Birds will sing your praises if you give them a clean place to live this spring.
• Remove debris, old nesting materials, and dead insects from nest boxes and birdhouses. These can be breeding grounds for parasites that kill young birds.
• Check for items that could harm birds, such as exposed nails, slivers, damaged roofs, and split posts.
• Before purchasing new boxes, make sure the top or one side of the birdhouse is hinged or lifts out for easy cleaning.

Photo courtesy of Tracy Walsh