Bird Houses

Do you like the calls of birds in your backyard early in the morning or towards the end of the day when you've had a rough day at work? Most people do. Whether you live in an apartment or own your own home a birdhouse is a great way of attracting these colorful songsters to your home. Just like anything else though you should be making an informed purchase. Many birds look for specific things before using a birdhouse as their home and many birdhouse builders do not take these preferences into consideration. If you don't make an informed decision you may end up greatly disappointed with the birds that occupy the house you purchased. So, just what kind of qualities does a bird look for in a birdhouse?

The first thing a bird looks for is that the floor space inside is large enough to contain the nest they prefer. There is a certain about of variance and some birds are not at all choosy but many are. A birdhouse floor area that is too large or too small will discourage a bird from nesting there. A good birdhouse will be designed for a specific species of bird and that includes the floor space available for their particular nest.

Another aspect of a birdhouse that many people do not take into consideration and many builders completely ignore is the height above the floor that the entry hole is placed. If the entry is too close to the floor this invites attacks from predators going after eggs or young birds. Too high and the young birds will have difficulty getting out when its time to leave the nest. Many songbirds are very picky about the distance the entry hole is above the floor.

Almost everyone has seen a neighborhood cat stalking a bird. Many do not see the same cat or a squirrel making an attack on a nest. Another important aspect for selecting a home for many bird species is how well it will protect eggs and young birds from predators. Flimsy, thin walls that are typical of many cheap birdhouses give little protection from a determined cat or squirrel. When selecting a birdhouse for the birds you want to attract select one that is sturdy and well built. Think about the birdhouse you're looking at and picture that neighborhood cat trying to get at the young birds. Will it stand up?

If you talk to a birdhouse builder and ask about the entrance hole of the birdhouse many will say, "It really doesn't matter. Any bird will use this house." That's when you should look elsewhere. While the statement is true it ignores the fact that many birds are driven out of their nesting area by other aggressive birds taking over the birdhouse. This can happen simply because the entrance hole was made generic and not designed for the species you want to attract. You don't want to put the time, money and effort of attracting birds to your yard to see the birdhouse taken over by another species just because the entrance hole was not designed for the species you wanted.