Protecting baby birds!

[DAGDA56]

A cardinal has built a nest next to my back porch, in a bush only about 5 feet off the ground. My neighborhood has a goodly number of cats prowling. Is there any way I can keep the cats away (without harming them, of course) in order to protect Mama Cardinal and her brood? I never would have thought such a thing would make me so crazy!

[texanwitch]

1. I don't know, maybe a box with a hole over the nest.

I love cardinals.

I have a least 2 pair in my backyard, so beautiful to look at.

[DAGDA56]

2. I don't want to get too close...I was hoping there would be some sort of

spray...guess it's off to the garden store. They are beautiful birds...nothing better than that flash of red catching your eye when you least expect it.

[Flaxbee]

3. is there any way you can put up some mesh wire fencing?

The kind that people use to keep bunnies, etc., out of their gardens? It's not sturdy enough for cats to climb on, and if it were high enough, they probably couldn't jump over it, either. And the mesh wire can be soft enough so that even if cats do try some mischief, they wouldn't get hurt.

At some point the baby birds are going to be fledglings, and will need to be pushed out of the nest, literally, to learn to fly, so you'd want to remove the fencing after a while to prevent the babies from getting trapped as they start to explore their world.

This is a website about wild birds - with a phone number at the bottom. You might be able to call them and ask for advice, or if they know someone who can help you / give you advice. Good luck!

http://www.animalconnectiontx.org/wildbirds.htm

[NV Whino]

4. Chicken wire around the bush

Birds can get over it and even through it. Cats can't.

[DAGDA56]

5. Thank you so much...both you and flaxbee (I don't know how respond to two posts

at once) chicken wire may just do the trick...The local cats don't seem too hungry...so this kind of deterrant might just be enough to get them to move on. Thanks again.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

7. Putting up chicken wire could disturb them

New construction like that might send them flying.

I'd let them take their chances. The birds are probably well aware of the cats, yet chose that spot for a nest. Trust Mother Nature. If you try to fix things, it could backfire.

[Iggo]

8. That's a nicer way of saying...

...what I was gonna say.

[applegrove]

6. I have a nest under my deck. I keep hoping nobody gets to them cause they make a racket they

are so loud. How could any neighbourhood cat not know they are there?