There are few bird-watching experiences more rewarding than setting up a birdhouse and having a pair of birds select it as their home to raise young. Get ready for an adventure as you witness the awe-inspiring life cycle of birds. But setting up a successful birdhouse isn't as simple as "build it and they will come." There are several key factors to consider as you choose a birdhouse.
Many backyard birds will not use a birdhouse or nest box including popular specifies like cardinals, orioles and goldfinches. But enough birds do nest in birdhouses to make it worthwhile to set up a few to see what happens.
About 30 bird species in each region of the country are so-called cavity nesters, which means that most of them will also use a birdhouse. Bluebirds, purple martins, house wrens, chickadees, tree swallows and house sparrows are the most common birds that nest in houses. Attracting birds like wood ducks, screech-owls, woodpeckers, titmice and nuthatches may also be possible.
When birds nest on your property and raise their young, it’s so gratifying. “It’s the ultimate standard of success,” said Robyn Bailey, project leader of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s NestWatch program. “And it brings a greater diversity of birds to your backyard.” Continue reading from Birds&Blooms
All About Birdhouses (NestWatch, The Cornwell Lab of Ornithology)
Nest Structures for Wildlife (Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection)
How to Make a DIY Bluebird House (Birds&Blooms)
How to Build an Easy 1-Board Birdhouse (Lowe's)
Choose the Right Birdhouse (The National Wildlife Federation)
How to Hang a Birdhouse and Mount a Nesting Box (the Spruce)
