About this time last year I blogged about the crested barbets trying unsucsessully to create a nesting hole in the pine tree accross the road. This year i decided to offer them one of those sisal nesting logs that they sell in nursary's. I had some advise that the nesting log hole should face south and other advise that it should face any direction except south? I decided to compromise and have it facing west! Unfortunatley, the only place I could put the nesting log is quite close to my back window so i did not have too much hope that the birds would make use of it.
So I was delighted to see this sight less than two hours after putting it up! Will keep an eye on him to see how the excavation goes :-)
Hi, from which nursary did you get the sisal nesting box? I have been looking with no success so far. Thanks, derek
ReplyDeleteLifestyle Nursery sells them
DeleteHi Derek,
ReplyDeleteThe Monkey Fountain Nursery in Linden usually has them.
m
I found one a petshop. May I ask, did you just knock out the hole, and leave the bird to excavate the nest?
ReplyDeletethanks
derek
The log I got had a starter hole cut into it - about 1/2 cm deep. The birds made quick work of further excavating this starter hole. However, I have a friend with the same log and the birds completly ignored the starter hole and did the own from scratch .. they also tunnelled completely through his log which now resembles swiss cheese!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with it!
They came within a few minutes of putting it up, and they are busy excavating now. I put up a second one this morning, and they came to that one too. Both crested. Hopefully the third one can get black collards.
ReplyDeletefantastic, enjoy!
ReplyDeleteI have had crested and black-collards tunnelling - but neither has decided to raise a family yet!
Hi , I have recently bought one of these sisal nests and put it in my tree. It does have a starter hole and I see the birds have started tunneling but it is from the top down. Should i turn it sideways as it will just fill up with water if it rains. I have 4 barbets flying around.
ReplyDeleteThanks
Glen
what happened? I have the same problem.
DeleteThats very strange! I have moved these logs before and the birds have simply carried on where they left of, so should not do any harm to turn it!
ReplyDeleteOk thanks. I will turn the nest this weekend and drill a starter hole on the side and see what happens. Will keep you updated.
ReplyDeleteI have purchased a sisal hollow log but find that Barbets don't use the starter hole mounted at the top of the log.
ReplyDeleteThey try to make a new one , -Should I open the hole for them ?
Or perhaps mount it with the hole at the bottom ?
i also need to know which end to place the hole!
DeleteHi, I normally place the log vertically with the starter hold at the top, facing the rising sun. Sometimes the birds use the starter, sometimes they make their own .. i would suggest giving them space to work it out for themselves :)
ReplyDeleteHi. At what height did you mount the nedting log?
ReplyDeleteHi. At what height did you mount the log?
ReplyDeleteHi, I normally try to mount about 2 meters off the ground. Although i my old house a pair nested in a cycad stump about 40cm off the ground ... but i figured the higher the safer
ReplyDeleteOk thanks. Does it need to be at an angle or facing in a certain direction? I have crested and black collared barbets in my garden daily which im hoping will nest in the log.
ReplyDeletei always put them facing east west or west if possible, but i don't think it really matters
ReplyDeleteCan anyone help. I have barbets nesting in an old syringa tree but they come and make their dropping which look like sawdust on my balcony and it is a big mess
ReplyDeleteMay 1, 2014
ReplyDeleteI have had sisal nesting logs for the past 5 years, I found that the barbets prefer the starter hole facing more or less east. I have replaced the logs several times as the birds dig deeper into the log after every set of chicks until they fall out the bottom. This summer I witnessed 4 sets of chicks being raised. The birds have become so tame that they often come within 10 meters of me and my wife. Love watching them. They just started yesterday on the log I replaced.
I put up a sisal nesting log 6 months ago, as I knew there was a pair of black-collared barbets in the area. Only about 3 weeks ago did they show an interest in the nesting log and after a few exploratory pecks around the log, they started excavating seriously. The hole they've made is facing to the south..I'm now eagerly awaiting for them to start breeding.
ReplyDeleteI put up a sisal nesting log about 6 months ago, as I knew there were black-collared barbets in the area. It was only 3 weeks ago that a pair has shown interest in it. After a few exploratory pecks, they decided to start excavating in earnest with their hole location facing to the south. I'm now eagerly awaiting the first brood.
ReplyDeleteHi, I discovered this morning that a pair of crested barbets is busy making a nest in the jacaranda tree just in front of my cottage. The nest is pretty high up and is in an area where a branch used to be. Right now the hole is facing upwards, but I hope that they will dig deeper into the tree to make it waterproof.
ReplyDeleteI put up a sisal nesting log they have made a hole at the top of the box. Any reason why? Do they want to destroy the box or are they trying to make a nest?
ReplyDeleteweird, yes i would turn it!
DeleteGood evening
ReplyDeleteI have just rescued a Crested Barbet chick in Sharonlea Randburg, lightly feathered unable to fly as yet, I've fed Beatles and stink bugs found in my garden (4 eaten so far) does it need a heat lamp or heat mat temp +/_ 20' now.
Any advice appreciated....
I have just rescued a Crested Barbet chick in Sharonlea Randburg, lightly feathered and unable to fly as yet, fed in about 4 beetles and a stink bug found in the garden, tried honey water but won't take any water, resting Now +/_ 20', does it need a heat lamp or may ? Any advice will be appreciated...
ReplyDeleteRobin..
Hallo Firephish,
ReplyDeleteIf you would be keen, would you please send your e-mail address to hilda.hecker@gmail.com?
I want to discuss possibly using some of your photo's in our nursery's latest blog post. Of course with attribution and a link to your blog.
Kind regards,
Hilda
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI had a pair of crested barbets move into a log we put up. After watching them for two months i now found one of the Barbets and a baby dead at the bottom of the tree the nest is in. What could of possibly happened
I has a pair of barbets that were very tame and raised several chicks. I had to replace the log several times as they eventually hollowed it out through to the bottom. Recently as the chick was about to leave the nest i found it dead at the base of the tree with no signs of injury but blood around the anus. Since then the birds disapeared. I have noted the female around a few times but no male. This baffels me. I have noted mynahs in the tree and i believe they could have plated a part in this.
ReplyDelete