The increasing number of people who are interested in gardening has also brought about a related increase of the number of people interested in bird watching. This is also brought about by the awareness to protect birds and gather them in a place conducive for the creatures. At present, the bird’s natural homes such as trees and marshes are slowly being destroyed.
One of the best ways to attract and protect these birds is to build a bird house in the backyard. By putting such structure in your backyard, you can help repopulate birds into the wild.
But this is not as easy as it sounds. A good bird house should be planned so that birds visiting or staying can be comfortable while being safe and sound.
Before starting, you should know what kinds of birds populate your area and their home requirements. Particularly, you should determine the diameter of the entrance and the depth and diameter of the cavity that these birds need for their homes in the wild. This is actually one of the first things that you have to consider when making a good bird house plan.
Once the dimensions of the cavity of the bird house have been determined, it is time to incorporate other features in your bird house plan. The bird house should be protected from rain and direct sunlight. For this purpose, wood is the best building material. It is easy to cut and to put together. Make sure that the wood you buy must be waterproof or treated with waterproof coating.
When making your bird house plan, it is a good idea to countersink the entrance holes in the walls of the structure. This means that the edges of the roof should protrude considerably from the wall. This is to prevent rain from coming in the bird house.
Check your bird house plan and see if the entrance holes are easy for the birds to access. Avoid installing perches. They are unnecessary and might even obstruct birds from leaving or entering the holes.
Proper ventilation is a must that should be incorporated in your bird house plan. A row of small holes under the eaves is sufficient. Or, you might want to put a small vent on each of the walls. In case there is danger that the rain might go inside the house, a small drainage hole on the floor should be built.
Birds like bright colors. Therefore, a universally accepted good color for bird houses is white or light gray. You can also use a neutral shade of green or gray.
Finally, be sure that the bird house is accessible for cleaning. Most bird houses will be built on tall stilts, so you would need a ladder for the chore.
With good planning, you can give our feathered friends a good, new home.
