Survey Results 1

I use 1/2 inch rebar pounded in the ground with 3/4" electrical conduit over the top to mount my nestboxes with stovepipe baffles under each box. I have had no predation other than avian with this system. The posts are easy to set up and move, and they are very reasonably priced.

stovepipe baffle stopped my snake problem. So far, it is the only climbing predator that I have had to deal with. There others out there, but if they try, the stovepipe guard does a great job of stopping them.

I use noel guards, but I do not seem to have any raccon problems, or many predators.

Application of axle grease to poles was used when nests were completed - no loss due to climbing predators on any of these boxes last year. We have added PVC baffles to 20 of the boxes on one trail.

Our nestboxes are around two 36 hole golf courses and an 7 acre adjacent property. I do not have any baffles. Over the past ten years, we have lost fewer than 10 Bluebirds to forces that might have been stopped by baffles. If this number were to increse, then baffles would be placed on the boxes with the problem.

3/4 inch conduit, steel wooled and coated with auto wax.

Pvc mounted on post so that it rattles, and sprayed with silicone --have never had a coon reach the box

I like the stove pipe because the golfers crack the buckets

I use galvanized 1/2" & 3/4" round poles w/ the stovepipe baffle. I keep my poles & the baffle greased during nesting season. I have all of my nestboxes mounted in open areas, away from tree lines and thickets. The only problem with preditation I have had is with the House Sparrows.

PVC because it is the easiest for me to manage.

When I do feel that baffling is necessary, I will try using 2" PVC painted neutral because my trail is at a park and I want to keep the box set-up as inconspicious as possible due to possible vandalism. For now I feel that the slick 3/4 " conduit pipes are effective.

The best baffle for my trail, has been a greased, 4 inch diameter, thin-walled pvc pipe resting on the ground but around a free standing t-post or emt mounting pole. So far, no snakes have able to succesfully climb the greased pvc pipe. All the nestboxes are mounted 6 feet high or higher on emt poles or on emt extensions to t-posts.

conduit&tilting baffle predators can`t hold onto it

I use greased poles & noel guards. My most common predator is the raccoon. This set up is not 100% effective against raccoons but it works pretty well. (Plus, the grease will provide clues as to what climbed the pole.)

The boxes are mounted on fence posts for electric mesh fence and wrapped with electrical string. Had 1 box in backyard last year, have 1 in front, 1 in back now, plus the three where I keep my horse.

3/4 pipe with stovepipe baffle.

I have never had any predation (other than flying) from the metal pole/stovepipe baffle set-up.

Well...we've run these trails since 1985 and have all kinds of boxes [ALL KINDS] mounted on utility poles. Predators get, maybe, two nestings per year. In an average year, we fledge about 250 birds per year.

stovepipe

A PVC baffle on a metal fencepost. It will move.