How to make a do-it-yourself birdhouse for a garden in the country

Birds are not only a "decoration" of the garden, delighting its owner with their trills, but also irreplaceable helpers in the fight against parasites. To attract these creatures to your site, you need to learn how to build a birdhouse with your own hands. This activity will be useful to any person, because it not only introduces to caring for the world around, but also develops hand motor skills.

Types of bird houses

The parameters of the house will depend on the types of birds for which the house is intended: the type of fastening, size, type of roof, and so on.

There are several types of homemade bird houses:

1. Wagtail - a house for wagtails, which should be located 3-5 meters from the ground. Moreover, its walls should exceed 20-30 centimeters.
2. Nesting is a house with a high back wall and a sloping roof. It has triangular sides and is mounted at a height of 1-1.5 meters. Designed for pikas.
3. Duplyanka is a variant of a "tourist" dwelling for birds. Fastened 2 meters from the ground.
4. Half-house - built for flycatchers, and outwardly resembles a classic birdhouse 12 x 12 cm. Houses of this type are equipped with an overhanging roof.
5. Titmouse - intended for the habitat of small birds. Height does not exceed 30 cm.
6. Birdhouse - has trapezoidal sidewalls and a square bottom, the dimensions of which do not exceed 14 x 14 cm.

It is worth noting that if the house is being built for starlings, its upper part must be made removable. Otherwise, in subsequent seasons, the chicks will die due to the presence of parasites in the birdhouse.

The choice of material for the bird house

Before you start creating a birdhouse with your own hands, you should decide on the material for its manufacture. At the same time, it is important to understand that a birdhouse is not just a decoration, but a full-fledged home for living beings.

Birdhouse made of plastic or cardboard

Some people resort to making birdhouses using cheap materials. Often, you can stumble upon instructions on the process of making such birdhouses by visiting various sites. These can be houses made of cardboard boxes, bags, or plastic bottles... Undoubtedly, such houses look original, but no one thinks about how comfortable they are.

Plastic houses will only inconvenience the birds. Due to the transparent walls and roof, excessive light will enter the home, and the lack of air permeability will endanger the life of the birds.

Birdhouse made of plywood sheets

For some, this will be a revelation, but a bird's house made of fiberboard, chipboard or plywood sheets can pose a threat to the life of its inhabitants. The problem is not with wood, but with the chemicals used in the manufacture of these building materials. Their fumes can poison the birds living in the nesting box.

Plywood and plastic do not retain heat well. This is the second reason why plywood is not recommended.

Wooden birdhouse

One of the best materials for making bird houses is deciduous wood. It retains heat well and retains moisture. Coniferous wood, in turn, is not suitable for such purposes. Over time, she begins to secrete resins that make the house sticky.

Bird watchers recommend making birdhouses from thick, untreated boards, since it is more convenient for birds to move along them.

Board house

The unplanned bird dwelling is a timeless classic. This option is devoid of frills, however, the birds in such houses are warm and comfortable. Due to its high density, the material will not allow moisture to pass through, and the birdhouse itself will retain its original condition for many years.

Birdhouse made of logs

An old log can also be useful to make a good birdhouse. As a rule, houses are made from dead trees, by sawing off logs and then creating a floor and roof, as well as cutting down a taphole. Log houses are distinguished by their naturalness and good qualities.

Tools needed to create a birdhouse

Depending on what the future do-it-yourself birdhouse for birds will be like, the list of necessary tools may vary.

To create most types of bird houses, the following items are required:

• hammer;
• joiner's glue;
• drill;
• ruler;
• nails, bolts or screws.

In addition, a chisel, saw, and wood drill may be required to create a reliable birdhouse and fix it.

Safety engineering

When designing and constructing a bird house, it is important to remember about safety. In the process of work, one way or another, you will have to deal with piercing and cutting objects, and therefore you should be careful and focused.

When creating a birdhouse with your own hands, it is advisable to use protective glasses when working with a tree. They prevent sawdust and wood dust from getting into your eyes. Hands should be protected with gloves to avoid getting splinters under the skin.

Do not forget about the future inhabitants of the birdhouse. Before installing it, you must make sure that there are no chipping, which can lead to injuries to the inhabitants of a homemade home. The file is easy to handle with notches.

The process of making a bird house is quite simple, and therefore it does not require special preparation or rare materials.

DIY classic birdhouse

Now it is necessary to describe the process of making several types of birdhouses. It will start with a classic bird house with a gable roof. There are several advantages of such a product: simplicity of design, strength, moisture resistance and ease of installation.

Most of the items required to create a classic birdhouse can be found in every home. In more rare cases, work requires a visit to a hardware store.

To create a house, you will need the following materials and tools:

• stick or twig for the pole;
• pencil and ruler;
• hammer and nails;
• joiner's glue;
• drill with a 5 cm nozzle.

In addition to the listed details, you will need to find 3 pieces of solid wood 13x37 cm, 2 parts 15x22 cm, and 2 square boards 15x15 cm.One piece is required for the roof, the dimensions of which are 15x17 cm.To understand how the parts of the structure should look, you can familiarize yourself with photo of the finished birdhouse or its diagram.

Birdhouse making process

When the tools and materials are prepared, you should start working.

Step # 1

If the wooden parts for the walls, floor and roof have not yet been prepared, you should take a board, draw the parts with a pencil and cut them out. At this stage, you need to be careful, since any incorrect movement of the saw will damage the material and the need to replace it.

After marking the board, you should carefully double-check the measurements before cutting out the parts.

Step # 2

In the middle of the front wall, you need to cut an inlet hole. Its diameter should not exceed 5 cm. Otherwise, the inhabitants of the birdhouse will become easy prey for predators, as well as for animals wishing to settle in the house.

Step # 3

On the back, as well as the side walls of the future house, it is necessary to cut a 15-centimeter bevel. It will target a roof that has a right angle.

Step # 4

The walls and facade of the house are neatly connected. If, after joining, parts of the nails stick out, they must be bent, and then fill the joints with joiner's putty or wax.

Step # 5

the back wall of the birdhouse, as well as the roof is neatly attached to the facade. The seam between the structural elements must be treated with a putty. At the same time, it is worth remembering that the roof will be removable, and therefore it is recommended to use self-tapping screws as fastening, which are convenient to twist and screw back.

Step 6

All walls and roof of the birdhouse are re-inspected for protruding joints or fixings. Protruding screws or nails are bent or filed with a file. After that, the bottom is attached.

Step 7

The pole is attached. To do this, the element must be covered with building glue, fixed to the house and wait until the fastening material is completely dry.

Now a simple birdhouse for birds is ready. It remains only to pour a little food inside and wait for the feathered guests to pay attention to the dwelling.

Do-it-yourself birdhouse from a thick log

A bird house made of a wooden log is a rather original product, which, as a rule, is created for small birds. Such a birdhouse looks extremely natural, which allows you to attract birds and provide them with comfortable living conditions.

To create a house for birds from a log, you need a minimum number of tools:

• chainsaw;
• log: not too thick or too thin;
• drill for working with wood;
• ruler or other measuring device.

When the tools and materials are prepared, you should start the work process:

1. The prepared deck is installed on the desktop in a vertical position. If necessary, it can be shortened or trimmed with a chainsaw.
2. Please note: before using the chainsaw, you should read the safety precautions again and take into account all possible risks.
3. At the same angles, using a chainsaw, 2 cuts are made for the roof slope. The roof itself is sawn off separately.
4. With the help of measuring devices, the length of the future birdhouse is measured. For this length, it is necessary to sample the inside of the deck.
5. The log blank is cut in such a way that the house has a bottom.
6. A notch is cut in the upper half of the log. This can be done with a drill.
7. A hole is drilled under the taphole into which a stick or twig of a suitable diameter is inserted. She will play the role of a six.
8. A roof is attached to the deck, which can already be called a full-fledged birdhouse. Self-tapping screws or nails can be used as fasteners.

It is worth paying special attention to the tap hole diameter. In a too wide opening, other animals can penetrate, which will not have difficulty ruining a bird's nest.

The result of the work will be an excellent house that meets all the requirements for a comfortable stay for birds. Thick timber walls, a solid roof and a fairly natural appearance will increase the attractiveness of the birdhouse, which will become a reliable shelter for birds for years to come.

The subtleties of fixing a birdhouse

Not every person knows that there are rules for fixing a birdhouse. Birdhouses are often not properly secured and can be dropped or damaged as a result. In some cases, poor attachment results in significant bird discomfort.

To avoid these troubles, you should remember two important rules for attaching a bird house:

1. Birds need to provide unhindered and comfortable access to the nesting box.
2. For cats, dogs and other types of animals, it is necessary to provide for obstacles that will not allow them to disturb the bird's rest.

Having provided these two simple rules, it will not be difficult to please the birds, and making a birdhouse will be truly fruitful.

Birdhouse attachment methods

There are several methods for attaching birdhouses to trees:

1. A nail is driven into the tree, on which a loop of thick wire is hung. Its end is attached to the birdhouse, and the nail is folded over to prevent the house from falling.
2. The birdhouse leans against a tree, and then it is driven into it with nails from the ends, or screwed in with self-tapping screws.
3. 4 nails are driven into the post: 2 from below and 2 from above. The distance between them should be equal to the height of the birdhouse. After that, the product is inserted into the space between the four nails until it stops.
4. If the tree is alive, the best solution is to secure the birdhouse with rope or wire. In this case, for convenience, you should build a special bar on the back of the house.

When attaching a birdhouse, it is important to remember that such manipulations can harm the trees. Therefore, nails and self-tapping screws should be used when attaching the bird house to the poles.

In addition to the ways of attaching the bird house, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the nuances that can play an important role when settling birds in a hand-made birdhouse:

1. The product should be located at a height of 3-4 meters.
2. The front of the birdhouse should be directed in the opposite direction to the direction of the winds. You can understand how the winds behave with the help of simple observations.
3. It is recommended to mount the birdhouse in a shaded area. The sun's rays quickly heat the tree, making it uncomfortable for the birds to stay in the house.

It is also worth remembering that if several birdhouses are attached to the site, a distance must be maintained between them. The minimum distance between two structures is 50 centimeters.

Homemade birdhouse care

After installing a bird house, it is important not to forget about its maintenance. It usually takes a little time, but brings great help to the birds. There is nothing difficult in caring for a house, and by observing the rules described below, you can facilitate this process.

Choosing the period for cleaning the birdhouse

The birdhouse should be cleaned at least twice a year. In this case, cleaning must be carried out at the end of the season. Before you start cleaning, you need to make sure that there are no birds inside the house. If they are not there, you need to open the structure and clean it from animal waste.

Inspection of the house for integrity

While the birdhouse is open, you need to make sure it is safe. To do this, it is worth checking the inside of the structure for protruding nails, hornets' nests, or sharp pieces of wood. If the listed things are found, they should be removed, observing all safety measures.

Close the birdhouse only after a comprehensive check of its safety. For birds returning home the following year, this factor can play a key role.

Login check

If it turns out that the entrance to the house is enlarged (for example, gnawed), it is necessary to repair it. Ignoring this point is fraught with the attack of predators on the bird's nest and its complete ruin.

Now that all the most necessary tips and tricks for making birdhouses with your own hands have been mentioned, it remains to recall the most important thing, namely, love for the world around you. It is helping one's neighbor that is capable of raising a person with a capital letter. At the same time, it does not matter at all who this neighbor will be - much more important is how useful the deed is for the environment. Making birdhouses with your own hands is not just a hobby, but also providing invaluable assistance to wildlife. Grateful birds that have settled in the house will definitely reward its creator for his efforts.

Do-it-yourself birdhouse - video