Building A Birdhouse: Things To Know

Article by: Donald Rohde

So you want to build a birdhouse. A well-built birdhouse should be durable, keep out the rain, not overheat, and be easy to clean. Keep these requirements in mind and let's get started.

1. First, determine the types of birds , Pairing Orchids with Other Flowers you see around your backyard. , Hydroponic Plant Systems... What, No Dirt? Then figure out which ones will use a birdhouse. Some birds , The Joy Of Gardening build nests in trees , Advice about the latest and accurate help concerning aluminu or bushes, such as doves, cardinals, and mockingbirds. Others may make their nests on the ground or even burrows down in the ground. Only cavity nesting birds , Home Improvement Ideas will use a birdhouse. Examples of common cavity nesting birds , Part 3 - Different Types Of Home Foundations And When To Use are chickadees, flickers, and bluebirds. Determine the type of bird , Carpet Stains - How To Remove Them that you wish to use the birdhouse.

2. Determine the dimensions of the birdhouse. Most birds , Butterfly Gardening require different sizes of birdhouses as well as entrance holes. Below you will find a chart with some specs to build houses , Enhance Your Walkthrough Garden with Wind Chimes for various common cavity nesting birds:

3. When selecting the wood , Carpet Stains - How To Remove Them to use, use plain untreated lumber. Do not use exterior grade plywood (contains formaldehyde) or pressure-treated lumber (contains toxic preservatives.) Plastic , Buying Chainsaws From Auction Sites and metal , Easiest Hydroponics Feeding Plan often overheat in the hot summer , Butterfly Gardening sun.

4. Almost time to pick out a birdhouse plan. , Buying Chainsaws From Auction Sites First, however, remember these things about good houses: Has some type of ventilation holes or slots near the roof , Home Fire Safety so heat , Organic Gardening In The Backyard – Fun, Healthy, and Easier can escape. Normally these holes will be on the sides of the house , Easiest Hydroponics Feeding Plan - NOT the roof , Essential Cleaning Tips for the Kitchen - so rain will not drip in.
- Roof , Homeowner Tip: Receive $30 for your old, second fridge is slanted enough to shed , The Best Flowers For Spring rain and extends well over the entrance hole for protection from rain and sun. , New for 2006- Granite Flexible Preformed Rock Pond Kits
- No perch. Most people think that there should be a perch under the entrance hole. However, the birds , How to Get Rid of Standing Water in Your Yard nesting inside , Essential Cleaning Tips for the Kitchen do not need a perch. The perch also invites predators or other birds , Herbs For A Spaghetti Garden to attack or bother the parents and babies inside. , Avoiding leaks when installing vinyl retrofit windows
- Has drain holes or small slots in the bottom of the nest box for drainage (you don't want those babies to be drowned during a storm!)
- Has a door, , Orchids – Growing Exotic Beauty At Home roof, , How to choose the foundation for your log cabin or side wall , Deciding on a clock for your kitchen that can easily be opened to clean out the nest box. Leftover nests can attract mites and other parasites as well as make more work for new occupants who must clear out the old nest.
- Inside , Be safe on your Ladder! wall beneath the entrance hole is roughed up or has some type of grooves for baby birds , Beautiful Lighting Tips 101 - A Crash Course in Lighting Des to climb as they get older.

Type of birdFloor sizeDepthEntrance above floorEntrance hole sizeHeight above ground
Eastern Bluebird5"x5"8"6"1 1/2"5-8 feet
Chickadee4x4"8-10"6-8"1 1/8"6-15 feet
Downy Woodpecker4x4"9-12"6-8"1 1/4"6-20 feet
Flicker7x7"16-18"14-16"2 1/2"6-22 feet
House Wren4x4"8-10"4-6"1 1/4"6-10 feet
Nuthatch4x4"8-10"6-8"1 1/4"12-20 feet
Screech Owl8x8"12-15"9-12"3"10-30 feet
Tits4x4"8-10"6-8"1 1/4"6-15 feet

5. Keeping these above points in mind, select a birdhouse plan , Miniature Roses for the type of bird , DUAL PANE WINDOW GLASS REPAIR you wish to attract to the house. , Homeowner Tip: Receive $30 for your old, second fridge
There are number of excellent birdhouse plans , Home Improvement Ideas on the Internet , Looking for a high quality mixer? Try a KitchenAid Mixer! as well as many great books you can buy. (See the suggestions at the end of this article.)

6. Never use paint , Herbs For A Spaghetti Garden or stain inside , How to Get Rid of Standing Water in Your Yard the birdhouse. If you want to paint , CHOOSING A VINYL REPLACEMENT WINDOW CONTRACTOR the outside, , Avoiding leaks when installing vinyl retrofit windows wait until it is built and paint , DUAL PANE WINDOW GLASS REPAIR only the wood , Deciding on a clock for your kitchen that you can see. Be sure to use a non-toxic exterior latex paint , "Forget Everything You've Ever Read About Water Heating..." that does not contain lead. Light , DUAL PANE WINDOW GLASS REPAIR colors will reflect the heat , Pairing Orchids with Other Flowers and light, , High-End Manhattan Renovation Guide keeping the house , The Best Flowers For Spring cooler in the summer. , New incentives help homeowners and the environment Or keep the house natural, , Hydroponic Plant Systems... What, No Dirt? without paint. , Innovative Kitchen Decorating Idea Brings the Look of Oil Pa Rough cedar or redwood would be an excellent type of wood , How to Get Rid of Standing Water in Your Yard if you want to go paint-less.

7. Now it's time to put up your birdhouse. They can be attached to wood , New incentives help homeowners and the environment or metal , Investment Property - Leveraging Rental Property Equity fence posts, trees, , Everyone Needs A Spaghetti Garden or their own wood , Essential Cleaning Tips for the Kitchen or metal , Candles and the Bedroom posts. Bluebird boxes seem to attract more predators when on trees. , How to Get Rid of Standing Water in Your Yard
If you are mounting your birdhouse to a post, always try to attach a baffle or collar to prevent snakes, cats, and other predators from climbing the pole to the house. , Orchids – Growing Exotic Beauty At Home
Locate your house , CHOOSING A VINYL REPLACEMENT WINDOW CONTRACTOR an adequate distance from each other since most nesting parents are territorial. Place , "Forget Everything You've Ever Read About Water Heating..." the birdhouse where the parents and baby birds , Colorful And Popular Hybrid Tea Roses are not distracted and worried about your family's activities. The entrance should face away from the prevailing wind. Remember, bluebirds prefer lots of open space in front of their birdhouse and be sure to mount the house , How To Sharpen Lawn Mower Blades at the proper height.

Courtesy: Cedar Creek Woodshop
Visit Cedar Creek Woodshop for a wide variety of birdhouses.
http://www.cedarcreekwoodshop.com

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