn more:

• Helping Cavity-Nesters in Florida - https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/UW058
• All About Birdhouses: Next Box Placement - https://nestwatch.org/learn/all-about-birdhouses/nest-box-placement/
• Bird Buddies - http://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/pinellasco/2021/10/11/bird-buddies/

How You Can Help:

• Provide snags – Snags are standing dead trees, and they provide excellent natural habitat for cavity nesters. Primary cavity nesters, like woodpeckers will seek out dying trees to excavate as this wood is usually softer and easier to chip away.
• Build or install an artificial nest box ­– It’s important to build the right house for the right bird. There are many factors to consider when constructing a nest box. Be sure to check out our blog for more details.
• Provide other forms of shelter – Native plants of various heights provide excellent cover for birds and other wildlife species, plus they provide an excellent source of food.

Sources for this Episode:

• Bird sounds by Brian Henderson, XC457516. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/457516
• Helping Cavity-Nesters in Florida - https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/UW058
• “The Sibley Guide to Birds” by David Allen Sibley
• “A Birder’s Guide to Pinellas County (Florida)” by Ron Smith
• All About Birdhouses: Next Box Placement - https://nestwatch.org/learn/all-about-birdhouses/nest-box-placement/
• Predator Guards Carry Their Weight - https://nestwatch.org/connect/blog/predator-guards-carry-their-weight/

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider sharing it with a friend who might enjoy learning about Florida's natural areas and the wild things that live here!

If you're active on iNaturalist, consider joining our iNaturalist project, Naturally Florida's Listener Observations, here: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/naturally-florida-s-listener-observations