Guerilla Birdhouses Going Up Around Town

I have no idea who is hanging all these yellow birdhouses around town, but it sure does strike me as a neat project.  Just building birdhouses, climbing trees and telephone poles, and nailing 'em up.  But, why?  Just on a whim?  To hang up some nice street art with an actual purpose?  Get a master's degree? To give our tough winged S.O.B.s a little shelter?  To get tweeted about?

Regardless of the reasons why, I've spotted a solid half-dozen of this birdhouses get hung up around the Mission and SOMA over the past few weeks.  From the photo above, left to right, top to bottom:

  1. Corner of 21st and Valencia
  2. The abandoned gas station at 23rd and Valencia
  3. Corner of 23rd and Valencia
  4. Outside Homestead at 19th and Folsom
  5. Corner of 22nd and Shotwell
  6. Corner of 4th and Bryant

Has anyone noticed these houses outside these areas?  More importantly, anyone come across birds using them and/or feral cats hanging around?

Comments (14)

How are the gorillas supposed to fit into those tiny birdhouses?

Uh oh, this might be a well-intentioned but bad idea. These houses could lure birds to areas that are not particularly hospitable to birds. (Or, of course, they could do the opposite – luring birds to areas that are very hospitable indeed. It all depends on how much food is available, and how many predators like cats and hawks.)

It’s a public rogue art project that a friend of a friend is doing. There’s one across the st from Shotwell’s too.

San Francisco Guerilla artist creates refuge for birdpocalypse

BIRDS WILL FALL

What a great project! That’s terrific!

I think this is great! And, there is one right outside of the T-Mobile store on Market and Powell.

And, there is one on Market at 3rd, by the Lens Crafters, La Boulange and the Hearst Bldg.

Our cat would like to request one to be placed on the pole outside of our house.

These are really cute, but bird houses with perches are a no-no for many of our local cavity-nesting birds. They don’t need perches to get in or out of their house- it just makes it easier for predators to eat their eggs or babies.

I have hung up birdhouses in Milwaukee….