Birdhouse Construction
Before you begin to construct a nesting box, you will need to decide which type of bird you want to attract. Many people, however, are not familiar with bird species in their area but would like to put up a birdhouse.
The following plans are for a nesting box that will attract several common species within a wide geographical range in North America. This nesting box is suitable for the Tree Swallow, House Wren, and Bluebird.

Here are some important tips to keep in mind:
• A birdhouse should not be painted. Birds are attracted to natural colours. A perch should not be installed either as it is convenient for introduced species, like the house sparrow and starling, to land on. These non-native species often out compete native birds for nesting spots.


• If using smooth finished lumber, the inside of the house should be scratched with a nail to roughen the surface so that young birds can easily climb out of the nesting box.



Tree Swallow Photo by: Raymond Belhumeur

• When building a nesting box, one side should be made to open so you can clean the birdhouse every year. This prevents the gathering of parasites that can weaken the young nestlings and give ample room for a new nest. Nest building is an important part of bird courtship.


Construction:

• Small nails 3.2 to 3.8 cm (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inch)


• Wood - it is best to use thicker wood, as it will provide better insulation for the birds. Many types of wood can be used.

-Redwood and Cedar are good because they resist rotting.
-Pine can also be used and is inexpensive and easy to work with.
-Exterior plywood, 2 cm (3/4 inch), is the most durable material to work with.

What tools do I need?

• Safety goggles


• A handheld or power saw


• Hammer


• Drill and drill bits – min 1/4” boring bit for aeration holes & 3.8 cm (1.5”) boring bit for entrance hole.


• Tape measure


• Pencil

The following bird species are the most common ones that will use a birdhouse of this type:

Blue Bird:
Blue body with a rusty red breast, 18cm (7”) in size. Make nests of grass, pine needles and weed stalks. Entrance hole size 3.8 cm (1 1/2”)

Tree Swallow:
Steely blue-green, black top, white bottom, 13-15cm (5-6”) in size. Makes nests of grass lined with feathers. Entrance hole size 3.8 cm (1 1/2”)

House Wren:
Small energetic gray-brown with a light eye ring 11 to 13cm (4 1/2 to 5”) Entrance hole size 2.8 to 3.2cm (1 to 1 1/4”)


Photos by: Raymond Belhumeur






Preparing natural nesting area for Chickadees