Attracting Birds with the Perfect Bird House: Tips for Effective Design

Watching beautiful birds in your backyard can be a relaxing and therapeutic experience. However, attracting these stunning avian creatures takes a little extra effort, and one of the best ways to attract them is to build the perfect birdhouse.

This article contains vital design tips to help you build an avian haven that brings all kinds of birds into your backyard.

Importance of an Attractive Birdhouse

Making a birdhouse attractive is more than just vibrant colors. Birds require shelter, warmth, and a place to raise their young, among others.

Unfortunately, most birdhouses are not built properly, so they lack space and other necessary features to attract birds. So, if you’ve been trying to captivate birds to no avail, it probably has to do with the birdhouse you currently have.

Tips for Creating the Most Effective Bird Design

Having a birdhouse on your property does not automatically mean birds will use it. In order to have birds flocking to your birdhouse, you need to provide all the necessities for them to survive. Here are some tips you can use to create the perfect birdhouse.

Find the Best Location

One of the most important factors in attracting birds is setting up your birdhouse in the right location. For one, you need to ensure the birdhouse is visible and easy to access.

Keep in mind that different locations attract different birds based on openness, height, and closeness to food.

For instance, having your birdhouse close to a water supply or a pond will attract Tree Swallows. Also, facing your birdhouse towards an open field will attract Bluebirds.

Additionally, birds are especially picky when it comes to nesting areas, so it can be tricky to find the best spot to set up your birdhouse. That said, most prefer a high enough space far away from predators and other dangers.

Ultimately, it is best to research and find out what location attracts the kind of birds you want in your backyard and then build your birdhouse accordingly.

Color is Essential

Colors play a huge role in attracting birds to the birdhouse. Choose earthy colors like green, brown, purple, and gray. Some birds like vibrant colors such as red and yellow, but be careful because some birds may see them as a sign of danger.

According to Birding Insider, a DIY birdhouse is a great idea, so consider painting certain designs, like fruits and flowers, on the entrance to the birdhouse. However, ensure to use non-toxic paint.

There’s a high chance that you’ve seen a bird fly into a window. To prevent this from happening in your yard, you can place stickers or decals on your window. These placements will help stop birds from mistaking your window for the open sky.

Size and Design Matter

Birdhouses come in various shapes and sizes, and these variations attract a diverse range of birds.

Thus, if you want to invite bigger birds like woodpeckers, you need to build birdhouses with bigger interior spaces and larger entrance holes. On the other hand, if prefer smaller birds like wrens, you need to build smaller, cozy homes.

In some cases, birds like Purple Martins prefer to live close to other Purple Martins, so you should consider building an apartment-like structure that can house multiple birds in close proximity.

A good idea would be to invest in a birdhouse containing removable entrance hole covers and walls to help you customize dimensions.

Just like picking the right location, you also need to research and learn about the best birdhouse to attract the species you want to view.

Pick the Right Material

Finding a comfortable place is one thing, but ensuring the space is safe is another. Birds require sturdy houses for nesting. Hence, you need to ensure you opt for materials that stand the test of time.

The best birdhouses are made from materials found in nature. So, stay away from materials with chemicals in them and opt for untreated wood (cedar and cypress) or recycled plastic.

Other Elements that Attract Birds

The birdhouse is not the only thing you can include in your backyard to draw in some feathery friends. Here are some other elements you can use to create an irresistible haven for these avian beauties.

Birdbaths and Bird Feeders

Water is a necessity for birds, so they would appreciate having a stable water source for bathing and drinking. So, including a birdbath is a surefire way to draw birds to your backyard.

Besides water, food is another necessity for birds. Consider installing bird feeders filled with nectar, suet, or seeds.

Timing

When you put up your birdhouse affects how many avian creatures you attract. During summer and spring, birds do not require shelter because natural resources are bountiful.

Therefore, if you hang your birdhouse during these periods, you might not find any birds coming around. The best time to hang your birdhouse is during winter or fall because these are the periods when they need shelter the most.

Diverse Planting

Grow native plants in your backyard to attract insects. These insects will act as a food source for several bird species and encourage more birds to visit.

Furthermore, a diverse range of plantings, such as trees, flowers, and shrubs, provide nesting areas for birds.

Conclusion

Now that you have gotten to the end of this article, you have all the knowledge you need to design the perfect birdhouse to captivate all kinds of birds.

Keep in mind that while aesthetics are important for birdhouses, it is not the only factor. You need to consider the basic necessities of birds, from providing water sources to keeping them safe.

With all that in mind, you can create a serene environment that attracts birds, keeps them safe, and provides the perfect view for you.