Birds have to be one of the best ways of enjoying your garden. Constructing a bird house is a perfect way to fascinate or draw them in. Not all birds all the same prefer to nest in bird houses. They differ especially in their brooding predilections. Like us, these so called “cavity-inhabitants” also have stipulations relative to the kind of the type of home ground they desire. There are just minor feature issues or measurements for the birds, but they are very essential in their living.

Keep these guidelines in mind when building a bird house.

1. Determining the species or family of the birds that fly regularly into your property. In addition, distinguish also which are the burrow dwellers and the cavity dwellers. Some of the typical cavity dwellers are the chickadees, wrens, flickers and bluebirds. Choose one of the common visitors and think of nice bird house you can make for that bird species. Don’t think of building too many bird houses in your garden or backyard. Birds are very territorial, you do not want to see squabbling birds fighting each other due to over crowding. Much better to see them enjoying their time in your space.

2. Arrive at a decision for all the sizing requirements of your selected bird. The dimensions expected are the following: entrance hole, base size, depth and height. Smaller birds such as chickadees and wrens should have 8 inches in depth and 4 x 4 floor dimensions. A further source for identifying the correct sizing requirements can be found by searching on the internet.

3. Now for the building material, we would suggest using untreated timber or wood for your bird house. Aside from the simulating the natural home ground of the birds, natural woods reduces the chance of overheating and toxic absorption. Treated woods for instance plywood contain formaldehyde, a very damaging chemical compound to living things. These can lead to life threatening dangers to your invited birds. Those lumbers that are categorized as “pressure-treated” have toxic chemicals and can also poison the old and nesting birds. Using paint is definitely a no-no. Flaking paints might be mistaken as food and can be eaten by your birds. The only exception from normal paint is to use what is called milk paint, although the hardiness of milk paint is not recommended for exterior surfaces. Furthermore, plastics and metals are not also inappropriate in building avian houses since both are prone to heat.

4. Planning and drafting a plan for your bird friends is also very crucial Keep in mind that the bird’s safety is one of your primary concern, so ensure that they will be protected from the predators. It is also best to use sloping roofs so that the dirt, moisture and rain would not gather on top that may eventually cause rotting of the wood. It is recommended to expand the edges of the roof across the sides and front lips. Poles for roosting are good but not really essential especially for cavity dwellers. Plus, look at the air flow and drainage needs. You can create little holes in the base to aid in the drainage of the rain water. Young chicks can be easily drown and a small amount of water collected can lead them to death. Enough holes should also be placed on the walls to let the air enter the house and keep the place comfortably cool. Erecting the shelter at the top of a pole to assure the safety of your birds from unwelcome guests such as raccoons and cats.

5. The upkeep of the birdhouse is also crucial. A messy and dirty nest can cause lots of diseases for your birds. Adding a rear entrance will surely help in preserving the cleanliness of the bird house. Without much effort, you can take out all those dirt like droppings and unused nests within the birdhouse. Therefore, spreading of disease can also be prevented. With all these tips, you are a way to go to building your bird house. Aid your bird friends by treating their homes as you would your own. Bear in mind the safety of your feathered animals in their shelter can assure you more years with them.