Providing a healthy home for backyard birds isn’t difficult, but there are some simple tips you should observe in order to make sure your bird’s abode is a safe and attractive place to create a nest.
- Pay attention to dimensions. With birdhouses, size does matter. A birdhouse should have the proper dimension; entrance hole size, floor size and entrance height. Different birds require different sizes and using the proper dimensions can help keep unwanted birds out and protect the hatchlings.
- Choose appropriate materials. The best birdhouses are made from untreated wood and use galvanized screws, not nails.
- Supply ventilation and drainage. Birdhouses should have ventilation and drainage holes to prevent overheating or drowning of baby birds. A sloped roof with a bit of an overhang can also help keep the nest dry. If you have a house without these you can always drill a few holes in the floor for drainage and high up on the sides to provide ventilation.
- Provide easy access for cleaning and monitoring. The easiest are birdhouses with one side hinged or that lifts out.
- Stay away from any birdhouse with an outside perch. Cavity nesting birds do not need them and outside perches make it easier for predators or unwanted birds to get it.
- Keep it neutral. Birds tend to avoid bright, unnatural colors (too obvious to predators) and gravitate to natural, unpainted houses.