Posted by admin | Posted in Bird & Wildlife | Posted on 11-07-2009
Tags: bird, bird house designs, bird house kits, bird house plans, bird houses, bird houses for sale, birds, design, home, shopping
Designing A Bird House
A growing community of bird enthusiasts not only enjoy the pleasure of bird-watching, which normally means observing birds quietly from a distance, they also extend this hobby to designing and building bird houses to attract them right into their own garden or backyard. Designing a bird house does not have to cost the earth and for anyone who enjoys woodworking and do-it-yourself activity it is a perfect way to spark your creativity.
There are a variety of ready-made kits for the novice bird house hobbyists to get you started but if you enjoy a challenge, constructing a bird house would require some initial design planning, then it is just a matter of assembling pieces of wood and materials that can be easily sourced from any hardware stores together, dusting off and putting your garage power tools to good use!
To get some new ideas or inspiration, there are a host of websites on the internet that offer invaluable insight into the process of bird house design and construction. Many books and publications target bird house construction for a specific species such as sparrows, titmice, swallows and nuthatches which often take advantage of a readily available nesting box or custom-made bird house.
Understanding the type of birds for which the bird houses are built is important when designing any bird house. The design of your bird house often does depend on a range of factors such as the size of the bird, their nesting behaviour (for example sparrows are gregarious creatures and like living in groups, therefore a bird house that can accommodate at least 3 mating pairs would be ideal), whether your bird house is predator-proof (for example the bird needs to feel safe roosting or nesting in your robust bird house with the entrance hole small enough to allow the bird through but too small for any predators to cause any trouble) and whether your bird house is located at a high enough location to fend off predators such as bigger birds, cats or dogs with ideal nesting conditions (for example the bird house is not in direct sunlight which could cause overheating to offspring and provides shelter from the rain.)
Most birds would choose a bird house that resembles a tree cavity, a place where the conditions are dry and relatively warm, free from dust or dampness and most importantly a place where predators cannot easily reach. Just like in their natural environment, use natural nesting materials such as coconut fibres, twigs and dry grass in your bird house to encourage mating. Weather proof the bird house with bird friendly non-toxic water-proof paint and ensure there are no loose bits that may come apart due to harsher weather conditions.
Building a bird house can be a family activity enjoyed by the young and old. Share your ideas with other budding bird house builders either through online forums, craft fairs or bird house suppliers. Not only is it a rewarding experience to design and create a bird house from scratch, the ultimate compliment will be when you find a contented mating pair nesting in it.
About the Author
For more great articles on Bird Houses please visit
Bird House Tips and Tricks
Tourettes Guy – Bird in the House
|
|
Great Handcrafted Birdhouse With Flames ~ 13 1/2″ Tall $24.99 |
|
|
HANDMADE VEST — BIRDHOUSES & BIRDS VEST – WOMENS VEST SIZE LG $11.69 |
|
|
Thomson ~ Birdhouse ~ Bird House ~ Serves Four ~ Mint! $0.99 |
|
|
HANDMADE VEST — BIRDHOUSE & CATS W/BUTTONS VEST – WOMENS VEST SIZE LG $11.69 |
|
|
Cockatiel Bird Fridge Magnet A House Is Not a Home $3.99 |
|
|
WAGON WHEEL RESTAURANT BIRDHOUSE $12.50 |
|
|
RED VINE HEART BIRDHOUSE BHANDCUT HAND PAINTED LIGHT SWITCH COVER WALL DECOR $1.59 |
|
|
Darling Handcrafted Birdhouse With Fence ~ 10″ Tall $24.99 |
|
|
NEW 7″ CAT BIRDHOUSE RESIN STATUE colorful garden patch series KITTEN $16.99 |
|
|
Mississippi Riverboat Queen Birdhouse Garden Yard Patio $20.59 |
|
|
Unfinished Wooden Barn Style Birdhouse with Opening Roof Panels and Door $14.95 |
|
|
BIRDHOUSE TRIPLEX BHANDCUT HAND PAINTED LIGHT SWITCH COVER WALL DECOR $1.59 |
|
|
FLOWER POT BIRDHOUSE BHANDCUT HAND PAINTED LIGHT SWITCH COVER WALL DECOR $1.59 |
|
|
Collector’s and Decorator’s … Wood Bird House Basket New in Box Approx 10″ $9.85 |
|
|
Birds & Blooms Books’ “Backyard Projects” 60 Step by step plans- 15 Birdhouses & $10.50 |
|
|
Hand-Made One-of-a-Kind Birdhouse Christmas Ornament by MD & Associates-New $2.50 |
|
|
Audubon Gardener SANTA Christmas TREE ORNAMENT Garden RED BIRDs Birdhouses BOOTS $12.20 |
|
|
NIB Pottery Barn Birdhouse Salt and Pepper Shaker Set SOLD OUT! SO CUTE! $42.99 |
|
|
BIRD HOUSE Bird Houses wallpaper border borders 6″ $6.99 |
|
|
Jigsaw puzzle Landscape Colorful Birdhouses 1000 pc NIB $14.99 |
|
|
Don Mechanic Enterprises, LTD Large Birdhouse $9.95 |
|
|
Casino Jackpot City Decorative Birdhouse $12.95 |
|
|
TAN STAR BIRDHOUSE BHANDCUT HAND PAINTED LIGHT SWITCH COVER WALL DECOR $1.59 |
|
|
CLOSE TO MY HEART Birdhouse Garden Rubber Stamp $7.00 |
|
|
Ceramic Bisque Horse Bird House with bird house kit $14.25 |
|
|
“Birdhouse Garland” Pattern Packet by Kelly Hoernig~Great Garden Project $9.00 |
|
|
Ceramic Bisque Raccoon Bird House with bird house kit $14.25 |
|
|
Solar Power Lighted Birdhouse $20.00 |
|
|
Folk Art Hand Painted Black Tin Pitcher Bird Tole Kitchen Wares House Ware $44.95 |
|
|
Stained Glass Bird House Box “Brown Swirl” – Hand Crafted $40.00 |
|
|
Unique Bird House, Western Themed, Detailed Cowboy Boot, Resin, Brand NEW $22.50 |
|
|
CHUNKY STAMP FOAM RUBBER LOT OF 2 GARDEN BIRDHOUSE ROSE FLOWER #9526 $5.79 |
|
|
Bark Off – Bird House – humane way to teach yr dog not to bark $14.99 |
|
|
Welcome Spring Cottage Gourd Birdhouse $12.00 |
|
|
Melissa and Doug Build Your Own Wooden Birdhouse 3101 NIB $11.95 |
|
|
Valentine Gourd Birdhouse $12.00 |
|
|
Handmade wooden bird house shabby distressed chic styled… bling rhinestones $9.99 |
|
|
12.5×18″ Primitive Autumn Birdhouse Welcome Garden Flag $10.44 |
|
|
Pflatzgraff Winterberry Red Cardinal Birdhouse Cookie Jar Bird Watcher Winter $49.95 |
|
|
I Knew This Would Happen Whitney Lenox House Bird House $65.00 |
|
|
Backyard Bird Houses Cross Stitch Pattern Charts Book Cross My Heart Inc $3.50 |
|
|
Hangeroos Designer Walker Pockets Print – Bird Houses $29.70 |
|
|
Hangeroos Wheelchair Pocket Print – Bird Houses $26.95 |
|
|
Hangeroos Walker Tote Print – Bird Houses $29.70 |
|
|
Seagull Bird Flying over Water Large Decorative House Porch Flag 28 X 40 NEW NIP $19.99 |
|
|
Genuine PANDORA STERLING Birdhouse Bead $9.99 |
|
|
Women’s Christmas Shirt Birdhouse Frosty Cardinal 3X $20.69 |
|
|
Birdhouses and Feeders : Barquest, G.; Craven, S. 9780486460468 NEW Book $7.40 |
|
|
1981 Brandywine Art. Ltd. Licensee Enesco E-2342. Little Red Bird in Bird House. $0.99 |
|
|
Doll House Miniature ~ BIRD CAGE Vintage 1.5 inches for dollhouse $7.50 |
|
|
Wine Bottle Cork Cage is a Great Place to Save Your Favorite Corks 91-035 $19.00 A fun and innovative way to keep and cherish all of your wonderful wine memories. Just drop your treasured corks in the top. Artfully sculpted metal work with colored glass spheres. Reverse side depicts a grape image in metal. Bottom hinges open to release corks. *Patent Pending… |
|
|
Licensed Angry Birds Black Insulated Lunch BAG $8.99 … |
|
|
Boston Warehouse Bluebird Corkscrew $10.59 The Animalhouse collection from Boston Warehouse is clever and whimsical. You’ll have some serious fun at your next party or get-together with the Bluebird Corkscrew (also great for everyday use). It has a tough, rust proof metal mechanism that opens wine bottles with ease and a super fun design. 8-inch tall. Dishwasher safe. From Boston Warehouse: creative ideas for home entertaining…. |
|
|
The Ultimate Hits $7.99 This three disc set features two CDs scheduled to contain 34 tracks including four new songs plus a bonus DVD containing videos for all the CD’s tracks…. |
|
|
Sesame Street: Old School – Volume One (1969-1974) $22.99 When the Children’s Theater Workshop’s Sesame Street first aired on television in 1969, it was a revolutionary new show aimed specifically at preschool children–an audience previously untargeted by television programming. Exhaustively-researched and tested on real audiences of preschoolers, this “experiment in kid programming” aimed to teach preschoolers the alphabet, numbers, body parts, rhymin… |
|
|
Jack’s Big Music Show: Let’s Rock $3.98 Jack’s Big Music Show is a Nickelodeon television program that features puppetry, music, and guest performances by popular children’s music artists. Puppets Jack, his friend Mary, and dog Mel have a special clubhouse where they meet to make music together and where visitors often stop in for some musical fun and a little help solving problems. The barbershop-inspired Schwartzman (puppet) Quartet c… |
|
|
Sesame Street at the Metropolitan Museum of Art: Don’t Eat the Pictures $19.68 Approximately 60 minutes… |
|
|
Up – Limited Edition Luxo Jr. Collectible Lamp Pack [Blu-ray] $174.99 At a time when too many animated films consist of anthropomorphized animals cracking sitcom one-liners and flatulence jokes, the warmth, originality, humor, and unflagging imagination of Up feel as welcome as rain in a desert. Carl Fredericksen (voice by Ed Asner) ranks among the most unlikely heroes in recent animation history. A 78- year-old curmudgeon, he enjoyed his modest life as a balloon se… |
|
|
Sesame Street – Visits the Firehouse [VHS] $9.98 … |
|
|
Monsters, Inc. (Two-Disc Collector’s Edition) $14.50 From the Academy Award(R)-winning creators of TOY STORY (2001, Best Animated Short Film, “For the Birds”) comes the computer-animated film that captured the hearts of fans and critics everywhere. MONSTERS, INC., is “visually dazzling, action-packed, and hilarious” (Boston Herald), featuring groundbreaking animation, imaginative storytelling, and unforgettable voice talent. John Goodman stars as th… |
|
|
Bird House $18.76 Bird House |
|
|
The Bird House $23.13 The Bird House |
|
|
Bird in the House $13.13 Bird in the House |
|
|
Gift Corral Bird House Saddle $21.95 Bird House Saddle |
|
|
Bird House in Garden $24.99 George Marks Bird House in Garden – Photographic Print |
|
|
Tree Mount Bird Nest/House $6.99 PH TREE MOUNT BIRD NEST/HOUSE Indoor/outdoor bird nest. |
|
|
Silhouettes of a bird house and two birds $19.99 Silhouettes of a bird house and two birds – Giclee Print |
|
|
Gift Corral Bird House Praying Cowboy $16.95 Bird House Praying Cowboy |
|
|
Bird House Garden Ornament $84.6 Bird House Garden Ornament. With wonderful shape and texture, this decorative bird house combines fired earth and rustic simplicity in a dark tuscan earth finish. Indoors or out, this decorative ornament is sure to be a welcome addition to any decor. |
|
|
Wood Roof Bird Nest/House $4.99 PH WOOD ROOF BIRD NEST/HOUSE Covered nest for small birds. |
|
|
Georgia Copper Bird House $34.99 Any bird will love to make this cozy copper birdhouse their home. Your team logo is embossed on both sides of the roof, while the house’s sides have a nice lattice design. The bird house is just the perfect size, 9.25 inches wide x 10.25 inches tall. Be a favorite among the neighborhood birds. |
|
|
LSU Copper Bird House $34.99 Any bird will love to make this cozy copper birdhouse their home. Your team logo is embossed on both sides of the roof, while the house’s sides have a nice lattice design. The bird house is just the perfect size, 9.25 inches wide x 10.25 inches tall. Be a favorite among the neighborhood birds. |
|
|
Nick Jaina : Bird In The Opera House (dig) $12.04 Nick Jaina : Bird In The Opera House (dig) |
|
|
Eames House Bird $210 Building its business since 1950, Vitra has developed a wide range of furnishings for the office, home and public spaces in collaboration with progressive designers. The Eames House Bird. Designed in 1910 by the House of Eames. |
|
|
The Whimsey Bird House $91.99 Finally a house for the laid-back bird crowd. Casual living at its best–solid cypress construction with famous stone-washed shingle roof with copper trim. Solid mahogany front door hinged for easy cleaning. Fresh colors to suit the most hard to please bird. |
|
|
Jacks Barn Bird House $113 This nostalgic barn bird house comes standard with drainage, ventilation and clean out. -Hand shingled roof is spackled and tops off the cypress body -1 1/2″ hole – Made in USA. |
|
|
Bird House by Droog $112 Improve the table manners of resident songbirds with the Droog Bird House. Designed by Marcel Wanders, the bird house has birds supping off of a porcelain plate, protected by a low, sloped roof in an attractive–and attracting–bright orange. The house hangs securely from a tree limb or a house’s eaves with a strong and rustic-looking sisal rope. Since 1993, the Amsterdam-based conceptual design company Droog has played a role in defining Dutch design internationally. Taking a pragmatic-and often cheeky-approach to design, Droog creates lighting and home furnishings with an inherent abundance of content and meaning far beyond mere aesthetics: products with soul. The Droog Bird House is available with the following: Details:Made of polypropylene, porcelain, sisal and steel materialsDesigned by Marcel WandersShipping: This item ships in approximately 1 week. Dimensions: Item: Length 11.8 In., Height 7.9 In., Width 7.9 In. |
|
|
Common Kestrels Nest in a Bird House $39.99 Dr. Maurice G. Hornocker Common Kestrels Nest in a Bird House – Photographic Print |