Bird Houses

Bird houses are an extremely fun way to begin inviting birds to stay and make homes in your backyard or the area surrounding your house. They can be used to attract a variety of unique birds as well as specific species that you may favor. Bird houses are fun to build and maintain and they can bring a great deal of pleasure and beauty to your hoe as well as some new company in the form of nesting birds that have discovered a new place to live.

The most important thing to do with your birdhouse is to select the kind of house that you want to have in your backyard which means taking into consideration not only what kinds of birds you want to attract but also what kinds of predators or insects are local to your area and that you’ll need to avoid attracting or allowing into your birdhouse. Certain birds are particular to specific types of feeders and many birds won’t use nesting boxes at all so before selecting a bird house do some research to figure to what kind of birds you want to attract to your backyard and learn what kinds of birdhouses they like.

Most birds prefer small boxes made of wood with rough surfaces and a slanted roof (to prevent water getting into the birdhouse) and a single opening for an entrance. There should be some openings in the box to allow for good ventilation as well as proper drainage. Your bird house should never be built with a perch because this provides a spot for predators to sit while they wait for lunch and is very dangerous for young birds and for any eggs that may be in your birdhouse. It’s also important that you be able to clean your bird house fairly easily which may mean mounting it at a height that is easy for you to reach as well as selecting a box that open and closes from the top or sides so that you can have easy access to it. If you clean your bird house out regularly after each set of baby birds has left then you may be able to have more than one set there throughout the summer. It’s typically best to have a bird house that opens from the top as this makes it a lot easier to clean without disturbing the nest and it prevents baby birds or eggs from falling out the front or sides. Be careful though - many predators such as raccoons are clever and will work their way under the lid of your bird house to get at baby birds so be sure that your bird house lid is either too heavy for such animals to lift or has a latch to prevent it from being opened.

You also want to be sure that certain predators like squirrels, swallows, raccoons, cats, and other animals that prey on small birds that nest aren’t able to get into the birdhouse and cause any harm or eat the eggs or young birds. Your bird house should also be designed to be used again and again because they can get expensive if you’re buying a new one every season.

Bird houses are a great thing to have around and they can be a lot of fun to build as well if you’re up to the job. You can buy designs and plans for them at most outdoor supply stores or gardening centers and they are relatively simply to build if you choose a plan that isn’t too complex. Wood is always the best choice for birdhouses - especially if it’s going to be a homemade birdhouse because of how durable it is, how easily it breathes, and the fact that it’s very durable. Red cedar is a good type of wood to use as well as pine and cypress. You also want to make sure that the inside hasn’t been treated with any stains or preservatives or other types of chemicals as these can all be harmful to the birds that stay in them. There also isn’t any need to paint most wood types but there are a few, such as pine and plywood, that will last a bit longer with a coat of water based exterior paint on them. You want to make sure that if you do decide to paint you choose colors that work for the types of birds you want to attract. Earth tones like tan, gray, and a dull brown or green are best for most nesting birds as they blend in well with other foliage, repel heat because of the lightness of the colors and they are less obvious to predators. Don’t paint inside the box or the entrance hole. You also want to be sure that the nails and screws you use to hold the box together haven’t been treated with any kind of chemical that will harm your birds but brass ones will last longer and resist rust as they age. Make sure that you don’t put any kind of a metal roof on your bird house or any other dangling or shiny objects as these are very attractive to predators. Metal poles however, are great for mounting bird houses on and can deter predators along with “cones” and other predator guards. It’s also helpful to avoid mounting bird houses on fences or trees that neighborhood cats or squirrels can get to easily and they should be kept away from feeders too.

You can also use pottery, gourds, plastic, and concrete bird houses all of which have their own advantages and disadvantages and will appeal to different types of birds and work better in certain locations or climates. Overall your highest priority should be the safety and comfort of the birds that choose to nest in your bird house so take the time to make sure it’s well built, safe, and in a good location that is protected from predators and you’re feathery friends will be happy to pay you a visit.