These birds use a nest box. I prefer my boxes to be made from solid timber
and not from the compressed wood that I have seen others use. The box is 12"
square x 9" wide and the front wall is set back 3" from the edge and the lid
covers the whole top. This allows the side walls to create a verandah effect so
that as they sit at the front of the nest entrance, they cannot see birds in
adjacent boxes. This means there is not as much stimulus to fight each other
and they cannot see birds above them if they land on the lid. I think they feel
more secure as well. There is certainly a lot less fighting than is normally seen.
On the lid of each box, inside the nest box, I have a metal lid (as from a peanut
butter jar or the like) with a few holes punched in it and I use this to hold a half
inch square of Shelltox pest strip. The nest is a haven for all sorts of insects
because the birds keep the humidity in the nest so high. The pest strip helps to
keep the parents and young in perfect feather by killing all these insects. Every
three months I unscrew the lid and replace the pest strip.
I use bamboo for nesting material. These birds are fantastic nest builders.
They build a little changer at the back of the nest box and put up a wall of bent bamboo. They do so to try to
keep the nest reasonably clean. I don't let them build more than twice on each nest, then I pull it out and let
them start again. I grow the bamboo in my backyard as it became to much of a hassle to have to go out and
pick it. It grows to about 18-20' high and is able to be cut off green. They will take it when it is completely
dry, but do prefer it green. There a lot of other things you can use for nesting material such as Kikuyu grass,
willow, Palm fronds, and just about any of the wild grasses. The only problem with grass is that after a
while it throws off a lot of powder and dust. The bamboo will powderise but not as quickly as the grasses.
The bamboo gives a good strong nest while the grass collapses after a while.
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