This show of struggle and distress may alarm other birds and so I decided to put a couple of perches inside the homemade bird trap.
With the perch inside, the bird could rest and stay on the perch rather than continue to search for a way out. Technically, it could still escape if it's intelligent enough to go out from where it came in - the funnel.
Easy Technique for Making the Perch
Materials and Tools
- Bamboo strip - 1/2" wide, 3/8" thick, 25" long
- Machete or sharp knife
- Hacksaw
- Push pin
Procedure
- With a hacksaw, cut the bamboo strip into two pieces that are 12 1/2" long. The two pieces will become the two perches for the cage.
- Using a machete, peel away the sharp edges at the corners of the bamboo strip as shown below.
Removing the sharp corners will be more comfortable for the bird claws, and therefore the perch will likely be used.
- Rest one end of the perch on the ground. With the machete create a notch on one end by carefully making a short slit that is roughly two inches along the length of the perch. Be careful not to split the bamboo.
- Do the same for the other end of the perch. Ensure the slits are of the same orientation (parallel to each other).
- Repeat the steps for the other perch.
Installing the Perch Inside the Bird Trap
- Insert the pointed end of a push pin into the perch's slit of one end. The push pin will pry it open.
- With the push pin keeping the slit open, bring the perch inside the homemade bird trap through the access hole.
- Position the end of the perch into one of the vertical screen wires of the front panel of the homemade bird trap.
The amount of bamboo that extends beyond the screen wire should only be 1/4" or less.
- Remove the push pin. The compression in the slit should be pinching the screen wire. Push the perch's end downward so it rests on the horizontal screen wires as shown below.
Resting the end on the horizontal wires keeps the perch fixed and stable.
- Position the other end of the perch on the rear panel of the homemade bird trap by repeating the above steps. Here's the installed perch.
Here's the perch as seen from the opened access hole.
I intentionally left the perch unpainted. This would give it a natural look for the birds.
Bamboo as a perch material is durable and will last long. Because bamboo is straight and stiff, the two bamboo perches add rigidity to the homemade bird trap, thus making it more stable.
Other articles in this series (click on the links below:)
Homemade Bird Trap - Build Plans & How it Works
Homemade Bird Trap - Materials and Tools
Homemade Bird Trap - Building the Housing
Homemade Bird Trap - Making the Funnels
Homemade Bird Trap - Making the Guard Rails
Homemade Bird Trap - Making the Access Hole
Homemade Bird Trap - Making the Door and Lock
Homemade Bird Trap - Making the Carrying Handle and Restraints
Homemade Bird Trap - Setting the Trap
Homemade Bird Trap - Painting the Cage
Homemade Bird Trap - Making a Perch for the Cage (this article)
Homemade Bird Trap - Pre-Baiting Sparrows
Homemade Bird Trap - Retrieving Trapped Birds
Homemade Bird Trap - Disposing Trapped Sparrows
Sparrow Trap by Day, Rat Trap by Night
Damage Caused by Sparrows
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