Tweeters Archives

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I went to Mike's page and found the following statement:

Commercially manufactured nest boxes are, more often than not, built
took look nice rather than be functional, attractive nest cavities...

I most certainly agree! If you ever want to study market forces,
birdhouses provide a very
good example in microcosm. As a bird supply retailer, I am caught in a
triangle between the
needs of the manufacturer, customer, and birds. I have found that
plain, "functional" birdhouses
do not sell. Almost nobody will buy them. They want fancy or
decorative or elegant or cute.
There are fancy, decorative, elegant, or cute "functional" birdhouses on
the market, but they
tend to cost more than "non-functional" ones. I do not know why they
cost more than "non-
functional" decorative houses, but they do and so nobody will buy them,
either. That leaves
cheap, decorative, "non-functional" houses.
The large majority of manufacturers of bird houses are only
"commercial" in the sense that
they sell what they make. Almost all are independent woodworkers doing
it part time. They
come in to my store and try to sell me a few houses. I look them over
and, as tactfully as
possible, pronounce them "functional" or "decorative." If the person is
interested in making
the houses "functional" then I will spend time explaining how to do it
and showing them the
books and charts of specifications. For some reason, they never come
back with a "functional"
house.
Now I do stock some "functional" and somewhat decorative houses.
I also stock "non-
functional" houses. I try to be a responsible retailer. Generally
I explain the difference to
my customers and make sure that they understand if they are buying a
"non-functional" house.
But people vary widely and some don't get it and some don't care.
The reason I am running on about this is that some of you out there
are probably thinking
about making some houses and I would like to aquaint you with reality
first in the (selfish?)
hopes of getting a product which I can sell and which will benefit the
birds, too. If you want
to sell houses, they must be decorative or decorated in some sense.
They should also retail
for $12 to $25. And, of course, they must be "functional."
I put "functional" and "non-functional" in quotes because they are
not really absolutes. I
consider a "functional" birdhouse to be constructed of wood or other
good weatherproof
insulating material; of the correct dimensions, hole size, and
placement; with drainage,
ventilation, predator guard, no perch, and some means to attach it to
the tree. The fact is
that birds will often use "non-functional" houses if they can get in
them and a better alternative
does not present itself. But I think it is the duty of a good landlord
to provide them with a
proper, "functional" house which will help them to reproduce rather than
put them at risk.
BTW, I was told that my postings are full of garbage characters. The
gentleman sent me
back a copy of the message, but when I look at it, it looks fine. Is
anyone else seeing garbage
characters in my postings and if so, what do they look like?
Thanks,
--
--Brian M. Godfrey
ename: wildbird at pacifier.com
Owner: Wild Bird Shop \___Cannon Beach, OR 97110-1220
Nature Art & Sounds / 503-436-9806 Orders: 800-281-9806
-and-
Nature Works - High quality decorative fountains for the home.
Custom orders accepted.

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<DT>   I went to Mike's page and found the following statement:</DT>

<DT> </DT>

<DT>Commercially manufactured nest boxes are, more often than not, built
took look nice rather than be functional, attractive nest cavities...</DT>

<DT> </DT>

<DT>   I most certainly agree!  If you ever want to study
market forces, birdhouses provide a very</DT>

<DT>good example in microcosm.  As a bird supply retailer, I am caught
in a triangle between the</DT>

<DT>needs of the manufacturer, customer, and birds.  I have found
that plain, "functional" birdhouses</DT>

<DT>do not sell.  Almost nobody will buy them.  They want fancy
or decorative or elegant or cute.</DT>

<DT>There are fancy, decorative, elegant, or cute "functional"
birdhouses on the market, but they </DT>

<DT>tend to cost more than "non-functional" ones.  I do
not know why they cost more than "non-</DT>

<DT>functional" decorative houses, but they do and so nobody will
buy them, either.  That leaves</DT>

<DT>cheap, decorative, "non-functional" houses.  </DT>

<DT>   The large majority of manufacturers of bird houses are
only "commercial" in the sense that </DT>

<DT>they sell what they make.  Almost all are independent woodworkers
doing it part time.  They</DT>

<DT>come in to my store and try to sell me a few houses.  I look them
over and, as tactfully as</DT>

<DT>possible, pronounce them "functional" or "decorative." 
If the person is interested in making</DT>

<DT>the houses "functional" then I will spend time explaining
how to do it and showing them the</DT>

<DT>books and charts of specifications.  For some reason, they never
come back with a "functional"</DT>

<DT>house.</DT>

<DT>   Now I do stock some "functional" and somewhat
decorative houses.  I also stock "non-</DT>

<DT>functional" houses.  I try to be a responsible retailer. 
Generally I explain the difference to </DT>

<DT>my customers and make sure that they understand if they are buying
a "non-functional" house. </DT>

<DT>But people vary widely and some don't get it and some don't care.</DT>

<DT>   The reason I am running on about this is that some
of you out there are probably thinking</DT>

<DT>about making some houses and I would like to aquaint you with reality
first in the (selfish?)</DT>

<DT>hopes of getting a product which I can sell and which will benefit
the birds, too.  If you want</DT>

<DT>to sell houses, they must be decorative or decorated in some sense. 
They should also retail</DT>

<DT>for $12 to $25.  And, of course, they must be "functional."</DT>

<DT>   I put "functional" and "non-functional"
in quotes because they are not really absolutes.  I</DT>

<DT>consider a "functional" birdhouse to be constructed of wood
or other good weatherproof</DT>

<DT>insulating material; of the correct dimensions, hole size, and placement;
with drainage, </DT>

<DT>ventilation, predator guard, no perch, and some means to attach it
to the tree.  The fact is</DT>

<DT>that birds will often use "non-functional" houses if they
can get in them and a better alternative</DT>

<DT>does not present itself.  But I think it is the duty of a good
landlord to provide them with a</DT>

<DT>proper, "functional" house which will help them to reproduce
rather than put them at risk.</DT>

<DT>   BTW, I was told that my postings are full of garbage characters. 
The gentleman sent me</DT>

<DT>back a copy of the message, but when I look at it, it looks fine. 
Is anyone else seeing garbage</DT>

<DT>characters in my postings and if so, what do they look like?</DT>

<DT>   Thanks,</DT>

<DT>--  
--Brian M. Godfrey 
  ename: wildbird at pacifier.com 
  Owner: Wild Bird Shop      \___Cannon Beach,
OR 97110-1220 
         Nature Art & Sounds
/   503-436-9806 Orders: 800-281-9806  
              
-and- 
         Nature Works - High quality
decorative fountains for the home. 
                       
Custom orders accepted. 
 </DT>

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