Birding Part 3 - building tree duck nesting boxes

It's our third edition of a four-part series with local birder Cal Cuthbert during this long weekend of the Great Backyard Bird Count. 

Today Cuthbert talks about a pastime that actually helps Mother Nature out significantly -- building duck nesting boxes. Cuthbert explains that the purpose of nesting boxes is primarily for cavity-nesting ducks. 

He notes our area has over two dozen species of waterfowl in the nesting season. Cuthbert says duck nesting is usually assumed to occur in overgrown pastures, bushes or cattails. Those are ground-nesting sites. However, there are at least six species of ducks that nest almost exclusively in trees. 

Wood Duck Portage Creek May 1, 2021 - Cal Cuthbert

Cuthbert says that includes Wood Ducks, Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser, and Common Merganser that nest exclusively up in tree cavities. He explains nest boxes are artificial tree cavities that you put up. This makes a valuable home for ducks, noting many trees don't have cavities large enough for them to use. By installing and erecting wood duck nest boxes in their suitable habitat, you're really doing them a favour, and contributing to their population growth. 

He adds these boxes aren't just used exclusively by ducks. 

"Many wildlife species utilize nest cavities, too," says Cuthbert. "This includes anything from certain kinds of moths or butterflies to Northern Flying Squirrels, Northern Saw-whet Owls, Eastern Screech Owls, Red Squirrels, Grey Squirrels, and on and on and on. There are a lot of species that utilize nest boxes, either for nesting themselves, for rearing young, or simply utilizing them as safe habitats in migration. They're a great structure to have, even in your backyard or your woodlot. They will be used by different species of wildlife through the course of any given year."

Wood Duck Portage Creek May 1, 2021 - Cal Cuthbert

Cuthbert says other forms of structures can also be built for wildlife in a similar manner. 

Stay posted for the fourth edition of birding with Cuthbert tomorrow.