The fancy birdhouses available in the marketplace today lend themselves as functional works of art for the indoor or more frequently outdoor living space.
The vast selection available allows the bird lover to choose the perfect design(s) and proper accessories to compliment indoor decor and outdoor landscape and architecture. The visual features of these fancy birdhouses should match personal taste and the design should be functional for the specific type of bird(s) that the bird lover wishes to attract.
If you are looking to have a bird house look just like your home or lake house and you don’t have a deep desire for wild birds, then my recommendation is to make what looks like a really cool birdhouse, but don’t have any actual cavity openings. Instead just paint black circles where you would normally put an entry hole.
Indeed, many bluebirds would not make it through the year due to cold weather, predators, and increased competition for acceptable dwellings. By providing a bluebird house, you can help keep their population up. These bright blue birds can also be attracted to your yard by choosing berry-producing shrubs for planting in your yard.
Other birds that utilize bird houses/nest boxes or roosting boxes are: Titmice, Wrens, Chickadees, Nuthatches, Downy Woodpeckers, Purple Martins, Bluebirds, Owls, Tree and Violet Green Swallows, Barn Swallows and Phoebes, Flycatchers, and more.
In the dead of winter when temperatures are extreme, a larger space can be used to attract more birds to roost and stay warm. If you do decide to have more than your year round bird houses for bird shelter, you may try a larger bird roosting box. These boxes should use thicker wood to keep more heat in and an entrance lower to the bottom of the box, rather than toward the top of the box, may help keep it warmer. As the heat rises, it will be less likely to escape out of the lower entry hole. You may also want to use larger dimensions for the interior to accommodate more roosting birds with inside perches and scored interior walls for easy climbing. For safety, try to use a metal guard around the entrance holes to deter predators such as squirrels and raccoons. Also fewer air vent holes or gaps will help keep cold out and heat in. The same can be done by using your year round bird houses and just temporarily plugging or blocking ventilation holes to keep warmth in.
Other practical considerations when selecting a fancy birdhouse include: ventilation, drainage and cleaning access. Suitable ventilation holes near the top of the birdhouse help maintain fresh air, a dry house and prevent the nestlings from overheating in the summer. Drainage is also an important aspect since in a downpour most likely rain will get inside. Birdhouses should be equipped with inch drainage holes in the bottom. Nestlings can potentially drown in standing water if adequate drainage is not provided. Also look for a birdhouse that allows easy access to examine nestlings and clean out old nests after your birds have fled for the season.
In reality, wild birds are perfectly happy to take up residence in the hollow of a fallen tree if given the choice. The beautiful detail, elegance and character of today’s fancy birdhouses do much more to satisfy the aesthetic taste of the bird lover or the new home owner. The good news is that these truly functional works of art can satisfy both the bird lover and the birds! You must be aware of the practical considerations for attracting your favorite wild bird before you choose a piece to complement your outdoor living space or indoor decor.
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