Building bird houses

I purchased a great book on how to build bird houses at your Wild Birds Unlimited - East Lansing store and I am about to assemble the pieces on my first house. The plans don’t include a stick for the birds to land on below the door. Should I add a place for the birds to perch before they enter the house? ~ Webberville, Michigan

I don’t recommend perches on bird houses. Natural cavities such as tree trunks do not have perches, so birds that use nest boxes don't need a perch either. A perch might also invite predators or other birds to attack or bother the parents and babies inside.

There are many different styles of nesting boxes, including those that are decorative and bird-specific. All bird houses should meet these six requirements:

1) Correct size – Entrance hole size, and house length, width, and depth need to be designed for specific species.

2) Ventilation holes - Air vents prevent heat build-up and keep baby birds safe.

3) Cleaned easily – Cleaning the house after each nesting helps deter parasite infestation and a predator’s ability disturb a nest that is built on top of old nests making it closer to the entrance hole.

4) Mounted or hung easily - Wild Birds Unlimited has APSbirdhouse poles or hanging chains for houses.

5) Durable - Bird houses should be made with material that will protect the birds and withstand several seasons. A baby ladder inside is also nice.

6) Drainage holes - In order to keep babies dry and safe, drainage holes should be placed in the bottom of the house.

Of course not all birds use nest boxes and you can encourage other birds to nest in your yard by providing nesting material and an attractive habitat. Good luck on your bird house project.

Related Articles:

• 5 Tips to Attract Birds to Nest in your Bird Houses http://bit.ly/xETceZ
• Common Bird House Problems http://bit.ly/wrWzyN
• Which Way Do You Face a Birdhouse? http://bit.ly/AD43TW
• Don’t use treated lumber to build a birdhouse http://bit.ly/x2pIG0
• When do birds begin nesting? http://bit.ly/wbJ3kE
• DO NOT Collect Dryer Lint for the birds to use as nesting material! http://bit.ly/wC5HcO

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