Selecting a Birdhouse

Function

When attracting birds to your yard it is important to provide a birdhouse that is fully functional beyond having the correct size of entrance hole. Many of the topics below on this page are often overlooked features that should be considered when purchasing or building a birdhouse.

Drainage Holes

Drainage holes allow excess moisture to empty from the bottom of the birdhouse. These holes should be large enough to allow water to escape without getting clogged, but not too large to allow unwanted drafts. Wooden birdhouses without drainage holes will build up moisture and create a potential for unwanted pathogens to live in the bottom of the birdhouse. Birdhouses without ample drainage tend to have their bases rot out prematurely.

Drainage holes prevent the birdhouse base from rotting out

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.

Birdhouse Materials

Toxic Cedar Birdhouse Drainage holes moisture perch materials cedar clay plastic metal composite lumber wood pine spruce outgas non toxic paint colour white light dark squash preserving water based urethane polywhey exterior finish UV resistant maintenance clean cleaning out mounting house sparrow north south east west dummy territorial nests Wren Chickadee Nuthatch building the best birdhouse design how to build make hole size chart store in Toronto Canada sell to purchase etsy store ebay shop birdhouse designs materials mounting on pole opening size plans to build pictures paint roof yard art pest control

Cedar birdhouse takes years to outgas

Materials that are toxic or stained with toxic materials are obviously harmful to the birds and should be avoided. Pressure-treated lumber and lead-based paint should not be used for birdhouse construction as they leach these chemicals years after they have been applied.

Cedar is often used as a primary birdhouse material but it should also be noted that cedar takes time to outgas. Songbirds will not nest in cavities in cedar trees. For this reason, cedar is not recommended for birdhouse construction and should not be used to create nesting boxes.

Gourds from the squash species Lagenaria siceraria have also been used as birdhouses in the past. Completely removing the interior organic matter is key without making the entrance hole too large. Gourds don't last long unless they are coated with a preservative. Without a hatch for cleaning, it is difficult to remove the nest after the young birds have fledged making many gourd birdhouses one-time use.

Gourds make good single-use birdhouses and can be a great experience for children who are involved with planting the seeds, growing and harvesting the goards - and of course preparing them for bird families!

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

Finished pine is easy to coat with a non-toxic preservative and creates a 'new' appearance. Unfinished pine requires a lot of preservative to coat with it's uneven surface (high surface area) but is easier for birds to grasp onto if they are fledging from inside the birdhouse. Hardwoods stand the test of time better than softwoods such as pine or spruce but are often more expensive.

In summary, birdhouses made of non-toxic wood coated with a non-toxic preservative outperform other materials. Hardwoods cost more but last longer than softwoods.

Preserving Birdhouses

While a painted birdhouse may be aesthetically pleasing to the homeowner, it may not be favourable for future occupants. Many paints take time to out gas even if they are only coated on the exterior.

If a birdhouse is painted, it should be painted a light colour to increase its albedo and reflect heat. A darkly painted box will absorb unwanted heat in the summer.

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 (seen right) is water-proof, UV resistant and is produced by Vermont Natural Coatings. We have found this coating to be the best non-toxic coating to coat birdhouses with.

Vermont Natural Coatings PolyWhey Exterior Caspian Clear Drainage holes moisture perch materials cedar clay plastic metal composite lumber wood pine spruce outgas non toxic paint colour white light dark squash preserving water based urethane polywhey exterior finish UV resistant maintenance clean cleaning out mounting house sparrow north south east west dummy territorial nests Wren Chickadee Nuthatch building the best birdhouse design how to build make hole size chart store in Toronto Canada sell to purchase etsy store ebay shop birdhouse designs materials mounting on pole opening size plans to build pictures paint roof yard art pest control

Many birdhouses require a year to 'outgas'. PolyWhey eliminates this problem and the birdhouse is safe for birds from the day it is finished.

Birdhouse Needing some Renovations Drainage holes moisture perch materials cedar clay plastic metal composite lumber wood pine spruce outgas non toxic paint colour white light dark squash preserving water based urethane polywhey exterior finish UV resistant maintenance clean cleaning out mounting house sparrow north south east west dummy territorial nests Wren Chickadee Nuthatch building the best birdhouse design how to build make hole size chart store in Toronto Canada sell to purchase etsy store ebay shop birdhouse designs materials mounting on pole opening size plans to build pictures paint roof yard art pest control

Weathered birdhouse needing some renovations

In the past it has been shown that birds prefer weathered birdhouses. This may be due to how toxic some birdhouses are after they are coated with paint and/or urethane. If you are O.K. 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'd like to preserve your birdhouse and get the maximum amount of years from it be sure to use a non-toxic, waterproof coating, such as the Polywhey above. Coat your birdhouse every few years or as often as you find it necessary.

Birdhouse Maintenance

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. 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 microorganisms will inhabit the birdhouse. 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!

Birdhouse nest removed Drainage holes moisture perch materials cedar clay plastic metal composite lumber wood pine spruce outgas non toxic paint colour white light dark squash preserving water based urethane polywhey exterior finish UV resistant maintenance clean cleaning out mounting house sparrow north south east west dummy territorial nests Wren Chickadee Nuthatch building the best birdhouse design how to build make hole size chart store in Toronto Canada sell to purchase etsy store ebay shop birdhouse designs materials mounting on pole opening size plans to build pictures paint roof yard art pest control

Cleaning an old nest after the birds have fledged is essential to improve the chance of new occupants in the same season

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.

Excluding Sparrows

Some sparrows are aggressive cavity nesters which may take over birdhouses that would otherwise be used by smaller, native songbirds. Placing a birdhouse near buildings or other structures will deter native species and encourage house sparrows. An entrance hole of 1 1/8" or less should be used to exclude sparrows if they are not wanted. If an entrance hole of 1" is used, chickadees, nuthatches and titmice will be too large to enter leaving wrens as the only possible occupant.

Sparrow in Snow Drainage holes moisture perch materials cedar clay plastic metal composite lumber wood pine spruce outgas non toxic paint colour white light dark squash preserving water based urethane polywhey exterior finish UV resistant maintenance clean cleaning out mounting house sparrow north south east west dummy territorial nests Wren Chickadee Nuthatch building the best birdhouse design how to build make hole size chart store in Toronto Canada sell to purchase etsy store ebay shop birdhouse designs materials mounting on pole opening size plans to build pictures paint roof yard art pest control

Sparrows are advantageous to have around the garden, just not as valuable as some other songbirds. Picture provided by Sarah Dykeman

If you are interested in having both house sparrows and other songbirds, it's good to have several birdhouses with larger holes just for sparrows and a couple of birdhouses with smaller holes to ensure smaller songbirds are garenteed a place to nest.

House sparrows will feed their young insects and therefore are beneficial to have around your yard. They are not as advantageous as smaller, native songbirds and are considereed not as valuable to many people.

Birdhouse Perches

Birdhouses with and without perches have been a subject of debate over the last few decades. Perches have been demonized for allowing predators to gain a greater grip on the birdhouse and cause harm to the young inside. Birds are noted to be able to fly directly into the birdhouse entrance without the need of a perch on the outside to land on before hand.

We have found that when two identical birdhouses (with the exception of a perch) are mounted in the the same general area and direction, the birdhouse with the perch is always preferred. One possible explaination could be because it may easier for a bird carrying larger nesting material to land on a perch before pushing the nesting material inside. It may also be because the bird prefers to examine the surroundings from the viewpoint of the perch before entering.

Birdhouse with large Perch Drainage holes moisture perch materials cedar clay plastic metal composite lumber wood pine spruce outgas non toxic paint colour white light dark squash preserving water based urethane polywhey exterior finish UV resistant maintenance clean cleaning out mounting house sparrow north south east west dummy territorial nests Wren Chickadee Nuthatch building the best birdhouse design how to build make hole size chart store in Toronto Canada sell to purchase etsy store ebay shop birdhouse designs materials mounting on pole opening size plans to build pictures paint roof yard art pest control

Birdhouses with a larger than necessary perch can allow predators to antagonize the birds inside

It should also be noted that there are often branches or coarse bark around the entrance of natural cavities that these birds are able to land on before entering the nesting cavity.

Mounting Methods

Birdhouse Back wall screws onto Post Drainage holes moisture perch materials cedar clay plastic metal composite lumber wood pine spruce outgas non toxic paint colour white light dark squash preserving water based urethane polywhey exterior finish UV resistant maintenance clean cleaning out mounting house sparrow north south east west dummy territorial nests Wren Chickadee Nuthatch building the best birdhouse design how to build make hole size chart store in Toronto Canada sell to purchase etsy store ebay shop birdhouse designs materials mounting on pole opening size plans to build pictures paint roof yard art pest control

Birdhouse back wall mounted to shed using two screws

Many birdhouses are built to perfect demensions for the occupants however, the way in which you mount the birdhouse is often overlooked or forgotten. Most birdhouses have an extended back wall that allows you to screw the birdhouse to the final spot. Therefore, the back wall acts at the mounting mechanism. This locks the birdhouse to that spot and screws must be unscrewed in order to take the birdhouse down.

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.

It still requires a screwdriver or drill to initially mount the bracket, but once the bracket is mounted a screwdriver is never needed again. A mounting bracket is light and easy to hold while you are initially screwing it up, unlike an entire birdhouse.

While this makes 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.

Birdhouse bracket saves time and hassle Drainage holes moisture perch materials cedar clay plastic metal composite lumber wood pine spruce outgas non toxic paint colour white light dark squash preserving water based urethane polywhey exterior finish UV resistant maintenance clean cleaning out mounting house sparrow north south east west dummy territorial nests Wren Chickadee Nuthatch building the best birdhouse design how to build make hole size chart store in Toronto Canada sell to purchase etsy store ebay shop birdhouse designs materials mounting on pole opening size plans to build pictures paint roof yard art pest control

A mounting bracket is a simple solution that can save time and hassel to check on and clean your birdhouse

Birdhouse Placement

Birdhouses should be placed at locations that limit the amount of predators and human disturbances; however, in many cases these guidelines cannot be met. The best recommendation is to mount the birdhouse in the best possible location given the restrictions in your yard.

Birdhouse Placed Near Feeder Drainage holes moisture perch materials cedar clay plastic metal composite lumber wood pine spruce outgas non toxic paint colour white light dark squash preserving water based urethane polywhey exterior finish UV resistant maintenance clean cleaning out mounting house sparrow north south east west dummy territorial nests Wren Chickadee Nuthatch building the best birdhouse design how to build make hole size chart store in Toronto Canada sell to purchase etsy store ebay shop birdhouse designs materials mounting on pole opening size plans to build pictures paint roof yard art pest control

Placing a birdhouse near a feeder is unfavourable as a feeder creates a high traffic area with many predatory birds

Birdhouses should face away from the prevailing winds in the spring and be placed an adequate distance away form the ground. Different birds require different spacing between birdhouses and 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.

Birdhouses should also be a good distance from bird feeders, as the feeder attracts predators that may discourage smaller songbirds from nesting nearby.

The Ultimate Goal of a Birdhouse Owner

To create a habitat for which native birds are able to nest, raise young and reduce the pest populations in your yard and neighborhood.