In our fight against crop pests, we rely on the help of birds and bats. we’re counting on the assistance of birds and bats. The rich variety of plants in our area provides them with a buffet of food options. However, even with the extensive wooded region, it’s not always easy for these creatures to find suitable shelter close to our vineyards.
Birds and bats play a pivotal role in the ecological balance and the health of the ecosystem while also lending crucial support to our farming efforts and the resilience of our vineyards.To address the shortage of natural nesting spots, we’ve teamed up with Agrinichoirs. They not only handle the installation of shelters but also conduct regular checks and maintenance as each season wraps up.
Titmouse Nesting Boxes
Among the voracious birds that feed on grape worms, caterpillars, bugs, or earwigs, there are the blue tit and the great tit. These songbirds don’t stray more than 100 meters from their home. During their breeding season, between April and July, the tits occupy the nest box around the clock. Each pair brings back 18,000 insects for each chick (on average a couple has only 3 chicks per year).
Bat Shelters
Bats can consume up to a third of their weight in insects, including grape worm moths. Shelters mainly serve them during the day to rest, individually or in groups, from May to mid-October. Bats aren’t particularly attached to a specific shelter and freely move between them. The pipistrelle is the most common species among them.
Nesting Boxes for Little Owls and Kestrels
As for our raptor friends, the little owls and kestrels, they’re big fans of small mammals like voles, shrews, and field mice. By setting up perches, we’re encouraging these predators to stick around and keep our crops safe from troublesome little critters..
Based on our 2022 survey, we estimate that the tit birds devoured a whopping 207,000 insects, while bats gobbled up 100,000 insects between March and August in our area.
Did you know?
To give these creatures the best chance at making themselves at home, a nesting box should be installed the autumn. Birds like tits are known for scouting out their nesting sites early, so this gives them ample time to settle in before the breeding season. The League for the Protection of Birds even offers DIY kits for these nest boxes – a unique gift idea that also helps support nature!
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