For bird lovers, one easy to make project that can be placed in the back yard for bird watching enjoyment is a bird house. Often people will build more than one type of bird house so that different species of birds will be attracted to nest in the yard. There are many free bird house plans that can be obtained from different bird society websites as well as different nature lover sites and magazines. These bird house plans usually have step by step instructions for making a particular kind of bird house as well as instructions as to where to place the bird house to best attract a particular species of bird. There are some birds that use other bird’s nests for their own, so these birds are in particular need of bird houses since it makes it easier for them to find a place for their own nests. Bluebirds are one of these species and their population has been dying out since it is becoming harder for them to find a home in the growing suburban sprawl.
Materials and Placement Required For Bird House Plans
The bird house plans will usually be designed for a particular species of bird since there are different requirements for every type. There is some overlap; however, so one type of bird house plans might work for several different species of small birds while another type of plan might work for several species of larger birds. The wood for the bird houses should be something that will naturally deter insects from getting into it, such as cedar. In this way, the birds will not be deterred from nesting there because of the insect pests.
The bird house plans will also often have instructions about placing the bird house on top of a pole or other mounted area so that predators are not as easily able to get into the bird house. Cats, raccoons and squirrels will often climb trees to be able to get into the bird house and grab some eggs for a treat. If the bird house is placed on a pole, it is less easy for these creatures to access the home and get the eggs or baby birds. In addition, the bird house plans will also say how high to mount the bird house so that other predators cannot get into it but it can still be accessed by the person to see the development in the nest.
There are some bird house plans that will allow individuals to open the front of the box to see the nestlings within and watch the entire process of nesting from beginning to end. Some of these have a front that opens on hinges and has a plastic clear interior so that the nest is not disturbed but allows individuals to see within.