How to properly build a birdhouse so that birds can live in it. How to make a birdhouse: from boards and logs for different birds What can be burned on a birdhouse

Attracting birds to your local area is a pleasant and useful activity. After all, birds not only delight our ears with their trills, but also eat harmful insects.

How to make a birdhouse with your own hands - this is what our article is about.

Source materials

The starting material is exclusively wood. It is recommended to use only wood from deciduous trees, since coniferous trees emit resin, which can lead to the premature death of the feathered resident.

You cannot make birdhouses from plywood sheets, chipboard and OSB. The glue and special impregnation contained in such materials repel feathered guests.

As a result, assembly and fastening of workpieces should be carried out only with nails and self-tapping screws, without the use of adhesive.

Usually, to make a birdhouse from wood, unplaned boards with a thickness of at least 2 cm are used. This thickness allows you to maintain a constant temperature regime inside the bird house.

To prevent cracks from appearing on the boards when fastening, it is necessary to pre-drill holes for the screws.

How to choose the size of a birdhouse

The size of the birdhouse depends on what birds it is intended for. Different types Birdhouses differ in their proportions and the length of the entrance.

For example, for starlings the required dimensions are: 10 × 10 × 40 cm, the entrance hole is 5 cm. For tits and flycatchers, sparrows - 10 × 12 × 30 cm, the entrance hole is 3-3.5 cm. And the semi-dutch should be 10 × 8 × 20 cm with a taphole 3.3-5 cm high across the entire width of the wall.

Usually only the height of the birdhouse changes.

Half-loops can also attract squirrels.

Some birds prefer to live in nesting boxes made from part of a log using the hollowing method. The bottom and roof of such structures are made of boards.

To make the birdhouse habitable again, you need to remove the old nesting box from it and scald it with boiling water. An additional measure could be treatment with potassium permanganate.

How to make a birdhouse a safe place to live

To avoid the destruction of a birdhouse by cats and woodpeckers, you can take the following measures:

• Increase the roof overhang;
• Stick the roof with nails;
• Finish the taphole with a tin sheet;
• Drive nails around the tap hole;
• Attach a wooden overlay with horizontal fibers near the taphole;
• Make special protective belts from strips of tin or from “brooms”, and you must strictly adhere to the required distances between them.

Important: there should be no twigs, feeders or other possible supports between the protective belts and the birdhouse.

How to choose the right place for a birdhouse

Birdhouses should be hung on trees at a height of at least 3 m. It is not advisable for busy paths or benches to be located near these places.

Note!

When choosing a place on a tree, you need to take into account that there are no large branches near the entrance. The birdhouse should be installed facing south so that there is a slight tilt forward.

Making a birdhouse

It is necessary to take untreated boards from hardwood at least 2 cm thick. Gloves will also be required. Next, we take the birdhouse drawings and cut out the component parts. It is necessary to cut carefully and evenly, at an angle of 90°, so that there are no gaps in the future.

It is better to choose nails with a diameter of 1.5-2 mm and a length of no more than 40-50 mm. Let's start assembly. We apply the side parts to the facade at an angle of 90° and nail them. It is recommended to use 3-4 nails per each.

We turn it over, install the bottom, and nail it to the sides. Next, we insert the back wall and also secure it with nails with the bottom and sides.

Let's turn it over again. We fasten the bottom on the other side as well. We install the roof so that the overhang is at least 5 cm. Preferably 10 cm. We nail it down.

Note!

We inspect the resulting birdhouse and bend all the protruding nails.

Whether to install a perch is up to you.

Nowadays, on the Internet you can easily find the most different ideas how to make a birdhouse in the country or near your home.

Some of them are quite unusual. Therefore, feel free to make houses for birds.

After all, an original birdhouse can become a real decoration of your garden.

Note!

Photo of a birdhouse with your own hands

Attracting birds to the site is both useful and pleasant. It is useful because they destroy insect pests, it is pleasant to listen to their singing and observe the behavior of birds. That’s why many people come up with the idea of ​​building a birdhouse with their own hands. People over 40 years old can remember their school days: during labor lessons, boys made houses for birds. But it’s not just property owners who make birdhouses. Often residents apartment buildings They hang them on trees near the house, on balconies and loggias.

What to make from

The answer is clear - from wood, and deciduous trees: conifers are too resinous. The resin can stain the plumage, resulting in the death of the bird. You should not use plywood or. Rarely does anyone live in such birdhouses: glue and binders scare away birds. For the same reason, we assemble and fasten the workpieces only with nails or screws, we do not use glue.

Most often, birdhouses are made from boards. The thickness of the boards is at least 20 mm. This thickness is enough to maintain a stable temperature inside, which is important when hatching chicks. Moreover, the boards need to be unplaned; in any case, the inner surface should be rough. The front part under the entrance is also specially scratched: along these notches, chicks and birds rise to the entrance.

To prevent the boards from cracking during assembly, we pre-drill holes for the screws. The diameter is slightly smaller than the diameter of the screw.

Sizes of birdhouses for different types of birds

To attract different types For birds, the size of the house should change. It is mainly the proportions of the “body” itself and the entrance that change. The goal is to create nesting conditions that are more familiar to this species.

Bird species	Bottom dimensions	Birdhouse height	Taphole dimensions	Note
Starlings	10*10 cm	30-40 cm	about 5 cm	a taphole is preferable to a round shape
Titmouse - tits, flycatchers, redstarts, sparrows, pygmy owls	10-12 cm	25-30 cm	30-35 mm	round entrance
Lesser titmouse or flycatcher (flycatchers, redstarts)	10*8 cm	25-30 cm	30 mm
Poluduplyanka	10*8 cm	20 cm	height 33-50 mm across the entire width of the wall	taphole - a longitudinal slot across the entire width of the front wall

As you can see from the table, basically only the height changes. The width remains more or less stable. There is no point in making birdhouses anymore. They will encourage saving large quantity eggs, and the birds will not be able to fully feed a large number of chicks; as a result, the offspring will be weak and, most likely, die.

If you want to attract wagtails, make a birdhouse laid on its side: its height will be 10-12 cm and width - 35-40 cm, with the same small entrance located approximately in the middle. Wagtails have weak legs, and they cannot climb a high wall to the entrance. That is why there is such a choice of nesting sites. in the shaker it is also advisable to make a ladder about 10 cm wide in front of the entrance - so that they can enter on foot.

The semi-duplyanka requires some explanation. Some birds are accustomed to nesting not in hollows, but in recesses between branches. In a completely closed artificial nesting site they settle rarely. If you want to attract, for example, a gray flycatcher, make it a small box in which the entrance runs the entire width of the front wall.

Just keep in mind that some types of squirrels also like to live in such houses.

There is another nesting site that birds often like better - a nesting box. This is a birdhouse made from a piece of log. Often dried wood is cut into logs of suitable size, turning it into apartments for birds. The height and diameter are selected based on the dimensions that were indicated for a regular birdhouse. The bottom and roof of the nest are made from a piece of board.

Duplyanka - birdhouse made of logs

Safety

It's a shame and a pity when birds' nests are destroyed. This is mainly done by cats, and also by woodpeckers. Therefore, when you make a birdhouse with your own hands, increase the roof overhang. In almost all drawings it is drawn 5 cm long. In order to protect the birdhouse from the cat, it is necessary to make sure that he cannot reach the entrance. To do this, the roof must protrude by at least 7 cm, and it is better to add a couple more - for large specimens. This ledge will also protect from slanting rain: the likelihood that the chicks will get wet becomes even less.

Another option is to put nails on the lid. The cat is unlikely to get hurt, but he won’t be able to sit comfortably - the nails won’t let him.

There are several ways to protect chicks from woodpeckers:

• beat the taphole with tin:
• drive several nails around the tap hole;
• nail a piece of wood on the taphole area, the fibers of which run horizontally.

All this will prevent the woodpecker from expanding the entrance and getting to the eggs or chicks. The last trick - the cover - will also complicate the cat’s task: it is more difficult to reach the chick through a long entrance.

Measures against enemies: 1 - against woodpeckers, 2.3 - against cats

They still escape from cats and possible invaders with the help of protective belts. They are made either from tin strips or from “brooms”. You will understand everything by looking at the picture. Please note that the distances must be maintained within 3-4 cm. Then the animals will not be able to jump over the protective belts. There should be no twigs, feeders or other possible supports between them and the birdhouse.

Where to hang

Where to hang a birdhouse is also a science. If you are going to set it up on a tree, then at a height of at least 2.5-3 meters. There should be no paths or busy places near the selected tree - a well, a bench, etc.

When choosing a place on a tree, keep in mind that there should be no large branches in front of the entrance: the approach must be free. At the same time, you need to unfold it so that the “window” faces south. All this increases the chances that residents will move into your birdhouse.

Another point: you need to tie or nail it so that the “house” is tilted slightly forward. This will make it easier for the chicks to get out, and less rain will clog them.

How to make a birdhouse with your own hands: photo report

We will do the easiest option - with a flat roof. As already mentioned, we take unplaned hardwood boards with a thickness of 20 mm or more. To avoid splinters, it is better to work with gloves. According to the drawing, we cut the blanks. Try to keep the cuts straight and at right angles: there should be no gaps. Immediately after hatching, the chicks are without feathers, and the slightest draft can kill them. Therefore, all edges must be smooth.

We take long thin nails - diameter 1.5-2 mm, length 4-5 cm and a hammer. Let's start assembly. We nail the sides to the front part at right angles. For each - three to four nails.

Turning the workpiece upside down, take the bottom, insert it, and level it. We nail it to the sides. We cover the top with the back wall and also nail it. Don't forget about connecting the back wall with the sides.

Turning the tap hole upside down, we nail the bottom on this side as well. All that remains is to assemble the roof. We take the remaining square - the double of the bottom, nail it so that the visor sticking out in front is at least 5 cm (preferably 7-10 cm, as they said before). If the nails stick out, bend them.

The roof just needs to fit tightly. If something gets in the way, we use a chisel. That's all, the birdhouse with your own hands is ready.

Often a perch is installed under the entrance. Is it needed or not? If there are enough branches around, it’s better not to do it. If there are no branches, you need to either make a perch or a small shelf, although you can do without them. Why? Because cats also rely on them and it is easier for them to reach the chicks with support.
How to make a titmouse, watch the video

Making a nest - a birdhouse from a log

If the feathered people have a choice - to live in a nest box or a birdhouse made of boards - they will choose a nest box. It is more similar to the usual “housing” - a hollow, there are no cracks on the sides and, therefore, it is warmer. They are less noticeable on the tree, which means there is a greater chance of raising offspring. These are advantages from the birds' point of view. Now about the advantages from the point of view of the “manufacturers”: a fallen tree is used for work, and it is free. If you find a suitable one, it will be enough for a large number of birdhouses. About the disadvantages - making nest boxes takes longer and is more difficult: you have to manually pick out the core, leaving the walls intact.

Now about how to find a suitable tree. Aspen is best suited: it usually rots from the inside, but remains hard along the outer edge. Therefore, we go in search of an aspen forest, and there, among the fallen trees, we look for something suitable: we cut several trunks. It is important to find one with a whole edge and a rotten middle - it will go faster Job.

It is advisable to find such aspen - with a rotten core, but strong edges

Often such trees have rotten bark, which makes them look unsightly. We peel off the bark and drag the log to the dacha or house. There we cut it into logs of suitable size. Dimensions are determined by diameter. For a birdhouse, the inner diameter of the nest should be 22-30 cm, respectively, the outer diameter - 27-36 cm. For the titmouse, the sections closer to the top are suitable - the inner diameter is 15-22 cm, the outer diameter is 19-26 cm.

The height of the log also depends on the type of house - a titmouse is 20-40 cm high (but they are more willing to settle in low ones), a birdhouse - from 30 to 45 cm. When sawing, try to make the bevel that appears at the bottom level, and at the top - at a slight slope - so that sediment flowed from the roof. To make roofs and bottoms, you will need cutting boards; you can use unedged boards and slabs.

We take the cut log and begin to pick out the core with a chisel. The task is to dig a through hole. After this, even hard wood is easier to chop. To make the process go faster, you can drill holes with a drill, then break out the jumpers with a chisel.

The task is to dig a through hole

As a rule, the rotten core runs out quickly, then you have to chop off pieces of wood using a chisel and a hammer or mallet. But with a hole in the center it is much easier - the longitudinal pieces are chipped off, the work proceeds at normal speed.

The walls should remain about 1.5-3 cm. We try to work on the middle more or less smoothly, without large chips. When the walls are selected, we make a taphole. If there is a knot, you can hollow it out. Or take a crust and a drill, drill in a suitable place. If there is no crown, take a regular drill, drill holes in a circle, then, using the same chisel, cut through the remaining jumpers.

A piece of board 2-2.5 cm thick goes to the bottom. It is nailed or screwed onto self-tapping screws. The protruding parts are cut off as close to the walls as possible.

All that remains is to nail the roof. The same board or slab will do. Before screwing in the screw, drill holes, otherwise the board may split.

Actually, you have already made a birdhouse with your own hands, all that remains is to secure it from attacks by woodpeckers. If there are knots on the walls, it is advisable to coat them with plasticine (regular, children's). They can also be used to seal the gaps that remain between the bottom and the roof and walls: it is rarely possible to fit everything neatly. If you don’t want to cover it with plasticine, you can caulk it with hemp rope. It is applied to the crack and driven into it with a flat screwdriver (actually there are special blades for caulking, but they are large - this is the time, and for “one-time use” you should buy them...). If it doesn't go well, you can hit the handle with a hammer.

Caulking the “seams” with hemp rope

How to decorate a birdhouse

While the birdhouse is new, it looks relatively good, but after a couple of months it will darken. This is good for the birds - it will become less noticeable and they will only benefit from this. But not all homeowners like to look at such an unsightly “decoration”. To improve appearance, the birdhouse can be painted, but you need to choose “natural” colors - brown, gray, shades of green. You want your birds to survive, right? This means their nest needs to be camouflaged, and not painted in all the colors of the rainbow, attracting all possible predators.

And this one is just ideal - no cracks in the floor))

Titmouse is inhabited

Beautiful decoration and disguise

We hope that now you can not only make a birdhouse with your own hands, but also decorate it competently (from the point of view of the birds).

Drawings with dimensions

Some drawings of birdhouses are in the text, we are posting a few more in this section. Adjusting the dimensions to suit the planned “tenants” is probably not a problem. Also note that the layout is given for a 2 cm thick board. Adjustments are necessary when increasing or decreasing the thickness.

Birdhouse with a triangular roof: drawing, dimensions

Birdhouse with a sloping roof (front wall higher)

Greetings to everyone who looked at my review. Spring has already become a full-fledged mistress and I am increasingly spending all my free time in my garden. So today, from early morning, I diligently made decorations for the tree. Decoration in the form wooden birdhouse with burning elements.

Bird house I bought it for 650 rubles at a pet store. This is enough low price behind good quality manufacturing and wood. Similar ones made from plywood cost the same, but I personally question the durability and beauty.

My birdhouse model is the simplest; these hang on every tree. But initially the base is decorated by firing, which already significantly enhances the natural design of the house.

Wooden birdhouse , assembled with staples and glued with glue. The roof has additional bitumen protection.

Made in Russia and conscientiously. I think it will last for more than a dozen years.

So if you like it, look for this miracle in your local pet stores.

I liked it so much that I decided to transform it a little. I found suitable pictures on the Internet, drew them with a pen onto the wooden base of the birdhouse and began to burn them.

The whole process burning It took me about an hour, but now I admire the beauty I made with my own hands.

Please don't judge strictly, I don't know how to draw. Yes, I burned for a long time and only in childhood.

The result is such a birdhouse in harmony with nature. And my first figurine, a gift from my husband 17 years ago, immediately settled on it.

Have you noticed that not every birdhouse houses birds? We asked ourselves this question and learned how many mistakes can be made when building a birdhouse and we want to pass this knowledge on to you.

Where did the first bird houses in Russia come from?

The first bird houses in Rus' appeared during the reign of Tsar Peter I.

It is well known that the great Tsar Peter was very interested in everything unusual.

In Europe, he looked at how Europeans fed birds and decided to introduce this idea into Russia.

At first, people were forced to make birdhouses by order, this innovation gradually took root, as people liked the gentle chirping of birds, and it gave people pleasure to watch the bustle of birds around their offspring.

It would seem like pampering, but such a neighborhood brought positive results for the garden, since the birds perfectly destroyed insect pests.

But in order for the birds to settle on the site, it is necessary to take care of the bird house in advance.

Currently, during the season you can buy any house to your taste.

They offer “couture villas” for every taste.

But it’s much more interesting to make a bird house with your children.

The house for birds should not be large; if the house is large, then the bird may lay too many eggs and the parents will not be able to feed such a large family.

The offspring will grow up weak, and in late summer - early autumn the birds will have to fly to warm countries, and the weak bird will not reach its destination.

In addition to the issue of feeding the chicks, the question of the weak immunity of the offspring is acute, since all sorts of illnesses, such as “bird flu,” stick to weak chicks.

And if the house is right, then only two or three chicks will grow in a cramped house, but they will be strong and healthy birds.

That is why birdhouses are built with a height of approximately 30-35 cm, the bottom usually has a square shape with a size of 16x16 cm, the hole for the bird to fly in is located at 1/4 of the total height, with a diameter of 4-5 cm, the roof has a mandatory slope, which prevents water from entering the birdhouse.

How to hang a birdhouse correctly

The house can be hung on any deciduous tree, it can be strictly vertical, or it can be tilted slightly forward.

The hole for birds to fly in should be directed to the south, east or southeast - this way there is protection from the cold wind from the north.

The bird house can be located at a height of at least three meters from the ground.

Take pity on your living tree, so do not nail the birdhouse, but rather tie it with wire.

In case of absence tall tree on the site, the birdhouse can be mounted on a strong three-meter pole.

How to protect a bird's house from a cat

It is common knowledge that cats are excellent bird hunters.

A cat is a predator, and at the same time a very dexterous, brave and jumping animal, capable of catching a bird on the fly.

Your task is to protect the bird's house from the cat.

To prevent the cat from getting to the birdhouse, hang it very high on a tree or around the tree trunk, fasten (if possible) an apron made of metal or plywood 30-40 cm wide, parallel to the ground.

And if you hang a birdhouse on a pole, then attach a plywood circle with a diameter of 45-50 cm below the birdhouse, in the middle of the pole - cats are not able to overcome such an obstacle.

How many bird houses can you hang in one area?

If you want to attract starlings to your site, then for these birds you need to place one birdhouse per 20-25 acres.

If there are a lot of birdhouses, the birds will begin to compete with each other and as a result, they may all leave the area.

Don't rely too much on starlings to protect your garden from pests.

Starlings are cute, funny birds, they sing wonderfully, but in July they will all leave together and fly away to the fields, since there is a lot of food for them and they will feed there until late autumn, before they fly away.

The blue tit and great tit are birds with a pugnacious character and therefore there should not be many houses for them either.

There can be quite a lot of houses for wagtails and flycatchers, as these birds are excellent pest control assistants.

Pied Flycatcher.

Tits, blue tits, and wagtails manage to raise and feed 2-3 broods over the summer; such a number of chicks requires a lot of food, which means your garden is always under control.

Preparing the bird house for move-in

Autumn and winter are the time to care for birdhouses.

You can treat the inside of the houses with boiling water or a solution of potassium permanganate.

If there are children in the family, do all the work from building the house to caring for it together with them.

Such works bring the family together well and pleasant memories remain in children's memories for a long time.

We build a nesting box using a chain saw with our own hands step by step

Let's build an exclusive nest-house, and for this we need:

chain Saw, better model with low impact;

sawhorses for sawing logs;

drill with a feather drill for wood;

• nails 70-80 mm;

• round timber, approximately 80-100 cm long, not coniferous.

Progress

First stage. Firmly fix the round timber on the trestles.

Second phase. Remove the core from the round timber; to do this, cut parallel to the left and right from the end of the round timber, to a depth of approximately 20 cm. Then turn the round timber on the trestle by 90* and repeat the same steps.

For this type of work, it is necessary to use a familiar saw, i.e. have skills to work with chain saw. Follow all safety precautions as this type of work poses an increased risk of kickback or kickback.

Third stage. We got the inside of the house, from the base side.

Now you need to separate the body of the house from the main round timber. To do this, at a distance of 30 cm from the bottom, you need to make a cut at an angle to tilt the roof.

Fourth stage. Use a saw to saw off a disk of wood 3 cm thick; to do this, make a vertical straight cut. This disk is the bottom of the bird's house.

Fifth stage. We are faced with the task of cutting a board for the roof. To do this, from the remains of the round timber, using two longitudinal cuts, from the central part of the round timber, we obtain a board 3 cm thick.

The length of the board should be approximately 3-4 cm greater than the diameter of the house. The roof vent is designed to prevent rain from entering the bird entry hole.

Sixth stage. Using a feather drill, we make a hole for entry. If you want to populate starlings, the diameter of the entry hole should be 45mm.

If you are preparing a house for a blue tit, the hole is 28 mm, for a great tit - 32 mm, for a wagtail - 40 mm.

Seventh stage. Nail the bottom of the birdhouse to the body.

Eighth stage. Secure the roof with nails. The hollow house is ready! We are waiting for a housewarming party.

If you want to decorate the birdhouse, you can paint it with gray or red water-based paint.

Remember that birds do not like the color green.

Do not use stains, nitro paints, varnish or impregnation.

Birds love only environmentally friendly material.

The same kind of nesting house can be built using an ax - this is the fastest house.

In the center of the round timber we split it into four parts.

Use an ax to remove sharp corners.

We fasten all four parts together with wire, fasten the bottom, roof, make a hole for entry - the house is ready.