Protect Your Yard's Bird Box From Snakes With This Simple Trick

Despite their bad rap, snakes are an incredibly useful animal to have around your yard. They keep away rodents and insects, and the non-venomous ones don't pose much threat to people or animals. While they can be useful to have around, that doesn't mean they need to roam completely unchecked. A hungry snake can make quick work of a bird nest, eating the young birds and eggs in one go. On occasion, they can even cause harm to the adults in the area.

Unfortunately, it's not always easy to protect natural nests. They get placed anywhere from the branches of a tree to a vent on the outside of your home. Sometimes, Mother Nature just has to be allowed to do its own thing in these cases, unless you want to protect the nest all day and night. 

However, you can help entice birds in your yard to make more secure nests by placing bird boxes up around your home. These human-made nests are a great way to attract birds to your yard, and help those already in your area to have a safe nesting place. Snakes can still get in most bird boxes, but with just one or two additional parts, you can keep these predators away so the not-yet-flying family can grow in peace. All you need to do is install your bird box on a pole, and place a stove baffle underneath to prevent the snake from climbing up.

If you have a bird box sitting on a pole, a baffle works great at keeping snakes and other potential predators from getting to the nest inside. A galvanized stove pipe or a smooth vent duct are great options, as explained by the Ohio Bluebird Society. You want metal over other materials because it's smooth and difficult for rodents to chew through. 

Choose a piece of metal that's at least 24 inches long and 8 inches in diameter to keep away the most stubborn of predators. To ensure animals can't just climb over the baffle, have it set at least two feet off the ground so the top of the pipe is four feet high. Also check that your metal has a lid or has enough material you can close the top up tightly. You can also secure hardware cloth at the top of the baffle before bending over the metal for extra security. Cone-shaped deterrents also keep snakes from getting in, but they don't do well keeping away raccoons and may be more expensive to make, according to Sialis. 

If you have a thicker pole that a baffle won't fit on, acetate is also very useful. This is essentially just a big, flexible piece of plastic you wrap around a tree or pole. The acetate is smooth, so as long as you make it large enough, snakes won't have anything to hold on to and can't climb up to get into a bird box. 

You can't just put up a bird box anywhere and expect snakes to not be able to get in. While the baffle does help to keep away slithery pests trying to enter the bird box from the ground, there are still other directions to consider. 

If it is too close to a fence, for example, the snake can simply climb and stretch over to the structure. If it is under a tree, they can reach down to get to their prey, which will negate the effectiveness of your tool. 

While a baffle and keeping the bird box away from trees and fences should be enough to deter snakes and other predators, you can take extra steps as well if you want to be confident the nest is safe. Keeping your yard cleaned up and removing any hiding spots will reduce the number around your home. Citrus is an effective snake repellent as well and if used right, will keep them away while not bothering your birds.