How to make a bird nest. Duplyanka (artificial bird nests)
Many people remember how at labor lessons the boys learned how to make houses or bird feeders, which were then placed in the school garden, and the best craftsman was awarded with praise on the ruler. Today, such events are extremely rare. Our smaller brothers, living in the natural environment, do not always have the opportunity to independently equip themselves with a “place of residence”. By virtue of their capabilities, people are obliged to help them in this by inventing nest boxes, birdhouses, feeders and other architectural structures with their own hands. The article will talk about that. How to make a do-it-yourself hollow.
Everything that is done for animals or birds should be made exclusively from natural materials, reminiscent of the smell of the natural habitat, as close as possible to reality. The designs of titmouses of nest boxes should be simple without labyrinths and intricate passages. It does not matter what kind of bird will live in it. The main thing is that in such a “housing” she should be comfortable and cozy. 
Due to the fact that birds make nests, as a rule, during the period of incubation, the size of the nest should be large enough. The use of any paintwork materials is strictly prohibited. After all, the smell of chemistry will simply scare away the birds from such nesting, turning all efforts into the status of a simple craft.
Duplyanka do it yourself
Traditionally, a log or block of wood of any breed is used to make a nest box. This product can be made in three types:
- from a hollow tree with a bottom, which is additionally attached;
- slotted;
- drilled.
The easiest way to make a hollow is to use a log in which the core is rotten. If there is an intention to build a nesting place for birds with your own hands, you should stock up on patience, the necessary tools and raw materials.
Building a birdhouse is much easier and faster than a birdhouse. However, most birds prefer the latter option, thinking about the place of breeding their offspring. The explanation is pretty simple:
- this design is more like a hollow, the usual habitat of birds;
- the bottom area of the nest box is larger than that of a birdhouse with the same parameters;
- have a high rate of heat saving;
- when nesting in the forest, it is maximally disguised as a natural environment, as it is attached to a tree.
This is a rather important nuance, since protection of offspring from predators is the primary task of adult birds.
Special material investments in the creation of a nest box are not required. Having found one large log in the forest, you can make two or three nests for birds at a time. The best material is aspen log, although other types of wood are also suitable.
Before making a nest, you need to go in search of raw materials in the nearest forest. It is recommended to look closely at those fallen trees where the top layer of the bark is without much damage and cracks, and the core begins to rot and rot. If you manage to find such an instance, then it will not be difficult to build a nest box, because nature has already done half the work, and all that remains is to improve the nesting design.
Stages of work on creating a do-it-yourself house
- So, for work you will need: a saw or a hacksaw for wood, a chisel, a hammer, a drill, a drill, nails.
- The optimal log trunk diameter is 22 cm, excluding bark. If the log is long, then with the help of a saw, the trunk should be divided into logs. The optimal size of the nest box varies between 20-40 cm. It is best to remove the bark from the workpiece before starting work.
- The resulting logs are laid out and the condition of the core is assessed. Depending on how rotten the tree was already, a tool is determined for the next stage of work.
- They begin to make a hole from the middle of the log, gradually expanding its diameter. You need to be extremely careful, because closer to the edge the core is harder and you have to make an effort or use another tool. Almost all work can be done with a chisel. We must try to keep the internal space as round as possible. The thickness of the walls of the hollow is 1.5 - 2 cm.
- If the core of the log is still damp, then it is best to use other equipment - a drill and a drill (diameter not less than 20 mm). With an effort, it is necessary to drill holes around the entire perimeter, up to about half the log, not forgetting the wall thickness. Do the same on the other side of the log. Moreover, the holes should be located as close as possible to each other.
- Using the same drill, jumpers are removed, after which the core is removed from the log without much effort.
- Someone does it differently, instead of cutting it out, they simply burn out the hole in the hollow.
- Next, proceed to drilling the notch. Ideally, you need to choose a log where there is a small knot from a broken branch. If this knot is large enough, you can make a hole right in it, constructing a kind of entrance to the hollow. If its dimensions are small, then a little stepping back, a hole is drilled - a notch (8-10 cm in diameter).
- In order for the birds to be comfortable inside their nesting place, the interior space should be cleaned as much as possible from bumps and notches. This process begins to be carried out from the side where it is supposed to equip the bottom. With the help of a semicircular chisel, all defects are gradually removed. However, they do it in such a way that small chips remain on the trunk.
- It should turn out approximately as shown in the photo. This is a little secret and a kind of help to the chicks. Growing up, they seem to be able to get to the notch as if by stairs. Thus, the basis for the hollow is being prepared. It remains to make the bottom and roof.
Duplyanka photo
- So, the log is sawn into several logs. One of them will be used to make the bottom. To do this, carefully saw off a disk, the thickness of which can vary between 40-50 mm. Having placed the blank of the hollow on top, they trace the contour from the inside with a pencil, and cut it out very carefully. This is done a little on the cone, so that it holds better. They drive the bottom inside the hollow as far as possible, and the excess is cut off, leveling the surface.
- The birdhouse nest box is almost ready. It remains to build a roof and send to the habitat. The reserve log can be split in half and one of the parts used as a roofing. It is imperative that part of the wood should protrude forward, creating a kind of canopy that protects bird housing from precipitation all year round. To fix the roof, it is enough to drive two screws in such a way that the edges do not protrude inside the hollow.
How to attach a birdhouse to a tree
Having chosen a suitable tree, you can start fixing work. There are many mounting methods. Which one will be chosen depends on the availability of fixtures and the necessary equipment.
- Some people tie the nests with ropes to a tree, others nail a nesting plank to the back wall of the nesting plank, which is then attached to the trunk with longer nails.
- A logical question may arise - on which side of the tree is it better to attach a hollow. Tree branches hold back natural precipitation. If there is an intention to hang a nest box in an open area, then you should first analyze the main direction of wind movement in a particular region.
- It will take quite a bit of time and a couple of birds will definitely settle in a do-it-yourself nest box to hatch offspring.
Birdhouse for birds in the backyard
- Nesting sites such as nest boxes are made in large enough quantities and placed on the territory of nature reserves. Several things happen at the same time:
- cleaning the forest from old trees;
- masterful execution of "houses" for a variety of birds.
- As a rule, hanging nest boxes begins in frosty February, when many birds that live in our area, as well as nomads, begin to search for nests. Therefore, their production should be started in advance. It is best to collect logs in the fall, when the trees have already shed their foliage.
- Natural material, which does not need to be subjected to all sorts of treatments, is an excellent raw material for the construction of hollows. After a short period of time, the wood will darken, which will serve as an additional disguise. After all, such nesting will simply become part of the tree.
- In addition to natural aging, the nest box may be subject to other destructive circumstances. For example, a woodpecker constantly makes adjustments to the location of the notch. Quite often it is used exclusively for the night by many species of migratory birds. Sometimes families of wild bees settle in such constructions.
- Nothing is eternal. Therefore, with a certain frequency, the nest box should be updated, changing the old rotten ones to new ones. They are placed not only in forests or plantings, but also on the territory of their own personal plot. Of course, the location should be away from home. Birds do not tolerate close proximity to people. And since such a pet as a cat lives in every yard, the “house” for birds should be fixed as high as possible, limiting the possibility of access for a pet.
- In addition, when choosing a raw material for construction, it is worth paying attention to the condition of the log by examining the log for the presence of all kinds of bark beetles and larvae. Of course, for a woodpecker, such a neighborhood will only be a joy. But this can cause the destruction of the hollow before the allotted period of operation.
- Large birds fly into such nests extremely rarely. The main residents are smaller species such as tits, sparrows, starlings, nuthatches and others. They settle there in the hope of raising their offspring.
- Of course, human imagination has no limits. If you wish, you can make housing for birds from any material that is at your disposal. In one case, it turns out to be a kind of hotel complex, in the other - a house for one family.
- In order to make at least one nest box, you will need to spend more than one day. Haste in this matter is unacceptable. All stages should be performed with special attention, honing your skills. Already on the third - fourth time it will turn out much better. To speed up the process of drilling an internal hole, you can use a well drill of a suitable diameter.
- It is very important to try to avoid cracks in the log and close the bottom and roof as tightly as possible. This is very important if the region has severe winters with blizzards and snowstorms. Fastening must be secure.
- Before you start making a nest, you need to properly organize your workspace. It is advisable to take, for example, a workshop for this, so that the necessary tools are always at hand. In addition, it will be possible to work at any time of the day, regardless of weather conditions.
- If there is a desire to start building not one, but several hollows, you need to pick up logs of the right size and quality in advance. It will not be superfluous to stock up on backup logs, because anything can happen in the process of work.
- Working in pairs is always more interesting and faster. Involving children in the process will allow not only to accustom them to useful work, but also to acquaint them with curious facts from the life of birds. Nature lessons with practical skills will benefit all households. Cohesion in the family is the key to mutual understanding in everything.
- Another important point is the placement of nest boxes on the plot. In addition to excellent singing, nesting birds, in search of food for their chicks, will clean the garden or garden from all sorts of insects, larvae, insects and other pests.
All that is required for this is to devote a little of your precious time to making birdhouses, feeders, hollows. In addition, unity with nature also brings peace of mind.
Good afternoon, Semenych! Please tell us how to do it yourself, what to look for. If possible, with diagrams.
Sincerely, Sergey, Podolsk.
Hi Sergey from Podolsk!
And again about our smaller brothers, including, and above all, about birds.
The ancestors of birds in the form of flying dinosaurs and lizards appeared on our planet much earlier than our loved ones, but only now we have outstripped their current descendants in our intelligence. Such is life, as the French say.
Natural shelters and nests of birds are very diverse. What kind of structures do birds not have!
Various crevices and holes, breaks and openings, woven from twigs and leaves, moss and foliage, nests that have only one hole or completely open nests, when birds protect their chicks only with their bodies, which is not in nature!
Nesting places built in hollows of trees stand apart. Holes in the form of fallen branches from tree trunks often lead into the inside of the trunks. The very core of the tree is sometimes already rotten, and the walls of the trunk are so strong that they may not collapse at all for hundreds of years. What many birds use. And sometimes, regardless of their belonging to one or another variety of flying brethren.
It should be said that not only birds use tree hollows. With large diameters of trees (and they can reach several meters!) bears, squirrels, wasps, wild bees can settle here.
Large individuals of eagle owls also love such dwellings, not to mention the smaller brethren.
Birdhouses made of edged boards are also a good thing, but nest boxes are a class higher, they fit more naturally into the surrounding nature.
Homemade hollows, the very ones that you can imitate, copy from natural ones, are usually an unskinned tree trunk that has no insides. The thickness of the walls can be from a couple of centimeters to five, or even more. The height of the nest box can also vary widely from 15 - 20 centimeters to half a meter.
The bottom of the hollow is usually made at right angles to its walls, but the roof must have a certain bevel-slope so that precipitation in the form of rain, dew and other moisture does not linger on it.
Both the bottom and the roof are often made simply from edged boards with a thickness of 25 to 50 millimeters. If necessary, to increase the area of \u200b\u200bthe bottom and roof, several boards are joined. Then the width of the roof and bottom increases.
But a special chic is when the roof of the hollow is made from a slab board, that is, it has a small bend in its upper part covered with bark.
All kinds of paints and coatings are not recommended for the construction of hollows. After all, in the wild they do not happen in the nesting places of birds. So it’s not worth using these compounds in homemade products.
Of course, it's best when you can find a block of wood or a piece of log with no core in it. This is often possible when you go to the forest, forest plantations. One has only to remember to take a hacksaw with you to saw off the desired size of the scrap.
In urban conditions, it is not uncommon when old trees are felled and it is possible to pick up what you need.
But if there is nothing suitable, then do not despair. It is enough to have only a piece, in which there is also a core. The rest, as they say, is a matter of technique.
Of course you will need a tool. For this purpose, first of all, you need a hacksaw, because not everyone has a chain saw. A hammer, a chisel (preferably semi-circular), an ax, an electric drill will also come in handy.
Sometimes nails, self-tapping screws, a hook, a metal strip with a width of 2 centimeters and above (these are usually used in containers - wooden boxes), up to a meter long are needed as an addition.
The simplest nest box is constructed as follows. After you have found the desired piece of tree trunk (of any breed, if it has a hollow), then saw off a block of wood about 20 - 25 centimeters long. Diameter - about 20 centimeters.
With an electric drill with a drill, better than what is called a pen (diameter 20 - 32 mm), you drill out excess wood. With a semicircular chisel, you correct the walls of the hollow.
Then you drill or punch a hole in the side surface with a diameter of 3 to 5 centimeters so that the bird has somewhere to fly into.
You make a cover, as mentioned above, from a cut board (boards) or a slab. Screw it on top of the hollow to the walls. In the middle, screw in a purchased hook, or bend a nail in the form of a hook and fasten it. Make the bottom and fasten it too. All. Hang on a tree and wait for the tenants.
If it is difficult to make this option, and no hole in the trunk is observed, then the block of wood is split with an ax into two (or four parts), with a chisel you select the core. Fold the detached parts into a single whole, fasten with a metal tape along the outer surface with cloves or self-tapping screws.
Do the roof and bottom as in the previous case.
A real do-it-yourself birdhouse and completely invisible, if you don’t look closely, is the pinnacle of perfection. And if you do this, although you can do it simpler, it will be a matter of your pride. And if your children or grandchildren take part in its manufacture, they will remember it for a lifetime. And they will become a little kinder, and it is worth a lot!
And if there is no way to make a nest box or the same birdhouse, then in extreme cases you can buy those, the birds will be grateful to you.
It is preferable to make home-made dwellings for birds in winter, since spring is just around the corner, and it takes time to make or buy.
Attracting birds to the site is both useful and enjoyable. It is useful because they destroy pests, it is pleasant to listen to their singing and observe the behavior of birds. Therefore, many come up with the idea - to build a birdhouse with their own hands. People over 40 years old, while they can remember their school years: at the lessons of labor, the boys made houses for birds. But not only site owners make birdhouses. Often residents of apartment buildings hang them on trees near the house, on balconies and loggias.
Birdsong wants to be planted in pride
What to do
The answer is unequivocal - from wood, and hardwood: conifers are too resinous. Resin can stain the plumage, leading to the death of the bird. Do not use plywood, chipboard or OSB. Rarely does anyone settle in such birdhouses: glue and binders scare away birds. For the same reason, we assemble and fasten blanks only on 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 sufficient to maintain a stable temperature inside, which is important when hatching chicks. Moreover, the boards are needed unplaned, in any case, the inner surface should be rough. The front part under the notch is also specially scratched: along these notches, chicks and birds rise to the notch.
The wall under the notch is additionally scratched
To prevent cracking of the boards 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 of birds, the size of the house should change. The proportions of the “body” itself and the letok change mainly. The task is to create more familiar nesting conditions for this species.
| bird species | Bottom dimensions | Birdhouse height | Notch dimensions | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starlings | 10*10 cm | 30-40 cm | about 5 cm | letok is preferable to a round shape |
| Sinichnik - tits, flycatchers, redstarts, sparrows, owls | 10-12 cm | 25-30 cm | 30-35mm | notch round |
| Small titmouse or flycatcher (flycatcher, redstart) | 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 | letok - a longitudinal slot in 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. It's not worth making birdhouses anymore. They will stimulate to lay more 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, will die.
Which birds settle in which birdhouses
If you want to attract wagtails, make a birdhouse laid on its side: it will be 10-12 cm high and 35-40 cm wide, with the same small entrance located approximately in the middle. Wagtails have weak legs, and they cannot climb the high wall to the entrance. Therefore, such a choice of nesting. in the wagtail, it is also desirable to make a trapik about 10 cm wide in front of the entrance - so that they can enter on foot.
Birdhouse for wagtails
Some explanation is required for the half-hollow. Some birds are used to nesting not in hollows, but in depressions between branches. In a completely closed artificial nesting place, they rarely settle. If you want to attract, for example, a gray flycatcher, make it a small box in which the notch goes the entire width of the front wall.
Half-hollow for the gray flycatcher
Just keep in mind that some types of squirrels also like to settle in such houses.
There is another nesting place that birds often like more - the nest box. This is a birdhouse, hollowed out from a piece of log. Often a dried tree is sawn into logs of a suitable size, turning it into apartments for birds. The height and diameter are selected based on the dimensions that were indicated for an ordinary birdhouse. The bottom and roof in the hollow are made from a piece of board.
Duplyanka - a birdhouse made of logs
It's a shame and a pity when the nests of birds are ruined. Cats are mainly engaged in this, and even woodpeckers. Therefore, when you make a birdhouse with your own hands, increase the overhang of the roof. 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 notch. To do this, the roof should 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 chances 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 it won’t work to sit comfortably - they won’t give nails.
Make the ledge of the roof bigger so that the cat cannot reach the chicks with its paw
There are several ways to protect chicks from woodpeckers:
- beat the notch with tin:
- drive a few nails around the notch;
- nail an overlay made of wood on the notch area, the fibers of which run horizontally.
All this will prevent the woodpecker from expanding the notch and getting to the eggs or chicks. The last trick - the overlay - will also complicate the task for the cat: it is more difficult to reach the chick through a long entrance.
Measures against enemies: 1 - from woodpeckers, 2.3 - from cats
They are still saved 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 an accuracy of 3-4 cm. Then the animals will not be able to jump over the protective belts. There should not be knots, feeders and other possible supports between them and the birdhouse.
Where to hang
Where to hang a birdhouse is also a science. If they gathered to hoist on a tree, then at a height of at least 2.5-3 meters. There should not be paths or busy metas near the selected tree - a well, a bench, etc.
You also need to choose the right place.
When choosing a place on a tree, keep in mind that there should not be large branches in front of the entrance: the approach should be free. At the same time, you need to deploy it so that the “window” looks south. All this increases the chances that tenants will settle in your birdhouse.
Another point: you need to tie or nail so that the “house” is tilted slightly forward. So it will be easier for the chicks to get out, and less rain will clog.
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 non-planed hardwood boards with a thickness of 20 mm or more. To avoid splinters, it is better to work with gloves. We cut the blanks according to the drawing. Try to keep the saw cuts even and at a right angle: there should be no gaps. Immediately after hatching, the chicks are without plumage, and the slightest draft can kill them. Therefore, all edges must be even.
Birdhouse drawing with dimensions
We take long thin nails - diameter 1.5-2 mm, length 4-5 cm and a hammer. We start assembly. We nail the sidewalls to the front part at a right angle. For each - three or four nails.
We start building a birdhouse
Turning the workpiece upside down, take the bottom, insert it, align it. We nail to the sides. From above we cover with a back wall, we also nail. Do not forget about the connection of the back wall with the sidewalls.
Insert the bottom and nail the back wall
Turning the notch up, we nail the bottom also from this side. It remains to assemble the roof. We take the remaining square - a 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.
We assemble and install the roof
The roof just needs to fit snugly. If something interferes, we earn money with a chisel. That's all, the birdhouse is ready with your own hands.
Birds will adapt without a perch
Often a perch is installed under the entrance. Is she needed or not? If there are enough branches around, it is 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, see the video
We make a nest box - a birdhouse from a log
If the feathered people have a choice - to settle in a nest box or a birdhouse made of boards - they will choose a nest box. It is more like the usual "housing" - a hollow, it has no slots on the sides and, therefore, it is warmer. They are less noticeable on the tree, which means more chances to grow offspring. This is a plus from the bird's point of view. Now about the pluses from the point of view of "producers": a fallen tree is used, and it is free. If you find a suitable one, it will be enough for a large number of birdhouses. About the minuses - making hollows is longer and more difficult: you have to manually pick out the core, leaving the walls intact.
From nest to flight
Now about how to find a suitable tree. Aspen is best suited: it usually rots from the inside, and remains hard along the outer edge. Therefore, we go in search of an aspen forest, and there, among the fallen trees, we look for a suitable one: we cut several trunks. It is important to find with a whole edge and a rotten middle - the work will go faster.
It is desirable to find such an aspen - with a rotten core, but strong edges
Often such trees have rotten bark, which makes them look unsightly. We clean off the bark, pull the log to the dacha or to the house. There we cut into logs of a suitable size. Dimensions are determined by the diameter. For a birdhouse, the inner diameter of the nest box should be 22-30 cm, respectively, the outer diameter should be 27-36 cm.
The height of the block of wood also depends on the type of house - a titmouse 20-40 cm high (but they are more likely to settle in low ones), a birdhouse - from 30 to 45 cm. For the manufacture of roofs and bottoms, you will need trimming boards, you can use unedged and slabs.
We take a cut off block of wood and begin to pick the core with a chisel. The task is to dig a through hole. After that, even hard wood is easier to chip. 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 ends quickly, then you have to chip off pieces of wood with a chisel and a hammer or mallet. But with a hole in the center, it is much easier - longitudinal pieces are chipped off, work goes on at a normal speed.
We work with a chisel and a hammer
The walls should remain about 1.5-3 cm. We try to work out the middle more or less smoothly, without large chips. When the walls are selected, we make a notch. If there is a knot, you can hollow it out. Or take a bark and a drill, drill in a suitable place. If there is no crown, we take an ordinary drill, drill holes in a circle, then, using the same chisel, we cut through the remaining jumpers.
Do-it-yourself birdhouse from a log is almost ready
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 as close to the walls as possible.
We attach the bottom
It remains to nail the roof. The same board or slab will do. Before screwing in the self-tapping screw, drill holes, otherwise the board may split.
We attach the roof
Actually, you have already made a birdhouse with your own hands, it remains to protect it from woodpecker attacks. If there are knots on the walls, it is advisable to coat them with plasticine (regular, for children). They can also close up the gaps that remain between the bottom and the roof and the walls: it is rarely possible to fit everything clearly. If you do not want to cover with plasticine, you can caulk with a hemp rope. It is applied to the slot, 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” they should be bought ...). If it "goes" badly, you can knock on the handle with a hammer.
Caulking "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. For birds, this is good - 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 the appearance, the birdhouse can be painted, but you need to choose “natural” colors - brown, gray, shades of green. Do you want your birds to survive? This means that their nest must be masked, and not painted in all the colors of the rainbow, attracting all possible predators.
This is what the wood looks like after a couple of months
Interestingly decorated nest box
Creative can also be safe for birds))
Variants of creative hollows
If such a house is hung on a birch, it will be invisible
unusual shape
And this one is just ideal - no gaps in the floor))
Sinichnik is inhabited
Beautiful decoration and disguise
We hope that now you can not only make a birdhouse with your own hands, but also competently (from the point of view of birds) decorate it.
Dimensional drawings
Some drawings of birdhouses are in the text, we post a few more in this section. Correcting the dimensions for the planned "residents" is probably not a problem. Also note that the layout is given for a board with a thickness of 2 cm. If the thickness is increased or decreased, adjustments are necessary.
Birdhouse with a triangular roof: drawing, dimensions
Birdhouse with a triangular roof: layout by detail
Sloped roof birdhouse (front wall higher)
Attracting birds to your local area is a pleasant and rewarding 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 our article.
Raw Materials
The starting material is exclusively wood. It is recommended to use wood only from deciduous trees, as conifers emit resin, which can lead to the premature death of a feathered tenant.
You can not make birdhouses for birds from plywood sheets, chipboard and OSB. Glue and special impregnation contained in such materials discourage feathered guests.
As a result, the assembly and fastening of blanks should be carried out only with nails and self-tapping screws, without the use of adhesive composition.
Usually, for the manufacture of a birdhouse made of wood, non-planed boards are used, with a thickness of at least 2 cm. This thickness allows you to maintain a constant temperature inside the bird house.
In order to prevent cracks from appearing on the boards during 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 which birds it is intended for. Different types of birdhouses differ in their proportions and the length of the notch.
For example, for starlings, the required dimensions are: 10 × 10 × 40 cm, letok - 5 cm. For tits and flycatchers, sparrows - 10 × 12 × 30 cm, letok - 3-3.5 cm.
Usually only the height of the birdhouse changes.
Half-hollows can also attract squirrels.
Some birds prefer to settle in nest boxes-birdhouses, made from a part of a log by gouging. The bottom and roof of such structures are made of boards.
To make the birdhouse habitable again, it is necessary to pull out the old nesting place from it and scald it with boiling water. An additional measure may be treatment with potassium permanganate.
How to make a birdhouse a safe home
To avoid ruining the birdhouse by cats and woodpeckers, you can take the following measures:
- Increase the roof overhang;
- Poke the roof with nails;
- Finish the notch with a tin sheet;
- Fill around the notch with nails;
- Attach a wooden overlay with horizontally arranged fibers near the notch;
- Make special protective belts from tin strips or from "brooms", while it is necessary to strictly adhere to the required distances between them.
Important: there should be no knots, feeders and other likely 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 desirable that busy paths pass near these places and benches are located.
Note!
When choosing a place on a tree, it is necessary to take into account that there are no large branches near the notch. You need to install the birdhouse facing south so that there is a slight forward tilt.
Making a birdhouse
It is necessary to take raw hardwood boards with a thickness of at least 2 cm. Gloves are also required. Next, we take the drawings of the birdhouse 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. We start assembly. We apply the side parts to the facade at an angle of 90 ° and nail it. It is recommended to use 3-4 nails for each.
We turn over, install the bottom, nail it to the sides. Next, we insert the back wall and also fix it with nails with a bottom and side parts.
We flip again. We fix the bottom on the other side. We install the roof in such a way that the overhang is at least 5 cm. Preferably 10 cm. We nail it.
Note!
We examine 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 a variety of ideas on how to make a birdhouse in the country or near your home.
Some of them are very unusual. Therefore, feel free to make houses for birds.
After all, the original birdhouse can become a real decoration of your garden.
Note!
DIY birdhouse photo
With the onset of spring, a fairly large number of birds return to gardens and parks after wintering in the southern regions, including starlings, robins, and flycatchers. The main task of birds at this time of the year is breeding, which implies the need to create nests. In the conditions of noisy and large cities, it is very difficult for birds to find a suitable place to carry out this mission. One of the options for helping a person in this case will be the creation of birdhouses made of wood with their own hands, which will also act as original decorations for adjacent territories.
To make a reliable and durable birdhouse that can attract the attention of birds, it is advisable to use natural materials. The best option would be dry and unplaned boards made of oak or linden, the thickness of which is about 20–30 mm. A material of this size will provide winged residents with a sufficient level of sound insulation, and will also allow them to keep warm. If the selected boards have a smooth surface, one of the sides should be covered with notches, and also treated with coarse-grained emery. This will help in the future young chicks to freely get out when the time comes to stand on the wing.
It is advisable to refuse the wood of coniferous trees, as it has a pungent odor and resinousness, which repels some species of birds.
You should not use any types of plywood for the manufacture of birdhouses, because due to its thinness it will not be able to provide the birds with the required conditions. In addition, fiberboard, OSB and chipboard containing harmful compounds and emitting phenol vapors are very dangerous materials. And when using MDF, the design you created will quickly deteriorate from moisture.
For the manufacture of birdhouses, it is allowed to choose a variety of decks of deciduous trees, the length of which should be 25–40 cm with a diameter of 15 cm or more. Their houses are ideal for most birds that prefer to nest in hollows. It is best to give preference to aspen wood, which is soft, which will greatly facilitate the processing process. In such a cozy and environmentally friendly dwelling, the number of dead chicks will be minimized.
As for the tools, to create a house you will need the following:
Safety
Options for birdhouses made of wood (with drawings, photos and videos)
Before proceeding with the creation of a birdhouse, it is necessary to determine in advance for whom it will be intended. The fact is that each species of bird makes its own requirements for a nesting place. The main types of birdhouses are as follows:
The main structure of the birdhouse is a cavity with a blank bottom and a removable top, as well as with a bird-friendly entrance equipped with a landing area. The size of such a wooden dwelling depends on the type of its inhabitants.
Classic starling house
A drawing of a classic birdhouse for starlings is shown in the diagram below.
A classic birdhouse is made according to this drawing
Before starting the assembly of such a structure, it is necessary to transfer the contours of all parts to pre-prepared wooden materials. On the front wall of the future bird house, you need to draw a notch, using a compass. Then cut out the parts using a jigsaw, and then use a milling cutter or drill to create a tap hole of the desired size.
The dwelling for starlings is distinguished by its size, which allows these rather big birds to feel comfortable. The height of the house for them should be from 30 to 35 cm, while the size of the bottom is supposed to be no more than 15x15 cm, since excessive space is not needed. A notch with a diameter of 50 mm must be placed at a distance of 15–20 cm from the bottom. This will provide additional security for the chicks.
Such a neat birdhouse will not only serve as a home for birds, but also decorate the garden.
Assembly algorithm:
It is desirable to fasten these parts of the structure with screws or nails, which will provide it with the necessary strength.
Next, the back wall and bottom are fixed to the workpiece.
As a result of the manipulations, we will get the workpiece shown in Figure 3.
An almost finished design without a lid looks like this
You can choose a perch for a birdhouse to your taste
To install the roof, you need to provide it with a sleeve
The result is a nice design, made according to all the rules.
The end result of the work done
When connecting the parts of the birdhouse to each other, you need to take care of the absence of gaps. To do this, it is recommended to smear the joints with clay or caulk with tow. In addition, you should pay attention to the protruding nails inside the structure. They must be bent so that they do not injure the birds.
Video: How to make a home for starlings with your own hands?
Sinichnik
The house intended for tits should be 50 cm deep and 14 cm wide. The optimal diameter of its notch is 3 cm. If tit tits become the inhabitants of the titmouse, the hole should be made no more than 2.5 cm - this will save future chicks from being attacked by larger birds.
It is advisable to pour sawdust on the bottom of the house, and paint the inner walls in dark colors using an ordinary pencil. When scaring away unexpected guests, tits use the “monster eye” demonstration technique, which is played by white spots on their head. The dark space surrounding the bird will help it cope with this task most effectively.
The resulting house should be hung at a height of no more than 2-4 meters. It is attached to hardwood trees with a dense crown.
Such titmouses will certainly appreciate their potential feathered inhabitants.
A feature of this type of birdhouse is the presence of a platform at the entrance itself, about 10 cm wide. The length of the horizontal wall of the structure should be from 25 to 30 cm, and the width should be 14 cm at a height of 10–12 cm.
Such houses can be placed not only on a tree, but also under the roof, as well as on the top of the fence.
The wagtail is slightly different from the usual birdhouse species.
duplyanka
The special attention of most species of birds is attracted by nest boxes made from different types of wood. Such natural birdhouses can often be found in forests and parks, and not only small birds, but also owls and owls become their inhabitants. The design of the nest box is very simple, due to which this type of bird houses is especially popular. To create such a dwelling, you will need a log of a suitable size, an ax or an electric saw.
You can make a hollow, guided by the presented drawing
Step-by-step instructions for making a hollow:
To protect the roof of the hollow from moisture, it is desirable to cover it with roofing material.
Video: Making a hollow
The nuances of the design of birdhouses
By making a birdhouse, you can provide it with an original design. Beautifully designed bird houses will decorate your garden, but when decorating them, you should follow the measure. The birdhouse itself should not attract the special attention of predators, and also scare away potential residents with too bright design.
When working on the design of a bird house, it is dangerous to abuse decorative rustling and shiny elements. They will only scare away the birds.
In addition, bird houses need additional protection from unexpected guests who can climb a tree and extract chicks from the nest. A variety of overlays on the tree trunk will help to avoid this - for example, made from dry branches, wire, metal sheets.
When to hang wooden bird houses?
Traditionally, birdhouses are installed in spring for migratory birds returning to their native lands after wintering in hot countries, and in autumn, for wintering in the same place. Spring guests usually return with the onset of March, so if your birdhouse is hung on Folk Bird Day (March 9), it will certainly be populated by long-awaited residents.
When choosing the most suitable place, you should pay attention to the location of the cardinal points. The letok of the house should be oriented to the southeast, this will allow the starlings to be the first to meet the rays of the morning sun. The best place for a bird's dwelling will be trees with a dense crown and sufficient height. However, wagtails will like a house attached under the roof of a house or a shed more, and tits will be happy to settle on an open balcony or under the ceiling of a veranda.