Bird Houses Buying Guides

A bird house not only brings a charming piece of nature closer to you; it gives birds a safe place to nest. If you choose your bird house carefully, you'll get to enjoy the experience of watching birds prepare their nest and care for their eggs and chicks, and then you'll see the grand finale: the chicks' first flights! It's an engaging and awe-inspiring experience for both adults and children alike.

The Quick Scoop

Buying a bird house is generally a great idea. If tackled properly, it's good for the birds and fun for you as well. However, you need to do your research, because for an inexperienced buyer, there are a surprisingly large number of issues to consider. A bird house requires ventilation and drainage. It needs to be made of a material that is appropriate for birds and that won't absorb too much heat. It should also effectively keep predators out. An easy way to open it is a must, so that you can check on conditions, take a peek at your residents, and clean it out as needed.

The general rule is to buy a simple wood birdhouse designed for the comfort and safety of its guests. There are beautiful bird houses, often ornate, colorful and extremely appealing to humans, but these may actually be more suited for use as decorative knick-knacks. Of course, there are exceptions that combine both high levels of detail, beauty and craftsmanship with practicality and function, but it is best to be prepared with the facts so you can evaluate your choices carefully. Remember, the birds are beautiful, so perhaps the birdhouse doesn't have to be. And if a decorative but unpractical birdhouse truly catches your eye, you can use it as a lovely accent piece in a country-style kitchen or a rustic family room instead.

The Birds

Bird houses are designed to provide a sheltered spot for tree cavity-nesting birds that are building a nest. If a suitable natural nesting spot is not readily available, most cavity-nesting birds will readily settle in an appropriately placed and sized bird house. Other birds nest in tree branches, bushes, and reeds, and these will not nest in a bird house.

Here is a general list of tree-cavity nesting birds who may settle in a bird house: bluebirds, robins, chickadees, wrens, finches, flycatchers, warblers, nuthatches, titmice, brown creepers, tree and barn swallows, flicker and red-bellied woodpeckers, kestrels, and purple martins.

Each species will have some specific preferences regarding size of house, mounting height, size of entry opening and location. In this guide we will focus on the general safety and comfort issues common to most birds. Location and mounting height will probably be determined by what works within your outdoor space. You will want to have fairly easy access to the bird house for viewing and maintenance. Unless you are already an expert birder, part of the fun will be trying to identify the type of birds you're housing.

Structures

A bird house that is good for birds (as opposed to indoor decorative purposes) should meet the criteria outlined below. In general, a bird house should be fairly simple. Birds generally nest as one family unit. Because of this, they do not require a large space, and only need one entry opening. One exception worth noting are purple martins, who nest in groups. Because of this, houses for purple martins will need at least four rooms and openings.

As far as longevity goes, you can expect that a well-made wood bird house can last up to 10 years, and may fledge as many as 50 birds during that time.

Material

Wood is usually the best material for bird houses. It is durable, breathes, and provides good insulation. Thicker wood will help keep the temperature from getting too hot or cold inside. Since the material needs to be non-toxic to birds, it should not be painted, treated or stained inside. Besides wood, other suitable material options include pottery, gourds, and aluminum.

Ventilation/Drainage

Proper ventilation and drainage are key components in a good bird house. Ventilation allows air to circulate and prevents the interior from becoming too hot. Drainage is vital, since it keeps the baby birds from drowning during rain storms.

Maintenance Access

There should be an easy way for you to reach the inside for cleaning, maintenance, and taking a peek. Often the top or a side will be hinged for access.

Bird Entrance Hole

The entrance should be just big enough for the birds to get in. The smaller the hole, the better it will be at keeping predators out. Most species do well with an opening of one to two inches. There should be no perch in front of the hole. Birds don't need a perch and it only makes it easier for predators to reach in or wait for the nesting birds to fly out. Finally, an entrance hole should be at least five inches above the floor of the house, to help keep the nest safe from any predators who can manage to reach in.

Roof

The roof should extend a few inches over the entrance hole and have a good pitch to help keep rain out.

General Dimensions

For most species, a floor size of about four by four to eight by eight, with a house depth of about six to 15 inches, will work well. The major exceptions are purple martin houses, which, as mentioned, require several rooms.

Placement

When you are buying a bird house, make sure that it is easily mountable, since this is a necessity. For many species, a height off the ground of four to 10 feet is perfect, though some species, such as purple martins and some woodpeckers, prefer houses from 10 to 20 feet up. The best plan is to choose a height that works for you, since you will be the one maintaining it and enjoying the view.

Mounting options include hanging the house from a tree limb, or mounting it to a fence, pole, or tree trunk. Houses on metal poles are safest from predators.

Predators

Raccoons, opossums, squirrels, cats, dogs, and snakes are all natural predators to cavity nesting birds. House sparrows and starlings, two species introduced from Europe, will also try to kill cavity-nesting birds. The best defenses are: mounting the house on a metal pole, since they are hard to climb; keeping the entrance opening as small as possible and at least five inches above the floor of the house; having an extra thick wood block, called a predator guard, at the opening to make it harder for animals to reach in; and not using perches, since they provide a place for predators to wait.

Care and Maintenance

Your key maintenance job will be cleaning the house out after use by a bird brood. If you clean out the house soon after the brood has flown away, you may end up providing a home for more than just one family that season. After the season, you can either store your house inside or leave it out. Clean it out again in the spring and you'll be ready for a new season.

Price Range

A good bird house does not have to cost very much. For $20 to $30, you can get a well-designed, simple, and attractive wood bird house. Spending within $50 to $100 will get you one with a little more detail in the design. More decorative or ornate choices can cost as high as $300, with some choices even higher.