What Is The Ideal Size Of The Entrance Hole ???

I never thought so much about these entry/exit holes before.

All these while I thought they can be a big as I wanted it to be and told myself that the bigger the better.

That was a history. I am now a better person.

Remember I alway mentioned that everything that you see in your birdhouse have its own reasons. The sound system, the tweeters, the internal and external sound, the wood panel, the fake nests, the aroma, the humidifiers, the roving area, the enterance hole, the water pool, the insect breeder, the PVC holes on the wall, the birdshits splash on the birdhouse floor, those water fountains, the steel doors,those pinnaple skin used in the pool, double door system and etc etc etc.

If you are the curious type you surely will ask and take note of what they are for. There must be a reason for everything that are installed in your birdhouse.

Main trouble is that your Sifu will never let you have anything to refer too. He have everything in his head and he presumed that your head is his head ???? Very Stupid Sifu .... He he he he....

Okay coming back to the ideal size of an entrance hole, I have this to share.

The basic purpose of the inlet/outlet hole are as follows:

a) To allow your birds to fly in and out.

b) To limit the amount of light entering your birdhouse.

c) To provide positive effect to the house humidity and temperature.

d) To protect the house from swiftlet's predators.

e) To protect the house from burgulars.

So what is the ideal shape and size?

Before we can answer that, let us look at the shape and size of every swiftlet that fly in your house.

If you take a good look at one of your swiftlet, you will notice that the total length of your swiftlet wing span, from tip of the left wing to the tip of right wing, is about 20-25 cm. The thickness at it main body is just about 3 cm.

From studies made on their flight that they usually made just before entering, the recommended or ideal hole shoud be a rectangle with a minimum dimension of 20 cm width and 30 cm wide. This is ideal for one bird to enter or exit at one particular event.

What will happen when your bird population is full? Will the hole allow more then one birds to fly in and out? Say 5 birds entering or leaving at the same time? Will they crash into each other or more important will they hit the cement wall and become dead birds?

Accoding to some books, the most difficult time for any birds to exit or enter are those young birds who have never fly out or in before. They do not have that navigational skill to avoid hitting the hole's wall if they do not take the right flying angle.

Matured birds are usually are very skill and have little chances of slamming onto the wall. But you never know.

The best arrangment that was recommended by some consultant is to make the necessary enlargement plans during design stage. Use the smaller size first and once the house bird's population increases get to hole bigger.

With minimum height of 20 cm, one bird entering at a time is perfect. For two to enter stacking one above the other at one time the height have to be increased to 25 cm, for threes 30 cm, fours 35 cm and fives 40cm.

Similarly if you want to allow two birds to enter wing tips to wing tips, the width need to increase from 30 cm to 40 cm. For three to enter wign tip to wing tip you need to add another 10 cm width.

So you know now that the entrance hole size is mainly regulated by the number of birds entering into your birdhouse both by tips to tips and stacks.

The best rule of the thumb for you to consider is to use the following guides:

For 1,000 birds use 20 cm X 30 cm.

For 2,000 birds use 40 cm X 30 cm or 20 cm X 60 cm

For 4,000 birds use 40 cm X 60 cm

For 6,000 birds use 40 cm X 80 cm and so on .....

What about for a new birdhouse? What is the ideal size?

But what about the position of the hole? Where is the most strategic to open the hole?How far from the ceiling and how close to the building corners?

Some one have to answer that .....

I think it is better for you to find out your self ....... He he he he

PS: if you are still stubborn and wanted to know the answers, please call .....