A bird house, also called a nest box is a man made box provided for birds to nest in. They are mostly used for wild and domesticated birds but some mammal species may also use them.
Bird houses are usually built from wood and there are many bird house plans available. They are a great way to attract a variety of birds to your property. Some bird houses are also made using a mixture of wood and concrete and called woodcrete. Metal nest boxes are also used but they are not suitable for outdoor use since they can overheat easily.
Most bird houses are cuboid or have a sloping roof. Some have a hinged top, side or front to provide access for cleaning or bird ringing. Bird houses may also have cameras so that the activities of the birds can be monitored.
The size of the bird houses vary depending on the different species of birds it aims to attract. Small boxes attract wrens and tree creepers and the larger ones attract ducks and owls. Woodcrete boxes are preferred by blue tits, great tits and tree sparrows.
Some things you should keep in mind while building your own bird houses are:
- Don’t paint, stain, varnish or treat the inside or around the hole entrance of the bird house. This might keep away the birds.
- Cedar wood is a good option. It doesn’t need to be painted, stained or treated.
- The wood should be three-quarters of an inch thick.
- Find a good place to place the bird house. A good place would be somewhere I your property where there isn’t too much human activity.
- The bird house can be hung on a tree or mounted on a pole. The height should be usually 3 to 10 feet high.
- The roof of the bird house should be sloped and extended. This helps to prevent wind driven rainwater from getting inside.
- The walls on the inside of the bird house should be grooved or made rough. This enables baby birds to climb.
- It is not important to have perches. Only Starlings and House Sparrows prefer perches.
- The design should include a hinged side or roof to allow for periodic cleaning.
- Try and keep the hinges of the bird house rust proof.
- A lock can be useful to discourage the entrance of raccoons in the bird house.
- The bird house should have four, quarter inch drainage holes at the bottom and two five-eighths of an inch ventilation holes near the top.
When you find the perfect bird house plans for your use, please make sure you read all the instructions before beginning.
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