Making a birdhouse is mutually beneficial for humans and birds. Birds will help to cope with the invasion of insects, leading subversive activities in the garden industry. Dry statistics say that in five days a brood of starlings can destroy more than 1000 larvae of May beetles, while snacking on slugs and caterpillars. If the family has children, then with the help of bird houses you can observe the life of their inhabitants, introducing the child to wildlife. Inside, the birdhouse should be comfortable for feathered residents. Outside it is decorated, making a stylish addition to the design of the site. Feathered unpretentious to the "interior" of their home. The main thing is that there is a high-quality “box”, and inside the birds will put things in order to your liking. The decor of the birdhouse outside completely rests on the shoulders of a person. It should not be too catchy, as birds prefer inconspicuous dwellings.Consider a series of birdhouse creation workshops, get acquainted with the features of their manufacture and decoration options.
Traditionally, birdhouses were made from ordinary wood. The material is affordable and easy to process. Recently, various cheap wood imitations and plastic compounds have appeared, from which not only feeders are built, but also birdhouses. Not every material is suitable for a bird house. Some will become poor protection from the cold and a source of harmful toxic fumes that can destroy the bird family and all their offspring.
Non-recommended materials
Plastic containers (bottles), like Tetra Pak bags made from milk or juices, are not suitable for making a birdhouse. They do not let air in and do not retain heat. The house will be "cold." Plastic can emit an unpleasant odor that does not catch the human nose, but birds will feel good. In the hot summer, polyvinyl chloride, especially of poor quality, releases toxic substances that will provoke the death of the feathered inhabitants of the decorative house. Transparent plastic transmits the sun's rays, and birds will not like the excess light. Tetra Pak bags are covered with foil inside, which at high temperatures concentrates heat in the birdhouse. A peculiar "greenhouse effect" will cause the death of the egg laying.
From plastic, milk containers and cardboard, excellent feeders are obtained: easy to manufacture and use. Birdhouses made of plywood, fiberboard, chipboard, OSB and other materials based on wood waste are also not suitable for a bird house. They do not retain heat well.Wood waste (usually sawdust) is pressed and glued using chemical compounds. This “glue” emits toxic fumes. Plywood misses sounds poorly. Residents may not hear in time the approach of a bird of prey or a cat.
Ornithologists recommend
The best material for making a birdhouse is wood. Specialists do not recommend the use of conifers. Over time, the wood will begin to release tar. The bird is smeared in it, and the feathers are glued together. This will adversely affect the ability to fly and lead to death. The best material, according to ornithologists, will be oak, birch, alder, maple or aspen. The thickness of the boards should be at least 2 cm. Otherwise, the material will not provide the temperature necessary to remove the chicks. The front sides of the boards are polished. From the inside, the walls are left untreated. It is more convenient for birds to move along a rough surface. A croaker is suitable for making birdhouse. Extreme boards - waste processed on one side only. On the other remains the bark. The croaker is used for the construction of temporary fences. Birdhouses are also made from completely non-planed boards or logs.
The original decoration of the garden will be a pumpkin birdhouse. Vegetables are peeled and dried. An inlet is made in the front wall. Serve pumpkin birdhouses 1-2 years. Install them on wooden shelves mounted on trees.
Dimensions and useful manufacturing recommendations
The optimum height for birdhouses is 30 cm. The width and length of the bottom should vary between 15-20 cm. The diameter of the notch is approximately 5 cm. The distance from the inlet to the bottom is 15 cm. In large birdhouses, 4-5 chicks are hatched. Toddlers will grow flimsy. The feathered family cannot provide food for such a brood. Starlings will not even pay attention to cramped "apartments". If the boards were nevertheless chosen smooth, then from the inside from the bottom to the notch, their surface will be thoroughly scratched. The track of the "clues" will help residents climb up. Such sizes are optimal for sparrows and starlings, but another bird family can also live in the house.For nuthatching and big tits, the dimensions are more modest. The bottom area is 10x10 cm, the height is 2.7-2.8 cm, and the diameter of the notch is 4-4.5 cm. The dimensions of the pole and the visor remain the same. For small tits or flycatchers, the diameter of the taphole is 3 cm, the bottom area is 8x8 cm, and the height is 25 cm.
Starlings prefer to look for food in the area near the house. They ignore their own garden. These birds will become useful if there is a farm field nearby or pasture for livestock. Starlings willingly destroy gadflies and ticks in pets. Small birds do not fly far from home and are engaged in the extermination of insects right on the site. The perch must be strong (diameter not less than 1 cm). Its length does not exceed 5 cm. The visor is a mandatory part of the birdhouse. It will protect the summer from rainfall and become an obstacle to curious cats who want to feast on the inhabitants of the tree apartment. The visor should protrude by 5 cm. In order for the birdhouse to be well ventilated, free air circulation is provided through holes. Four are drilled on the base of the house and two more on each wall. The diameter of the holes is 0.5 - 0.6 cm. For free access to bird housing for the purpose of annual cleaning, the top cover is hinged. Do not visit the house often. This can frighten off the birds, which will force them to go in search of another haven. It is enough to clean the birdhouse once a year.
Letok do round. A square entrance can injure birds. Large holes are made in birdhouses. Smaller babies are a sign of titmouses.
Master classes: do it yourself
The optimal material for the birdhouse is hardwood. The tree is used in the form of boards, logs and even thick branches. The latter option is suitable for those who do not have the opportunity to purchase quality wood. Lower thick branches can be cut down on strong trees growing nearby.It will not bring harm to them. In addition to classic birdhouses there are hollows, “sheds”, “barrels”. Before assembling the house, a drawing is prepared on paper and a marking is applied on the wood with a pencil. Measurements are carried out carefully. Only work with dry material. A raw tree will dry out and warp. Let's consider step by step the algorithms for making birdhouses with their own hands from three types of material.
From the boards
Boards are cut according to the outline on paper. The classic birdhouse has a shed roof. In later versions, they began to make a triangular "pediment" covered with a gable roof.
The work is divided into stages:
An inlet is cut out in the board, which will become the front wall. It is done using an electric jigsaw and curly file, or small holes are drilled sequentially along the circle contour. After alignment with a rasp. There is another "grandfather" method using a chisel and a hammer, but the work will take more time.
The board is connected to two side with the help of screws. Nails are also used, but they will not provide the same bond strength.
Attach the last back wall and at the very end - the bottom.
Fix the roof. For removable options, a sleeve is nailed to the board from the inside. It is impossible to put and press it to the house. The roof is fixed with screws, which are then easily unscrewed.
Boards need to be knocked together as tightly as possible so that cracks do not form. Clearances are the result of poor-quality cutting of wood or errors in the calculations in the drawing. The joints of the walls are caulked with tow or coated with clay. It should be remembered about the perch, which is pinned at the end to the already finished birdhouse. It is permissible to replace the stick with a piece of wood of a triangular shape. Get a miniature porch.
The walls inside are checked for sticking nails or screws. Sharp tips can injure birds.The length of nails and screws should be selected in accordance with the thickness of the walls of the birdhouse.
From a log
The process of manufacturing a birdhouse from a log (hollow) is more time-consuming than working with boards:
The log is cleaned from knots and branches. Bark is not removed.
A piece of the desired length is cut from it.
Markings are made on a log. 5 cm depart from one edge, then 20 cm and another 5 cm (based on a length of 30 cm).
The lower and upper piece will be the bottom and the roof.
With the middle part of the log you have to pretty mess around. Before sawing, make an inlet.
The log is cut into three parts. Then they work with the middle module.
The core is carefully scraped. Through holes are made with a long drill through the contour of the inner circle. Indentation is equal to the width of future walls.
Using a saw or hacksaw, the core is cut out and pulled out.
The inner walls are cleaned and leveled with a chisel. Smoothness of the walls is not needed. A “rough finish” is suitable for birds.
The bottom and the roof are pinned to the middle module. Sometimes glue is used. The composition can get inside the birdhouse and soak it with unpleasant odors. It is better to use self-tapping screws or nails.
The top cover can be replaced with a board, because the "native" part of the log will not have a visor. If the roof is pinned down tightly, holes are made in it for the wire in advance, which fix the birdhouse on the tree.
From branches
From thick branches make birdhouses, log houses. Huts are put together according to the same principles as at home for people, only according to a simplified scheme. The branches in them replace the logs:
The material is cleaned from knots and planed. Crooked branches for a birdhouse will not work.
Collect the bottom on which the first row is formed - the crown.
On each branch make special nicks. “Logs” located perpendicularly lie in the holes.
Consistently rows spread to the roof. The upper part is made of boards.To prevent the image of the Russian hut from being spoiled by processed wood, the roof is masked with a “broom” assembled from small rods.
We must not forget about the letlet. A hole is formed even at the stage of birdhouse construction, having cut pieces from a pair of "logs". A birdhouse from the branches will have to be qualitatively caulked. Gaps form in it. Through gaps, wind and cold will fall into the house in winter. Birdhouses weave like flexible baskets from flexible thin rods. Sometimes the branches are arranged vertically. Elements will have to be glued together.
How to decorate
There are many ways to decorate bird houses. The simplest option is painting. Some ornithologists believe that color is unimportant to birds. Others argue that birds more like inconspicuous dwellings that do not stand out in bright shades. If the birdhouse is stained, then toxic or sharply smelling compounds cannot be chosen. Birds will ignore the apartment with a "darling". Paint color is a matter of human taste. For safety, choose neutral shades that mask the home. Sometimes the surface of the boards is covered with drying oil. After drying, the composition will protect the tree from rotting processes, give a noble gloss, extend the life of the product.
Birdhouse decoration is carried out using painting, using decoupage technique (image transfer), from wine corks, burlap, eggshells, matches, fabrics, natural materials. Very popular is the "rustic" style. To decorate the birdhouse, you need thin branches, their saw cuts, straw, bark, small pebbles, cones and moss, which are cracked with cracks. These materials decorate the exterior of the house, fixing it to the walls, roof and miniature porches. Corks birdhouse pasted over the facade. The material provides additional insulation for the bird house. Corks are placed like logs in a log house. A special decoration is made for the roof - imitation of tiles. It is made of corks, cutting them across into tiny circles.Do not use rustling and shiny materials. Catchy decor scares birds away.
If you want to make a decorative fence in addition to a birdhouse, then it is better to use ice cream sticks. They also make tiles from them. The rounded edges of the sticks are ideal for a tiny roof.
How to hang
For a birdhouse you need to choose the right place. Placed a bird house in the back of the garden. Its residents value convenience and safety. The optimal distance from the ground is 3-5 m. It is difficult for a predator to get there. A man using a ladder will get a house for cleaning. To protect the birds from the attacks of cats, choose a place on the "bare" trunk. Around cleared branches. According to them, pets will be able to get close to the taphole. Birdhouses hang vertically or with an inclination forward. It will be convenient for birds to climb the wall to the notch. Tilting the birdhouse back is undesirable. Precipitation will fall into the house. Birdhouses are not recommended to be hung in places where drafts are walking or there is no protection from sunlight. Birds need peace. If several birdhouses are installed in the garden, then the distance between them should be at least 50 cm. Families of birds are not happy about the close neighborhood. Birdhouse nailed to a stick. A pole is tied to a tree trunk with a rope or wire. Under it lay fabric or burlap. Then the rope does not crash into the bark and does not harm the tree. The pole is fixed firmly so that the house does not swing in the wind.
Although the dwelling is called a birdhouse, different bird families can live in it: tits, sparrows, nuthatch, woodpeckers and swifts. Many are looking for places to nest early - in February. Hanging a brand new house is better by the end of winter. Small birds fly to March - April. Birdhouses adorn gardens and walls of houses. Not all birds will choose a nesting place in the immediate vicinity of human habitation. If you place a bird feeder nearby, then the temptation will increase.For many birds, winter is a difficult time when they die of hunger. Having provided the birds with housing, they also need to provide good nutrition. In the summer they will thank for the treat, having cleared the site of pests.
How to care for a birdhouse
Some birds can grow two to three broods over the summer. For each new egg laying, the nests are made anew. As a result, the birdhouse looks new from the outside, and inside is clogged with straw, twigs and feathers. Birds do not clean up after themselves. They will not settle in dirty housing again.
Early in the early spring, birdhouses clean:
Remove the lid and remove feathers, food debris, and other debris from the house. The accumulation of these products will lead to the multiplication of parasites.
Disinfect the house. Scald with boiling water or a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
Birdhouse is thoroughly dried.
Covering the bottom with straw or twigs is not recommended. They will decorate the house inside the birds themselves. They have their own ideas about the optimal "decor". It is permissible to sprinkle the bottom lightly with sawdust.
Conclusion
The first birdhouses appeared centuries ago in ancient India. The material used was unusual - bottle gourds. A core was taken out of the vegetable, covered with a lid and a notch hole was cut. In the houses lane birds settled (locust starlings). Periodically, pumpkins were replaced with fresh ones. Classic wooden dwellings began to be made in the Old World. Europeans pursued other goals. They tamed the birds, kept, collected eggs or caught for the last trip to the kitchen. Small birds in Europe were considered a delicacy. Even the rich did not hesitate to try a rare dish. In Russia, birds were loved. They were considered good messengers. Nobody encroached on the life of birds, but they were in no hurry to build houses. This practice appeared closer to the end of the XVII century. The first birdhouses were made of birch bark. Fasting houses became works of art.In the technique of wood carving, they were decorated with human figures, animals, porches, fences and even wattle pots. The inhabitants of the houses did not need decorations. They delighted people with morning singing. Starlings are wonderful imitators. Their singing consists of melodic roulades, chatter and sounds similar to a frog croaking. Starlings can even imitate human speech. To do this, you will have to deal with the bird a lot.
Making a birdhouse is mutually beneficial for humans and birds. Birds will help to cope with the invasion of insects, leading subversive activities in the garden industry. Dry statistics say that in five days a brood of starlings can destroy more than 1000 larvae of May beetles, while snacking on slugs and caterpillars. If the family has children, then with the help of bird houses you can observe the life of their inhabitants, introducing the child to wildlife. Inside, the birdhouse should be comfortable for feathered residents. Outside it is decorated, making a stylish addition to the design of the site. Feathered unpretentious to the "interior" of their home. The main thing is that there is a high-quality “box”, and inside the birds will put things in order to your liking. The decor of the birdhouse outside completely rests on the shoulders of a person. It should not be too catchy, as birds prefer inconspicuous dwellings.Consider a series of birdhouse creation workshops, get acquainted with the features of their manufacture and decoration options.
Content
Material selection
Traditionally, birdhouses were made from ordinary wood. The material is affordable and easy to process. Recently, various cheap wood imitations and plastic compounds have appeared, from which not only feeders are built, but also birdhouses. Not every material is suitable for a bird house. Some will become poor protection from the cold and a source of harmful toxic fumes that can destroy the bird family and all their offspring.
Non-recommended materials
Plastic containers (bottles), like Tetra Pak bags made from milk or juices, are not suitable for making a birdhouse. They do not let air in and do not retain heat. The house will be "cold." Plastic can emit an unpleasant odor that does not catch the human nose, but birds will feel good. In the hot summer, polyvinyl chloride, especially of poor quality, releases toxic substances that will provoke the death of the feathered inhabitants of the decorative house. Transparent plastic transmits the sun's rays, and birds will not like the excess light. Tetra Pak bags are covered with foil inside, which at high temperatures concentrates heat in the birdhouse. A peculiar "greenhouse effect" will cause the death of the egg laying.
From plastic, milk containers and cardboard, excellent feeders are obtained: easy to manufacture and use. Birdhouses made of plywood, fiberboard, chipboard, OSB and other materials based on wood waste are also not suitable for a bird house. They do not retain heat well.Wood waste (usually sawdust) is pressed and glued using chemical compounds. This “glue” emits toxic fumes. Plywood misses sounds poorly. Residents may not hear in time the approach of a bird of prey or a cat.
Ornithologists recommend
The best material for making a birdhouse is wood. Specialists do not recommend the use of conifers. Over time, the wood will begin to release tar. The bird is smeared in it, and the feathers are glued together. This will adversely affect the ability to fly and lead to death. The best material, according to ornithologists, will be oak, birch, alder, maple or aspen. The thickness of the boards should be at least 2 cm. Otherwise, the material will not provide the temperature necessary to remove the chicks. The front sides of the boards are polished. From the inside, the walls are left untreated. It is more convenient for birds to move along a rough surface. A croaker is suitable for making birdhouse. Extreme boards - waste processed on one side only. On the other remains the bark. The croaker is used for the construction of temporary fences. Birdhouses are also made from completely non-planed boards or logs.
Dimensions and useful manufacturing recommendations
The optimum height for birdhouses is 30 cm. The width and length of the bottom should vary between 15-20 cm. The diameter of the notch is approximately 5 cm. The distance from the inlet to the bottom is 15 cm. In large birdhouses, 4-5 chicks are hatched. Toddlers will grow flimsy. The feathered family cannot provide food for such a brood. Starlings will not even pay attention to cramped "apartments". If the boards were nevertheless chosen smooth, then from the inside from the bottom to the notch, their surface will be thoroughly scratched. The track of the "clues" will help residents climb up. Such sizes are optimal for sparrows and starlings, but another bird family can also live in the house.For nuthatching and big tits, the dimensions are more modest. The bottom area is 10x10 cm, the height is 2.7-2.8 cm, and the diameter of the notch is 4-4.5 cm. The dimensions of the pole and the visor remain the same. For small tits or flycatchers, the diameter of the taphole is 3 cm, the bottom area is 8x8 cm, and the height is 25 cm.
Starlings prefer to look for food in the area near the house. They ignore their own garden. These birds will become useful if there is a farm field nearby or pasture for livestock. Starlings willingly destroy gadflies and ticks in pets. Small birds do not fly far from home and are engaged in the extermination of insects right on the site. The perch must be strong (diameter not less than 1 cm). Its length does not exceed 5 cm. The visor is a mandatory part of the birdhouse. It will protect the summer from rainfall and become an obstacle to curious cats who want to feast on the inhabitants of the tree apartment. The visor should protrude by 5 cm. In order for the birdhouse to be well ventilated, free air circulation is provided through holes. Four are drilled on the base of the house and two more on each wall. The diameter of the holes is 0.5 - 0.6 cm. For free access to bird housing for the purpose of annual cleaning, the top cover is hinged. Do not visit the house often. This can frighten off the birds, which will force them to go in search of another haven. It is enough to clean the birdhouse once a year.
Master classes: do it yourself
The optimal material for the birdhouse is hardwood. The tree is used in the form of boards, logs and even thick branches. The latter option is suitable for those who do not have the opportunity to purchase quality wood. Lower thick branches can be cut down on strong trees growing nearby.It will not bring harm to them. In addition to classic birdhouses there are hollows, “sheds”, “barrels”. Before assembling the house, a drawing is prepared on paper and a marking is applied on the wood with a pencil. Measurements are carried out carefully. Only work with dry material. A raw tree will dry out and warp. Let's consider step by step the algorithms for making birdhouses with their own hands from three types of material.
From the boards
Boards are cut according to the outline on paper. The classic birdhouse has a shed roof. In later versions, they began to make a triangular "pediment" covered with a gable roof.
The work is divided into stages:
Boards need to be knocked together as tightly as possible so that cracks do not form. Clearances are the result of poor-quality cutting of wood or errors in the calculations in the drawing. The joints of the walls are caulked with tow or coated with clay. It should be remembered about the perch, which is pinned at the end to the already finished birdhouse. It is permissible to replace the stick with a piece of wood of a triangular shape. Get a miniature porch.
From a log
The process of manufacturing a birdhouse from a log (hollow) is more time-consuming than working with boards:
The top cover can be replaced with a board, because the "native" part of the log will not have a visor. If the roof is pinned down tightly, holes are made in it for the wire in advance, which fix the birdhouse on the tree.
From branches
From thick branches make birdhouses, log houses. Huts are put together according to the same principles as at home for people, only according to a simplified scheme. The branches in them replace the logs:
We must not forget about the letlet. A hole is formed even at the stage of birdhouse construction, having cut pieces from a pair of "logs". A birdhouse from the branches will have to be qualitatively caulked. Gaps form in it. Through gaps, wind and cold will fall into the house in winter. Birdhouses weave like flexible baskets from flexible thin rods. Sometimes the branches are arranged vertically. Elements will have to be glued together.
How to decorate
There are many ways to decorate bird houses. The simplest option is painting. Some ornithologists believe that color is unimportant to birds. Others argue that birds more like inconspicuous dwellings that do not stand out in bright shades. If the birdhouse is stained, then toxic or sharply smelling compounds cannot be chosen. Birds will ignore the apartment with a "darling". Paint color is a matter of human taste. For safety, choose neutral shades that mask the home. Sometimes the surface of the boards is covered with drying oil. After drying, the composition will protect the tree from rotting processes, give a noble gloss, extend the life of the product.
Birdhouse decoration is carried out using painting, using decoupage technique (image transfer), from wine corks, burlap, eggshells, matches, fabrics, natural materials. Very popular is the "rustic" style. To decorate the birdhouse, you need thin branches, their saw cuts, straw, bark, small pebbles, cones and moss, which are cracked with cracks. These materials decorate the exterior of the house, fixing it to the walls, roof and miniature porches. Corks birdhouse pasted over the facade. The material provides additional insulation for the bird house. Corks are placed like logs in a log house. A special decoration is made for the roof - imitation of tiles. It is made of corks, cutting them across into tiny circles.Do not use rustling and shiny materials. Catchy decor scares birds away.
How to hang
For a birdhouse you need to choose the right place. Placed a bird house in the back of the garden. Its residents value convenience and safety. The optimal distance from the ground is 3-5 m. It is difficult for a predator to get there. A man using a ladder will get a house for cleaning. To protect the birds from the attacks of cats, choose a place on the "bare" trunk. Around cleared branches. According to them, pets will be able to get close to the taphole. Birdhouses hang vertically or with an inclination forward. It will be convenient for birds to climb the wall to the notch. Tilting the birdhouse back is undesirable. Precipitation will fall into the house. Birdhouses are not recommended to be hung in places where drafts are walking or there is no protection from sunlight. Birds need peace. If several birdhouses are installed in the garden, then the distance between them should be at least 50 cm. Families of birds are not happy about the close neighborhood. Birdhouse nailed to a stick. A pole is tied to a tree trunk with a rope or wire. Under it lay fabric or burlap. Then the rope does not crash into the bark and does not harm the tree. The pole is fixed firmly so that the house does not swing in the wind.
Although the dwelling is called a birdhouse, different bird families can live in it: tits, sparrows, nuthatch, woodpeckers and swifts. Many are looking for places to nest early - in February. Hanging a brand new house is better by the end of winter. Small birds fly to March - April. Birdhouses adorn gardens and walls of houses. Not all birds will choose a nesting place in the immediate vicinity of human habitation. If you place a bird feeder nearby, then the temptation will increase.For many birds, winter is a difficult time when they die of hunger. Having provided the birds with housing, they also need to provide good nutrition. In the summer they will thank for the treat, having cleared the site of pests.
How to care for a birdhouse
Some birds can grow two to three broods over the summer. For each new egg laying, the nests are made anew. As a result, the birdhouse looks new from the outside, and inside is clogged with straw, twigs and feathers. Birds do not clean up after themselves. They will not settle in dirty housing again.
Early in the early spring, birdhouses clean:
Covering the bottom with straw or twigs is not recommended. They will decorate the house inside the birds themselves. They have their own ideas about the optimal "decor". It is permissible to sprinkle the bottom lightly with sawdust.
Conclusion
The first birdhouses appeared centuries ago in ancient India. The material used was unusual - bottle gourds. A core was taken out of the vegetable, covered with a lid and a notch hole was cut. In the houses lane birds settled (locust starlings). Periodically, pumpkins were replaced with fresh ones. Classic wooden dwellings began to be made in the Old World. Europeans pursued other goals. They tamed the birds, kept, collected eggs or caught for the last trip to the kitchen. Small birds in Europe were considered a delicacy. Even the rich did not hesitate to try a rare dish. In Russia, birds were loved. They were considered good messengers. Nobody encroached on the life of birds, but they were in no hurry to build houses. This practice appeared closer to the end of the XVII century. The first birdhouses were made of birch bark. Fasting houses became works of art.In the technique of wood carving, they were decorated with human figures, animals, porches, fences and even wattle pots. The inhabitants of the houses did not need decorations. They delighted people with morning singing. Starlings are wonderful imitators. Their singing consists of melodic roulades, chatter and sounds similar to a frog croaking. Starlings can even imitate human speech. To do this, you will have to deal with the bird a lot.