Build your own backyard birdhouses and feeders

97 Pages·2011·55.352 MB·English

by  Beck, Ken

BUILD YOUR OWN BACKYARD
BIRDHOUSES
and FEEDERS
Edited by Ken Beck
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Contents
Introduction 6
Helpful Hints 10
Birdhouses
Wren Birdhouse 12
Bluebird Nest Box 16
Butt erfl y House 20
Open Nesting Platform 24
Purple Martin Gourd Colony 28
Wood Duck Nest Box 32
Red-Headed Woodpecker House 36
Tree Swallow Birdhouse 40
Chickadee Birdhouse 44
Barn Owl Nesting Box 48
Job:02718 Title: Build Your Own Backyard Birdhouse & Feeders (MBI)
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Feeders
Log Feeder 52
Down Home Bird Feeder 54
Th ree-Sided Family Feeder 58
Suet Feeder 64
Canopy Feeder 68
Good Ole Days Feeder 72
Soft Drink Bott le Feeders 76
Barn Feeder 80
Snack Bar Feeder 84
Prairie Feeder 86
Preferred Foods of Diff erent Birds 92
Bird Sighting Record 94
National Organizations for Bird Watchers 96
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Introduction
You can always buy a birdhouse or a feeder, but making one with
your own hands is sure to increase the joys of creating a nurturing
environment for the birds that you love. Plus, well-built and well-
placed birdhouses and bird feeders can bring homeowners hours of
pleasure for many years.
Th ere are dozens, perhaps even hundreds, of diff erent birdhouse
and feeder designs and many look quite spectacular. But the truth is
that birds don’t look for something decorative—they just look for
simple structures that work. Never let your decorative touches get in
the way of good, sound design.
Good birdhouse and feeder designs must consider the bird fi rst.
If you want to att ract a specifi c species to your backyard lawn or gar-
den, your fi rst step is to study and learn the needs of that particular
species.
You need to fi nd out when they arrive in the spring, the specifi c
type of habitat they prefer, and what their feeding habits are. Most
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important, you
want to learn all
you can about
their nesting
preferences. Th is
knowledge will aid
you in deciding
the type of bird-
house or feeder
that will work best
for your chosen
feathered friend.
Armed with
this information,
you can then
decide the type
of structures to
construct, where
to locate them,
how high off the
ground to mount
them, the appro-
priate size for the
entrance hole, and,
if you make more than one house, how far apart you should set them.
For example, bluebird houses need a 1½-inch-diameter entrance
hole, are best located in or near clearings, and should be spaced
about 100 yards apart.
You also need to consider how you will place your birdhouses
or feeders so that they will be secure and not succumb to the forces
of nature, such as heavy rains and strong winds. Always place the
entrance to your birdhouses so that they face away from the prevail-
ing weather (wind, rain, and so forth) in your area. If most of your
weather comes from the south and the west, for instance, entrances
should be mounted toward the north and the east.
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While fence posts may be convenient, nest boxes actually work
bett er when they’re mounted on PVC pipes or freestanding metal
poles. Th is allows you to bett er adjust the height and discourage a
host of predators.
Bird species that elect to live in birdhouses are basically searching
for a cavity where they can nest, lay their eggs, and raise their young.
Th ey are also looking for surrounding areas that off er food, water,
and other kinds of shelter.
Among the more familiar species that will nest in manmade
birdhouses are bluebirds, chickadees, fi nches, fl ycatchers, hum-
mingbirds, kestrels, nuthatches, owls, purple martins, phoebes,
robins, swallows, titmice, warblers, wrens, and some species of
ducks and woodpeckers.
As more wildlife habitats fall victim to progress and disappear,
your birdhouse can serve an important role in conservation since
it provides these birds with additional nesting options in an ever-
crowded world.
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Helpful Hints

1 Th e preferred building material for most birdhouses is redwood,
western cedar, or cypress; it weathers bett er than pine or maple.

2 When purchasing plywood for outdoor projects, use exterior
grade because it can bett er handle the elements. If you use
untreated lumber, it will need to be painted with exterior-grade
paint.

3 Hardware, such as hinges, should be brass or galvanized, and
nails and screws should be rust resistant.

4 Birdhouses need ventilation and drainage holes. Feeders also
need small drainage holes.

5 A table saw, hammer, screwdriver, and drill will be the most use-
ful tools. For some projects, other tools may be needed, such as a
jigsaw.

6 For drilling circular entrance holes, spade bits will do the trick.
A countersink bit will allow you to insert a screw into the wood
below the surface. You can fi ll the hole with wood fi ller and sand
it for a smooth fi nish.

7 A speed square or combination square will come in handy when
you’re measuring angles.

8 Measure and mark all pieces for a project before you cut anything
so that you use the wood effi ciently.

9 Always drill a small hole, called a pilot hole, through the wood
and into the second piece of wood before you screw them to-
gether. Th is makes it easier to insert screws and creates a tighter
fi t. It also helps to prevent splitt ing.
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