If you build it they will come. House Wrens are easily attracted to a birdhouse.
A birdhouse is a great addition to any yard or a great gift to give any bird lover. Sure you can buy one at your local birding store or online, but in this post, I’m going to share with you how to build one yourself for $10.
I’ve already observed many cavity nesters including chickadees checking out potential nest sites.
To build a birdhouse you need very few woodworking skills and only a few tools. This project is great to do with the kids or grandkids and can be completed in less than an hour.
Red-breasted Nuthatches are one of the many species that may use this house.
All that is required is a 1″x 6″x 5′ cedar fence board and some 1-1/4″ #6 wood screws available from your local home improvement store. Since the pandemic started cedar has been a bit hard to find and if so you can also use pine. You might even have scrap wood laying around your garage or workshop that will work. Just be sure not to use wood that is pressure-treated, stained, or painted as these chemicals are potentially harmful to the birds.
Downy Woodpeckers may also use this birdhouse.
The plan I use to build this birdhouse I found for free online and is actually for a winter roost box, the only difference is for a birdhouse you mount the front with the hole at the top. Those plans can be found here. Follow the instructions for cutting the wood and assembling the house. Painting or varnishing the birdhouse is not necessary and I recommend leaving the wood natural to avoid any potential ill effects to the birds from harmful chemicals. Cedar or pine left untreated will last many years.
I’ve used this plan to build many of these birdhouses over the years. I was very excited when Carolina Wrens raised a brood in one of these houses.
Over the years, I have made many of these birdhouses for my own yard and given several away to friends and family. The 1-1/2″ inch hole will accommodate a variety of species and I personally have seen Carolina Wrens, House Wrens, and Tree Swallows use this house. Other birds including chickadees, nuthatches, and even Downy Woodpeckers may use this house.
A few years ago I gave one of these houses to my sister who put it up at her cottage. Every year since she has had a pair of Tree Swallows use it.
When you are finished mount the house 4 to 8 feet off the ground and place it where it is out of prevailing winds or hot afternoon sun. It’s a good idea to put a birdhouse up early so the birds have time to find it and the wood can weather a bit.
Placing wood chips or cedar shavings (not sawdust) in the bottom of this house will help attract chickadees, woodpeckers, and nuthatches.
Watching birds raise a brood in a house I built myself is something I find incredibly rewarding. I’ve used this plan to build a lot of houses and this has been the most successful design I’ve tried.
With its 1-1/2″ hole, this birdhouse will accommodate wrens, chickadees, downy woodpeckers, and nuthatches.
If you are thinking about adding a birdhouse to your yard, are looking for a unique gift idea for a friend, or just want a fun project to do with the kids or grandkids why not build this birdhouse? The joy of the building process will far outweigh the time and cost of making it and watching birds raise a brood in it will provide plenty of enjoyment year after year.
Barn Swallows have seen significant population decreases in recent years across Canada. They are now listed as threatened on the Species at Risk list. This particular bird was successfully rehabilitated and released with Swift Care Ontario.
With six subspecies found worldwide, the Barn Swallow is the most widespread species of Swallow in the world. They are found on six continents; breeding in the Northern Hemisphere and wintering across the Southern Hemisphere. These birds are aerial insectivores, feeding on insects captured in flight.
Hirundo rustica, the Barn Swallow subspecies that breeds in our area, can be observed most years from late April until early September. They prefer open habitat to forage and can be found across farmland, city parks, sports fields, lakes, rivers and ponds. Barn Swallows are so named because their nests are often constructed on narrow ledges inside covered structures such as barns or sheds. Other popular nest sites include: under eaves trough, beneath bridges, and inside culverts. Nests are constructed of mud and attached both to horizontal and vertical surfaces. When positioned on vertical surfaces nests are semicircular in shape, while those on horizontal surfaces are completely round. Feathers and grasses are used to line the nest.
Three young Barn Swallows sit in their semicircular nest constructed on a beam beneath a bridge.
Despite their wide range, Barn Swallows close to home are in trouble. These birds are now listed as a threatened species on the Species at Risk list across Canada. In Ontario, between 1966 and 2009, Barn Swallow populations decreased by 65% with the largest decreases happening most recently. Several factors are to blame including: habitat loss, pollution and climate change. The increased use of pesticides in the agriculture industry has significantly reduced the number of insects in many areas, resulting in a lack of food. Chemical pollution results in several health problems including neurological disorders, birth defects and death. Modernization of structures has also contributed to habitat loss. Wooden barns, sheds and boathouses that Barn Swallows previously could find access to and nest in, are being replaced with metal structures that are completely sealed. Barn Swallows are often seen making failed attempts to gain access to these buildings. Even if access is achieved, these modern structures, with their thin metal roofs, are often too hot in their upper sections where nesting would occur and therefore not desirable nesting locations.
Platform nest boxes specifically designed for Barn Swallows provide nesting habitat where older structures have been removed or replaced.
If you have Barn Swallows on your property, consider leaving these old wooden structures for them to nest in. If you need to replace or have already replaced them, than consider adding a nesting platform to the outside of your new structure. Barn Swallows will quickly accept a nest platform placed under a roof overhang on the side or end of a building. Successful broods have been raised in the presence of humans, where these platforms have been installed. Barn Swallows are quite tolerant of human activity, and watching adults raise their brood is both educational and entertaining. I have constructed such platforms to be installed on the property of landowners where Barn Swallows have previously nested and these modern metal buildings now exist. These nesting platforms are specifically designed for Barn Swallows and differ from other platforms in that the ledge for nesting is only 2.5″ wide. This narrow ledge allows enough room for the Barn Swallow to attach its mud nest, but will prevent other birds that use a platform, such as the American Robin and Mourning Dove, from occupying them.
This Barn Swallow was photographed perched on the same 1 3/4″ wide rafter as its nest sits on. A narrow ledge is all that is required for these birds to nest.
The biggest problem I have seen with artificial nest boxes and platforms is that they are not put up early enough. The intentions of installing them in spring are great, but too often people wait for nice weather and are too late. The nesting platforms must be installed before the Barn Swallows return, in late April. Birds begin searching for an adequate nest site immediately after returning in the spring and it is never too early to put up a nesting platform. Installing one now will ensure it is ready when Barn Swallows return.
If you are interested in one of these nesting platforms for your property, I am currently selling them for $20 each. Platforms measure 13″H x 7.25″W x 3.25″D and are made from Eastern White Pine. Platforms are left rough and unpainted, making it easier for the mud that Barn Swallows use to make their nests adhere. They are easily mounted to any vertical surface with two screws. For more information on these platforms or to purchase please contact me.
Negative human intervention has led to the decline of Barn Swallows and several other species. Now is the time for positive human intervention to help save a Species at Risk. Consider providing adequate nesting habitat for Barn Swallows if they happen to frequent your property. Simple practices like these are something everyone can do to make a difference.
Eastern Bluebirds are a species of bird that readily use a nest box. One key to getting birds to use your nest boxes, is having them up early.
Winter is the perfect time to start thinking about adding nest boxes to your yard. By watching the birds that come to your feeders, you already have a great idea of the different species that frequent your yard. With a little research as to which of these species nest in boxes and where to place them, you will be ready for a spring and summer full of enjoyment watching these birds raise their young.
Many birds will readily nest in a properly placed box, but the key is to make sure they are up by early spring. That is why it is best to use the winter months to plan what species, and where would be a great location for them to nest. Wrens, woodpeckers and chickadees are all species that waste no time finding a new nest box in your yard. If you are like me you will get great enjoyment from making the nest boxes yourself. Building nest boxes is a great winter activity to pass time when you are not out birding. If building them yourself isn’t your thing, than they can be purchased from the same local independent retailer you purchase your seed from.
Nest boxes are quick and easy to build, with only a few tools and materials required. Pretty much any type of wood can be used for nest boxes, except pressure treated, or others that contain chemicals to preserve them. My personal preference is cedar because it is inexpensive and naturally weather resistant so the nest boxes will last many years. A 1″ x 6″ x 6′ cedar fence board will work for most songbird nest boxes and can be purchased for about $5.00. Add a package of #6 1 1/4″ screws and you are ready to start building. Many of the plans available call for a hinge on the top, so the boxes can be easily cleaned out at the end of each year. I have learned a trick over the years to save a couple bucks on hinges and makes cleaning the boxes just as easy. Before fastening one side, drill the top two holes in that side piece where the front and back pieces fasten one size larger than the screws. This will allow that side to pivot on those screws and swing out for easy cleaning. When assembling the box, place only one screw in the bottom of the front piece through that side to hold it in place. This will keep predators like raccoons and squirrels from opening it. In the fall remove the bottom screw, swing the side piece out, clean out the box, then place the screw back in and the box is ready for the following season. Building multiple boxes at once makes the process much faster as several pieces can be cut at the same time. I always make a few extras because friends, family and neighbours always appreciate receiving one of my homemade boxes. Children love helping make the boxes, so it is a great activity for the whole family.
If you are thinking about adding a nest box to your yard, buy one or build one now. It’s never too early to put one up, and birds will have lots of time to find it come breeding season. My favourite place to find plans to build nest boxes for 70 species of birds as well as tips on where and how high to place them can be found here.
