Having a birdhouse in the garden can provide a great source of interest and enjoyment for the whole family. There are so many different designs offered for sale these days, that it is all too easy to become spoilt for choice. However, it can be relatively easy, good fun and much more rewarding to make your own birdhouse. This can be performed in your garden shed or garage, using basic tools.
Before you embark on your birdhouse project you need to do some important research first. You need to find out which species of birds inhabit your area and which ones you wish to attract, as this will have an effect on the dimensions of your birdhouse. Each bird species has different requirements such as, preference of ‘hole size’, distance of the box from the ground, size of the base, etc. So it is important to get these things right from the outset.
To ensure that your birdhouse is strong and durable and able to withstand the elements all year round, it is important to use good quality timber (at least a couple of centimetres thick). Cedar, pine, fir and plywood are all good options and these can be sanded down and treated, or painted once complete – always use non-toxic materials and never paint the inside of the box.
Birdhouses can be made using a basic design, consisting of two square sides, a square front and back panel leading to a point at the top, a square base and two rectangular roof panels. This design is easy enough to construct and can be adapted to suit your selected species, by adjusting the measurements accordingly - this design will obviously not suit all species.
Before you begin, you will need to make sure that you have all the required tools available in order to carry out your job satisfactorily:
- Hammer
- Screwdriver
- Screws
- Nails
- Hinges
- Fasteners
- Drill and Bits
- Circular Saw
- Pencil and Ruler
- Find a suitable flat and secure surface to work on. Then place your pieces of wood down flat. Mark out the appropriate size on each piece of wood with a ruler and pencil and then cut out each panel using a circular saw.
- Using an appropriate drill bit, drill a suitable hole in the front panel at the correct height – this will allow the bird to enter and leave the house.
- Using suitable nails or screws, attach the front panel to a side panel and continue until all four sides are attached, keeping the edges flush with one another.
- Attach the base; making sure it is flush against all the sides.
- Attach one side of the roof, making sure that it is flush at the back of the box with a slight overhang at the front - for protection against wind and rain. Finally, attach the second half of the roof with hinges and a fastener to allow for easy cleaning and monitoring of the box. Do not attach a perch as this can encourage predators. It is a good idea to drill some small holes near the top of the box to assist ventilation and some at the bottom corners to allow any water that gets inside the box to drain away.
- After a light sanding, your box will be ready to paint if you wish. When painting your box, do think about the colour of paint, as some birds prefer certain colours. You could also fix a small piece of roofing felt to your completed roof for extra protection.
- Once dry, your box will be ready to put up.
Once your box is ready to hang, apart from using secure fixings to mount it, it is important to decide on the correct location. Make sure you choose a position away from predators, strong winds and sunlight. Getting everything right from start to finish will help to ensure that you have the best chance of attracting birds to your box.
