My Decorative Birdhouses

Birdfeeders are not only a great yard decoration, they help keep our feathered friends fed. The birds, of course, will be grateful for your largess. In return, they will reward you with cheerful melodies and hours of delightful antics. Your garden benefits, too, because birds eat harmful insects.

Birdfeeders and birdhouses offer designers and craftsmen free rein, which they enjoy to the maximum. There are all sorts of designs: fanciful and traditional, elegant and rustic. Invite your feathered friends to visit your yard in a gracious white Victorian gazebo birdhouse, with or without stained glass panels. Or they may prefer to drop by the birdie diner, complete with red-checked tablecloths! Lighthouse styles are perfect for creating a seaside atmosphere, while the pagoda style complements a garden designed for Zen serenity.

Classic Motifs for Birdfeeders
Statuary-style birdfeeders are classic and elegant, and there is a wonderful assortment available. St. Francis of Assisi holds out treats, and there are angel and cherub feeders in both wall and free-standing models. A country girl and a fairy are lovely options, too, as are the feeders with celestial themes.

Usually hummingbird birdfeeders are so named because hummingbirds are used as a design element. They are not designed as feeders for hummingbirds, which require a liquid that is accessed by a narrow tube or opening. Complement your yard and garden with a unique birdhouse or birdfeeder.

Copyright©2005-2006 Get eBargain Products Lisa Tinder is a regular contributor to getebargainproducts.com - an online resource offering a unique selection of garden decor, including birdfeeders, garden statues and more.

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Building birdhouses is an excellent hobby that combines your ornithological interests with your skills in woodcrafts. You can make wooden birdhouses that help many different species of wild and domestic birds to nest and breed.

Many birdhouses are wooden but some are a mixture of wood and concrete.

Most birdhouses are cuboids with a sloping roof. Some have a special hinged top to make it easier to clean them when the occupants fly away. Some breeders also find those openings convenient to feed the young ones.

Boxes with open fronts or a hole at the front are very popular. Often, bird lovers create fancy birdhouses, some of them even resembling a human house or multi-storey apartments.

You can make birdhouses with gourds. Milk cartons are a simple and recyclable object that you could use for building your birdhouse. Some bird-watchers love to design highly detailed birdhouses and they make them from of the best possible materials.

It’s up to you. You’re the builder of this birdhouse!

Building Your Ideal Birdhouse

A Birdhouse needs to provide sufficient opening and ventilation for to give the birds’ easy access while keeping them protected from predators and also providing you adequate access to clean after the young birds leave.

Sometimes, bird-watchers and breeders monitor movements of the birds they house. They need suitable openings to observe the birds in their house. The interior dimensions should also allow easy movements for the birds.

Birds vary greatly in sizes and the house(s) that you build should fit the needs of the type of birds you want to attract and help.

Wood is the best material for making birdhouses. The best types of wood are redwood and rough-cut cedar, which do not deteriorate when exposed to sun and rain.

The natural insulating properties of wood are far superior to other materials like metal and plastic that overheats and makes it stifling hot for the birds.

Many builders use pressure-treated lumber, but this is not very safe. The copper-arsenate chemical that is routinely applied to it could be toxic to the birds if not properly applied.

Your birdhouses should blend with the surrounding habitat to make the birds feel at home. You may mount the birdhouses on fence posts, tall trees or on poles that were specifically set up for the purpose. Whatever type of birdhouse you choose, you must provide adequate protection from predators. Sheet metal and aluminum plates can help to keep predators away from your birdhouse.

Although most birds nest in cavities in rock or trees in their natural habitats, they also love to nest in birdhouses. Birds that will use birdhouses include Buffleheads, American Kestrels, Common Barn Owls, Wood Ducks, Northern Saw-whet Owls, Eastern and Western Screech Owls, Northern Flickers, Red-headed Woodpeckers, Barred Owls, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Golden-fronted Woodpeckers, Purple Martins, House Sparrows, Bluebirds, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Mountain Chickadees, Black-capped Chickadees, Oat Titmice, House Wrens, Great Crested Flycatchers and many others.

You can build a birdhouse even within a limited space. You can build a birdhouse in a garage or shop, too.

Birdhouse building is a truly fun and rewarding hobby, a great class project for schools and can be done by anyone if you know where to start. Check out the book Build Your Own Birdhouse for more details http://www.MakeItYourSelf.biz/Build-A-Birdhouse

Josh David is an internet businessman who has made his living by providing quality assured products and services to internet buyers. Hi latest venture - OpenEbook.biz - provides a Free validation service to ebook resellers ensuring quality, service and value for money to customers and increased network opportunities to sellers.http://www.MakeItYourSelf.biz/Build-A-Birdhouse

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Having a craft project to work on as a family is a great way to pass the time. It allows for something to be accomplished together and becomes a point of pride for all involved. This is especially important during the summer months when the kids are out of school and may be stir crazy for something to do.

Building and decorating a bird house is something that parents and kids can do together. It is relatively cheap and can provide hours of entertainment even after the project is completed. If your child is anything like me, they will love anything that can fly and by building a bird house it will help them to watch birds and may even challenge them to find out even more about the types of birds that frequent your backyard.

Building Your Birdhouse

Three are many different ways that you can go about building your bird house. If you want your kids to have some input, it is important for the design to remain simple. However, if building the bird house is simply for your own craft, there are many complicated and fascinating designs that can be followed. It all depends on what you are looking for from your birdhouse. Looking to impress the neighbors? There are designs that will make your own home look like a shack!

If you want your kids to be a part of the process it is very easy to make your birdhouse very simple. It is quite possible to use four or five pieces of wood and construct one with very little in the way of tools. This will allow your kids to claim ownership over the birdhouse from start to finish.

Painting Your Birdhouse

This is where your kids will have a blast! If you approached correctly, your kids will realize that this is actually a house for birds and they need to decorate it as they would their own house. Again, this will be a great exercise for kids to visualize and might spark a greater interest in birds and other animals. Although there are many ways to go about painting your birdhouse, one the best ways to go about doing this is to use a sponge brush. This will give you enough control to do what you want. Sponge brushes are also great for kids. They don’t hold too much paint, but are still able to get the job done.

One thing to keep in mind is that the paint you use should not contain any chemicals that will have potential harm to the bird who will be visiting. Please take careful notice of the type of paint you are using. Not only could this be fatal to the birds, but it could also be traumatic to your kids.

Another thing to consider is to leave the inside of the birdhouse free of any paint. It should be completely natural and free of chemicals so that the birds can freely make a home inside.

How Bright Should My Birdhouse Be Painted?

Although it might be fun to paint your birdhouse a loud color that will stand out in your yard, and this might be your kid’s color of choice, it is important to recognize that bright colors will not necessarily attract more birds. In the wild, female birds are a more subdued color for protection. This will often translate into where birds attempt to find shelter. If your birdhouse is too bright, it might not attract birds.

James has been in the bird world for over 10 years, spending most of it breeding exotic birds.He has also written many articles for his local bird club’s newsletter.Site: http://www.birdflights.com/beak.pl/cedar/how/butterfly-audubon.html

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Wood is a great material to use for a birdhouse. After all, nature has chosen wood as the base material for natural housing for birds, so why not do the same for your backyard?

You can build your own wooden birdhouse, or you can find several types of prebuilt houses. Let’s take a look at some critical aspects of building or buying a birdhouse made from wood.

Here are some wood varieties often used for wooden birdhouse:

Pine - Pine is cheap and light weight, but it is probably the least durable of the wood choices. It can be a good choice for a painted birdhouse, as that will slow the aging process for the house.

Cedar - Cedar gives a rustic look and can be used unfinished or with a clear protective weatherproofing finish. Lightweight, has a pleasant smell to humans, and is resistant to insect invasion (after all, cedar is used to keep moths out of your closet.) If left unfinished, it will weather to a grey finish but will still last a long time.

Cypress - This is one of the more common materials used for birdhouses. It’s often used with other materials like copper and other decorative materials used for the roof top.

Mahogany - This is probably the favorite material for use in wooden birdhouses, especially smaller ones. This is a denser wood that weathers very well, and is one of the most beautiful commonly used for bird house construction, but is the most expensive as well.

Other factors to consider in the construction of wooden bird houses.

Paints - If you decide not to leave a wooden birdhouse in its natural finish and paint it, be sure to use a paint without a lead base, similar to the care you would take with an infants furniture. Also even if you decide to keep the natural finish but want to weatherproof it, be sure to choose a non toxic material that will weather well. Varnish doesn’t weather very well, but polyurethane (more than one coat) will often do well in outdoor settings.

Size - You need to consider the type of birds you want to attract to the birdhouse. key factors include the size of the entrance hole to the bird house. Smaller holes are used for birds like wrens. The size of the house is smaller as well.

To attract larger birds like blue jays you will need not only a larger house, but with a larger house you will need to consider how it is mounted. A pole mounting scheme is often used for very large bird houses, but even without a pole care needs to be taken to make sure the bird house will stand the elements.

To learn more about wooden birdhouses and see a variety of other unique birdhouses go to http://www.birdfeederz.com

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Adding a birdhouse to your back yard is a great way to build family togetherness, as well as help the decline in habitats that our feathered friends are facing. When placing birdhouses in your yard you are encouraging birds to frequent your yard. By providing shelter from the weather and from predators you are strengthening the bird population for future generations to enjoy. Birdhouses also create entertainment for you and family! By watching the male and female build their nest and raise their young they are learning about the family unit comparable to your own. It is a great way to teach the children about nature.

When you decide you want to add a birdhouse to your yard, ask yourself the following questions. This will help to enhance your bird watching activities for you and your family.

What type of bird are you trying to attract?
There are about 85 species of birds in North America that are classified as cavity dwellers. About 30 of these species will use a birdhouse, such as bluebirds, titmouse, some owls, and some woodpeckers to name a few.

Do you know what type of birdhouse they would prefer?
Check out the Audubon Society or your local library for books that describe the birds habitat and type of nest they prefer.

Do you have a plan on where to place the birdhouse?
First of all, be sure it is away from your bird feeders. For example, it is a good idea to space bluebird houses at least 200 feet apart because they are very territorial and do not like other birds hanging around. Next, be sure the entrance hole is facing away from the direction of your normal wind flow and rain. (I know at my house the wind and rain are almost always blowing out of the southwest)

Is the house easy to clean out after the birds start their journey south?
Look for a birdhouse that has an access door or opening. Once a year, you can use a very mild solution of bleach and water to clean your birdhouse.

What threats will the birds face if they build in your backyard?
I know that I must have all the squirrels in the US in my neck of the woods and they love to eat wood!! You can buy a birdhouse with a squirrel guard around the entrance hole or you can easily add one of your own. Also, even though most birdhouses come with a perch at the entrance hole, they are not a good idea. Birds can sit, enter, and fly away from the entrance hole if you have the proper diameter entrance hole. A perch allows predator birds to sit and peck away at the eggs inside the nest.

What size birdhouse do you want or need?
Some birds prefer their own nest and will not nest close to their neighbors. Others, such as Martins, prefer a gaggle of neighbors that is why their houses come in condo type birdhouses. Again, if you check out the type of birds you would like to attract, you should find this information.

How long will it take for me to have birds building nest in my birdhouses?
Do not give up! If you put out a birdhouse, they will come. It just takes time.

You may use my article for free on your web site but you must link it to my website. Margaret Augustine
http://www.AugiesBirdhouse.com

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Building Birdhouses and Bird Feeders to Attract Birds

If you can provide birds with a safe and secure shelter, variety of food and treats, and clean water, you are sure to attract the most beautiful and unusual birds to your yard.

Birdhouses

Birdhouses are basically made in many sizes and with a variety of different wood materials. The birds enjoy a safe haven subject to the outside temperatures and predators and it allows them to nest. Birds always need somewhere to nest, so why not build a variety of wooden birdhouses in different sizes for the birds in your area. A basic wooden birdhouse can be very easy to build, and can also be a fun weekend project.

Here are a some important things for you to consider when building your own wooden birdhouse:

Do research the environment and the different variety of birds commonly known to migrate in your region.

Do understand the needs of your feeder birds, such as the size of birdhouse, and location of birdhouse.

Don’t paint, stain, varnish, or treat the inside or around the hole entrance of the birdhouse, this will keep away the birds. There are many different woods that you can use to make your birdhouse, but most commonly used is Cedar. Cedar wood is a good material which does not need to be pained, stained, or treated.

Avoid using a perch on the birdhouse. By putting a perch on the birdhouse, the bird may become trapped inside the birdhouse because of fear. A perch will allow a predator bird to wait on the perch until the smaller birds comes out.

Drill the proper entrance hole, for the bird you are trying to attract. Again, the importance of size. You will need to research the birds in your area and which ones you would like to invite to your backyard.

Location

The importance of a great location to properly install your birdhouse is a big part of your awaited new guests. Once you are done building your birdhouse, you will need to find a good location, that is away from any danger, such as cats, and weather. A good location would be somewhere in your property that doesn’t have to much human activity, but will allow you to view the birds without interference. The birdhouse can be hung on a tree, or mounted to a pole or tree limb, and should be at least 3 to 10 feet high.

Bird feeder

Adding bird feeders to your property is another great way to attract birds. As stated above, you must research the different variety of birds commonly known to migrate in your region, that will give you some insight as to what kind of birdfeed and treats to fill your birdfeeders. Once birds discover your newly built bird feeder and the great treats you are providing them, you can expect to start seeing the birds flock into your backyard.

Building a basic wooden bird feeder is not difficult at all, you can get many ideas by searching for bird feeder plans on the internet, or visiting a bookstore or library.

Water

Birds are also attracted by water. Birds need a water area for drinking and for bathing. This to is a project that you can make on your own, or if you do not have time buy at a store. It is suggested that you research different bird bath plans and see if this is a project you would like to do. You can also use any shallow container to hold water. You can place them on the ground or above the ground, near the feeders would be a good location. If you do have cats in the area it would be suggested that you make it closer and accessible to the birds so that they do not become victim to such animals.

For more information on how to build your own wood birdhouses and bird feeders visit my site at http://www.mybackyardplans.com

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Choosing the right birdfeeder and/or birdhouse can be a rather difficult decision. Anytime is the right time to mount or hang your birdfeeder or birdhouse. As birds begin to search for a place to feed and create their nest, make sure your birdfeeders are mounted or hung and your birdhouse is ready for their inspection.

Birds that usually occupy bird houses include wood ducks, goldeneyes, buffleheads, mergansers, american kestrels, owls, woodpeckers, northern flickers, flycatchers, tree swallows, purple martins, titmice, chickadees, nuthatches, wrens, bluebirds, starlings, sparrows, and house finches.

Ever wonder which birdfeeder to use and/or what bird food will attract certain birds? Your solution is here. Use black oil sunflower seed in a tube feeder with a tray to attract cardinals, finches, jays, sparrows, chickadees, pine siskins, titmouses, nuthatches, woodpeckers, and redpolls. Use a thistle feeder with thistle seed to attract finches. Use a tube feeder with peanuts to attract cardinals, sparrows, starlings, chickadees, juncos, finches, titmouses, grackles, doves, and jays. Use a hummingbird feeder with hummingbird nectar to attract, your guessed it, a hummingbird!

Many birds will establish an area of land and trees where they will not be disturbed by other birds. Although some birds, such as Tree Swallows and Purple Martins, love to have lots of other birds of the same type around them. Each bird requires different birdhouse measurements, so be sure you choose the right birdhouse for your wildbird interests.

Birds can be a bit choosy when finding their home. Some will inspect several houses before deciding on a particular one. You may wish to embellish your yard with many different birdhouses for your wildbirds to choose from, knowing that only one will be occupied. By giving them a choice, you might keep them from choosing the neighbors birdfeeder!

Neisha Bjorklund is a web master for http://www.abirdskingdom.com. If you’re looking for the perfect birdfeeder or birdhouse we’ve got your solution. Find a super supply of feeding and nesting supplies for your wild birds accessibility!

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