House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)
Photo by Sarah Campbell

Wrens

Why do we want wrens? These songbirds are a natural pest control, because wrens can eat 40 grams of insects a day when they're nesting! The hexagonal birdhouse uses a 1⅛" hole to attract wrens, chickadees, titmice and nuthatches. An interior volume of ~800 cm³ makes this house the ideal size for attracting these native birds to your yard.

Learn more about these songbirds

We want wrens in our yards. Why? Not only are they fun to watch but they prey on garden pests that attack our trees, vegetables and flowers. My grandfather, Bert Cranmer, built birdhouses and mounted them as a natural pest control in his urban garden. Chickadees, titmice and nuthatches all feed insects to their young as well making all four songbirds beneficial to have around.

White-breasted nuthatch
(Sitta carolinensis)
Photo by Sarah Campbell

These songbirds are 'secondary cavity dwellers' meaning they aren't capable of creating their own nesting cavities because their beaks are specialized for hunting insects or gathering seeds. In an undisturbed ecosystem songbirds such as wrens, chickadees, titmice and nuthatches look for tree cavities created by other birds such as woodpeckers.

Black-capped chickadee
(Poecile atricapillus)
Photo by Travis Cranmer

The amount of forested land in North America has greatly decreased over the last 200 years. Many trees that have nesting cavities are not structurally sound and are cut down in urban environments to prevent damage to property. As a result, there is a shortage of suitable nesting sites but an abundance of insect pests. A birdhouse enables us to attract birds that otherwise would have problems finding a suitable nesting cavity.

Wrens have an average mass of 10.6 grams and are found to eat up to 48% of their body weight in insects per day (Dykstra & Karasov, 1991). When nesting, an adult house wren needs to collect 38.8 grams/day (wet mass) of insects to maintain itself and its nestlings during peak nestling food demands (Dykstra and Karasov, 1993b). While only females incubate the eggs, both males and females generally assist in feeding nestlings (Pearse et al., 2004).

A 1 ⅛" entrance hole is the perfect size because it allows entry for native songbirds while excluding larger birds. A nest box depth of ~8 cm gives enough room that young ones are out of reach of predators, but not too far away from the entrance when it is time to fledge. A study completed by Kennedy & White in 1991 showed smaller nest boxes of 808 cm3 to be more successful than those that had a larger volume of 1498 cm3. Studies have shown that small nest boxes are better than larger ones because wrens are able to fill the available cavity and focus on egg laying faster (U.S. Dept. Interior 1979:8). The table below illustrates what to expect depending on the species of bird that occupies your birdhouse.

Species	Diet	Clutch Size & ID	Incubation Period	Growth Period
Wren Troglodytes spp.	Insects	5-8 white eggs often heavily speckled with brown to red dots	~12 days	~16 days
Chickadee Poecile spp.	Insects, seeds and berries	6-8 white to cream colour eggs with light brown to reddish speckles	~14 days	~15 days
Nuthatch Sitta spp.	Insects, small seeds, berries and acorns	5-6 white eggs often speckled with brown to red dots	~14 days	~24 days
Titmouse Parus spp.	Insects, seeds and berries	5-6 white eggs often speckled with brown dots	~13 days	~16 days

Easy to Clean

With the effortless mounting bracket system it is possible to clean your birdhouse in under a minute. Birds prefer finding an empty cavity where they can bring their own fresh nesting material. If your birdhouse is cleaned promptly after the fledglings have left, you can have up to three fledges of young - per year!

Learn more about the mounting bracket

Many birdhouses have no way of being opened and should be assumed to be made for decorative purposes. While these ornamental birdhouses may be nice to look at, they do not provide the features that are essential for the welfare of the birds. As mentioned above, the top priority when it comes to birdhouse maintenance is cleaning out the nest immediately after the birds have fledged. By cleaning the birdhouse as soon as the birds have fledged, you are more likely to keep moisture levels low, and lower the chance that pests and nest parasites will inhabit the birdhouse. With regards to wrens and bluebirds, if the nest is cleaned out immediately after the birds have fledged, it is possible to get a second and even a third set of birds in the same birdhouse in a single season!

Many birdhouses require a screwdriver to be taken down and cleaned. Not only does this take time, but it also requires additional tools that you may not have at that exact moment. Let's not add 'clean birdhouse' to our to-do list, let's clean it out as soon as the birds have fledged!

When removing old nests from your birdhouse ensure that the drainage holes are clear. Removing debris with a small twig might make a big difference for the next family of birds moving into your birdhouse. Many people wait to clean out their birdhouse in the fall, but if it is cleaned regularly birds can be removing insect pests from your yard throughout most of the growing season. If the next box interior is soiled, a mild bleach solution can be used to help remove any parasites or pathogens from the birdhouse body. Be sure to allow the birdhouse to dry before re-mounting. Ensure all hardware is still firmly in place (if any) before remounting.

Since the roof comes directly off the top of the birdhouse body, this enables us to tap the body on a rock or hard surface, removing the old nest. With this design, the old nest can easily be removed without opening a hatch or even using a screwdriver!

Cleaning out your birdhouse between fledges ensures minimum pathogen build-up and encourages another family to use the nest. Generally, only the same pair of birds will re-use a pre-existing nest. New pairs tend to spend time removing and rebuilding the nest if a prior nest is not removed.

To make it easy to see if a birdhouse is currently occupied, we mount our birdhouses so the entrance hole is at eye level allowing us to see if a bird is sitting on the nest before we take the birdhouse off the mounting bracket. The bracket is designed to avoid ice buildup in the winter making it possible to leave the bracket mounted if you wish to bring in your birdhouse in the winter. On the farm, we leave all our birdhouses up over winter as they are built to handle these conditions.

How to mount a birdhouse on a post, barn, shed, house, fence, or tree. Avoid hanging a birdhouse as many birds do not approve of swinging in the wind. By mounting a birdhouse with a mounting bracket, you are able to monitor periodically by checking to see what species of bird is using your birdhouse as well as how many eggs or young are in the nest. Weekly monitoring is recommended to avoid problems with parasites or losses due to predators. Choosing an easy to open birdhouse with a mounting bracket makes monitoring easier.

Simple Installation

This mounting bracket system makes putting up the birdhouse easy. Fasten the bracket 1.5-3.7 m high on a post, tree or building facing east, south or west. Once the bracket is secure, simply slide the birdhouse into place! Watching your feathered friends during breakfast or morning coffee is a fun way to start the day!

Learn more about selecting a location

Feel free to mount your birdhouse in your garden or close to your patio. Wrens, chickadees, titmice and nuthatches are all tidy birds that tend to do their 'business' a fair distance away from their nest. Robins and other larger birds tend to make messes while they construct their nest. The songbirds attracted to this birdhouse only bring the nesting material they need to their nesting cavity and don't need to be cleaned up after.

There are some birdhouses available that allow you to fasten a bracket to the final spot and remove the birdhouse as necessary without a screwdriver. This makes it easy to look inside and clean out old nests. A screwdriver or drill is still required to initially mount the bracket, but once the bracket is mounted a screwdriver is not needed for regular maintenance. A mounting bracket is light and easy to hold, unlike an entire birdhouse. Not only does this make it easy to maintain one birdhouse, this is extremely beneficial when many birdhouses are required to be checked on or cleaned out throughout the season.

If mounting a birdhouse on a pole, a hose clamp can be used on the bottom of the mounting bracket or the bracket can be bolted directly onto the post if you have bolts and the post comes with holes.

The mounting bracket comes with screws and pre-drilled holes, (as seen to the right). All you need is a screwdriver if you are mounting on a tree, shed, wooden post or fence. A stainless steel hose clamp can be used to mount the bracket to a metal t-bar, (as seen to the far right).

Wrens, chickadees, titmice and nuthatches are all comfortable nesting in birdhouses fastened 1.5-3.7 m above ground; however, on the farm we have found it is best to place the birdhouse with the entrance hole at eye level. This allows for you to easily view and clean out the birdhouse without having to get out your step ladder.

Birdhouses should face away from the prevailing winds in the spring and be placed an adequate distance away from the ground. Different birds require different spacing between birdhouses. Some birds, such as wrens, are very territorial and will fill other birdhouses in the area with dummy nests. Should this happen, remove the dummy nests frequently to allow other birds to claim those un-used birdhouses. Mounting a birdhouse under a roof overhang or under an eve gives the birdhouse a semi-sheltered location and will make it last longer with less maintenance. Birdhouses built for chickadees, nuthatches and wrens birdhouses can be placed around 1.5 m (5') above ground. This makes it easy for you to clean out old nests and see if the birdhouse is occupied since the birdhouse entrance hole is at eye level

Refrain from mounting multiple birdhouses close together as wrens are territorial. Birdhouses should be placed at least 4 m apart. Avoid locations close to wildlife feeders, as these feeders can attract unfavourable predators. We have birdhouses mounted on metal posts, trees, wooden poles, fences and barns around the farm.

What direction should birdhouses face once they are mounted? While other directions will work, facing birdhouses east has been shown to be ideal. If your climate has relatively hot summers, it can be better to face entrance holes east to avoid overheating the box from afternoon soon. Birdhouses facing east get early morning sun, often when the birdhouse is cold from the night before. Avoid facing birdhouses towards prevailing winds. Birdhouse entrances should also face away from bird feeders so the nesting birds do not become agitated if predators visit the bird feeder.

Birdhouses should be mounted facing any direction but north due to prevailing winds. It is still uncertain whether birds prefer birdhouses facing east, south or west. Try to mount your birdhouse in a predator free area if possible. The harder it is for the predator to reach the birdhouse, the better chance that every brood will survive. Even if the birdhouse is placed in an area with predators, you are still giving the birds a better chance of survival compared to a cavity with an enlarged entrance hole or no tree cavity at all.

The way you choose to mount your birdhouse is ultimately up to you!

Non-toxic Preservative

Birds prefer houses that have little to no scent, and all birdhouses should be coated with an environmentally friendly preservative. Our birdhouses are coated with a waterproof and non-toxic polyurethane from Vermont Natural Coatings. Many birdhouses require a year to outgas, but our birdhouses are safe for birds the day they are finished. After a few years, birdhouses can be recoated with a non-toxic urethane, or left alone as birds can prefer a weathered look.

Learn more about the non-toxic preservative

What construction materials should a birdhouse be made from? Untreated, scent free wood is ultimately the best material from which to construct a birdhouse. Do not use treated wood as it is thought to be toxic and birds generally avoid birdhouses with strong scents. Other materials that are toxic or stained with toxic materials are harmful to the birds and should be avoided. Pressure-treated lumber or paint which gives off volatile organic compounds (VOCs) after it is dry should not be used. While cedar is rot resistant and is used widely in birdhouse construction it should be avoided because cedar takes time to outgas. Songbirds will avoid nesting in cavities of cedar trees, and for this reason cedar is not recommended for birdhouse construction.

Non-toxic water-based urethanes,such as PolyWhey exterior caspian clear, are non-toxic waterproof coatings that give a durable finish and are safe for the birds inside. This particular coating is water-proof, UV resistant and is produced by Vermont Natural Coatings. We have found this coating to be the best non-toxic coating with which to coat birdhouses. It has been shown that birds prefer weathered birdhouses. This may be due to the toxicity of birdhouses freshly coated with paint and/or urethane. If you are OK with letting your birdhouse weather and decay, the birds will be happy to use it for as long as it provides them with a safe cavity. If you would like to preserve your birdhouse and get the maximum amount of years from it, be sure to use a non-toxic wood preservative. Coat your birdhouse every few years or as often as you deem necessary.

We use a non-toxic and
safe coating for birds.

Unlike oil-based wood finishes that rely on petroleum, Vermont Natural Coating's PolyWhey is derived from a renewable resource known as whey, a bi-product of the dairy industry. We use Suncare 900 as a base coat followed by several coats of a clear Ligno stain as a sealant. These coatings have an extremely low VOC level of ≤30g/L and provide a tough, non-toxic finish. To find a retailer that carries Vermont Natural Coatings products, please check out their store locator using this link.

Many birdhouses are built of cedar because of the wood's anti-microbial properties, making it rot resistant. While these birdhouses don't require a preservative, they take many years to outgas and the songbirds find them unfavourable. Painted birdhouses may be aesthetically pleasing but are not functional for the birds.

Lumber that is ¾" thick or greater is a preferable material for birdhouses as it shelters occupants from extreme heat or cold. Wooden birdhouses provide the best insulation in weather conditions throughout the nesting season. Metal will become too hot during the summer months when the birds are raising their second or third set of fledglings.

Functionality is our first priority.

If built properly, a birdhouse can last over a decade. The hexagonal birdhouse in this picture was taken in 2013, 19 years after it was mounted on our barn.

Built To Last

Handcrafted with attention to detail, these birdhouse follow the hexagonal design which has been tested for over 40 years by the Cranmer family. Every component of the birdhouse that is nailed is also glued for extra durability. The bottom board contains drainage holes which allow moisture to flow out keeping the birds dry. And best of all, this birdhouse is entirely made in Canada.

Learn more the birdhouse design and history

Original birdhouse built by Bert Cranmer

This birdhouse was originally designed by Bert Cranmer, my grandfather. While there are many birdhouse plans he created and modified, this design was a clear winner due to the amount of birds it attracted. My grandfather gave me a birdhouse when I was four years old shortly before he passed away in 1994. My dad helped me mount the birdhouse on the side of our barn that season and is still there today (right). After being left out in the elements for over 20 years the birdhouse still gets residents every year!

All birdhouse materials are sourced within Canada or as local as possible. The wood and finishing nails are manufactured in Canada and the premium non-toxic urethane as well as the exterior-grade wood glue is imported from the U.S.A.

For these reasons and more, our family and those who have a hexagonal birdhouse believe that this is the best birdhouse available! If you have any questions please do not hesitate to E-mail or call us and we will get back to you in 24 hours if not sooner!

Reviews and Testimonials

We stand proudly behind our birdhouses and sincerely believe that you have the best chance of attracting these songbirds to your yard with this hexagonal birdhouse. We want you to feel comfortable ordering from us, so we have included a sampling of what our customers have said after purchasing a hexagonal birdhouse.

Read reviews and testimonials

This is so exciting watching this mother wren go back and forth feeding her babies. Not sure how many are in there. Hope to be in the yard when they leave. Thanks for excellent birdhouse.

-Maureen Murphey

Your birdhouse worked great even though we put it up well into June, we had two healthy broods by the middle of August!

-Matt Rekman

I have had my hexagonal birdhouse for about 3 years now I believe and it is still in great condition! I am so glad I bought one. Every summer I get to look forward to having chickadees fly around out back. There hasn't been one summer where they haven't made a nest, it's great! It was easy to put up and it is easy to take down and clean out the old nest to prepare for next season. If you love watching nature's creatures while you relax outside I strongly recommend this type of bird house! Chickadees are so interesting to observe :) !

-Megan Shane

Just wanted to let you know that I noticed a little wren taking up residence in the birdhouse I bought from you. That was quicker than I expected. Less than a month. They seem to like it. Making quite a racket.

-Karen Durance

We really like it because it looks good, it's easy to clean and it is a good home for a wren. Also, we have had it for two years now and it still looks like new.

-Deb Meagher

I delight in seeing our hexagonal birdhouse being occupied each year, we truly have loved seeing the young birds develop and watching the activity of the parents. We are not birdwatchers, but this is one small delight in our backyard we look forward to each season.

-Jakki Prince

I gave the birdhouses as gifts and both families loved them and have had several nests. After 4 years, the birdhouses are still up and in great shape! -actually I would like to get two more!!

-Stephanie Lam

It (the birdhouse) is being occupied at the moment by a pair of house wrens. The male comes early and places a few twigs in 10-12 nesting sites. When female comes she is shown all of them and she decides which one and then she finish the nest. I'm glad they picked yours. We have about 40 nesting spots. Thanks for the house, I like it and so do they.

-John Redden

We found you by researching birdhouses that are properly built. Your site about these hexagonal came up with much helpful info. Plus they were easy to clean out so more birds would come year after year and easy to remove and put back up. I had no idea all of this was available. Certainly more than any 'big box store' offers. We are so excited. All the info on your pages about height from ground, size and shape is new to us. We look very forward to our purchase arriving. After I saw the information, I immediately looked for your store so I could purchase this.

-Sharon Arther

I bought a birdhouse from you last year for my dad - he just sent me this picture. He loved his gift, so thank you!

-Andrea Crinklaw

I just had to let you know that I bought one of your delightful bird houses at the Guelph Farmers' Market in February, put it up right away as you suggested - and yesterday, for the first time, I saw a little bird going in and out! I'm delighted to see that your beautiful little house has been adopted! Thanks for making such a thoughtfully, carefully, environmentally-consciously designed home for our friends. It's a pleasure thinking about your care and craft every time I look up at it.

-Elise Houghton

I found you browsing the web. I have a large garden and love to encourage wrens. My current houses are falling apart due to age so I was happy to find your site.

-Steve Young

We love our new bird house. It is beautiful and we can't wait to have some guests!

-Tracey Marshall

I promised to send you a picture of the wren house I bought from you last year for my Mother's 80th birthday. It did have a family of wren's in it but next to impossible to get a picture of her coming in or leaving. I bought a second house from you for her friend. We will see if he gets wrens this year. Thank you again.

-Jane Cotter

I love having the wrens and chickadees around! Simple design, easy to clean out.

-Marlee Dennis

We have one of the pine houses and our little chickadees have moved in and are nesting. Last year we had a little house wren. We love the house, because it is so easy to clean and looks wonderful. They are practical, look great and weather well!

-Marilyn Fowler

Travis, I would just like to take a moment to tell you how pleased Lynnette an I are with our purchase of the hexagonal wren birdhouse. We purchased it in July at the Petrolia Art in the Park show. Even though it was late in the nesting season you told us to put it up an see what happens. To our surprise the next day a wren occupied it. So I am pleased to order two more for our grandchildren. Thanks Travis,

-Bob & Lynnette Elliot

See more pictures of birds using the hexagonal birdhouse to nest

Purchase a Hexagonal Birdhouse

Hexagonal Birdhouse Knotty White Pine
Main picture

Hexagonal Birdhouse Knotty White Pine
side, bracket and roof picture

Wren Birdhouse - Natural Finish

This unique hexagonal birdhouse is perfect for wrens but can also accomodate chickadees, titmice and nuthatches. These birds will eat insects in your garden and feed them to their young! Birdhouse comes with an unique mounting bracket and allows the birdhouse to be removed for extremely easy cleaning or monitoring. Unlike other birdhouses, an easy to remove roof eliminates the chance of disturbing the young. Coated with several layers of a waterproof, non-toxic preservative for many years of enjoyment. This family design has been used and improved for over 40 years. This birdhouse boasts a very high fledging rate and is built to last. Mounting bracket, hardware and complete instructions included. You will not find a better birdhouse for wrens.

Features:

•mounting bracket
•screwdriver-less cleaning
•1 1/8" entrance hole

•non-toxic, waterproof coating
•proper interior dimensions
•drainage holes

House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)
Photo by Sarah Campbell

Wrens

White-breasted nuthatch
(Sitta carolinensis)
Photo by Sarah Campbell

Black-capped chickadee
(Poecile atricapillus)
Photo by Travis Cranmer

Easy to Clean

Simple Installation

Non-toxic Preservative

We use a non-toxic and
safe coating for birds.

Built To Last

Original birdhouse built by Bert Cranmer

Reviews and Testimonials

Purchase a Hexagonal Birdhouse

Wren Birdhouse - Natural Finish

Features:

Waiting List:

Buy & Ship in Canada:

Buy & Ship in USA:

House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) Photo by Sarah Campbell

Wrens

White-breasted nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) Photo by Sarah Campbell

Black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) Photo by Travis Cranmer

Easy to Clean

Simple Installation

Non-toxic Preservative

We use a non-toxic and safe coating for birds.

Built To Last

Original birdhouse built by Bert Cranmer

Reviews and Testimonials

Purchase a Hexagonal Birdhouse

Wren Birdhouse - Natural Finish

Features:

Waiting List:

Buy & Ship in Canada:

Buy & Ship in USA:

House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)
Photo by Sarah Campbell

White-breasted nuthatch
(Sitta carolinensis)
Photo by Sarah Campbell

Black-capped chickadee
(Poecile atricapillus)
Photo by Travis Cranmer

We use a non-toxic and
safe coating for birds.