We make a birdhouse with our own hands according to drawings, photos and videos. Birdhouse diagram: detailed drawing and dimensions

Every gardener knows that birds are not only living “decorations” of our garden, delighting us with their sonorous trills from spring to autumn. These cute feathered creatures help us all summer, protecting our crops from insect pests and even small rodents. To lure birds to you, you need to provide them with a place to live. Therefore, it is worth training our skillful hands and learning how to make birdhouses from wood.

What you need to know before you get started

It's good if you already have experience in carpentry and carpentry. In this case, making such a simple structure as a birdhouse will not be difficult for you. But even if you are completely new to this business, it’s okay: we will tell you in detail how to make models of varying complexity. In any case, to work you will need the following tools:

• ruler;
• a simple pencil with a soft lead;
• hacksaw;
• nails or screws;
• hammer or drill (screwdriver);
• a drill of the required diameter to make holes;
• screwdriver;
• steel wire with a diameter of 1 mm;
• tow or clay;
• plane;
• sandpaper;
• glue;
• if necessary or desired - drying oil.

All these tools and materials should be at your fingertips while working, regardless of the level of complexity of the birdhouse being made.

We should also talk about the wood from which you will build the birdhouse. We strongly do not recommend using:

• coniferous wood (pine boards, etc.);
• plywood and any other similar glued compressed material.

Even after careful processing, softwood boards continue to release resin. This will make the walls of the birdhouse sticky, which is very harmful and even destructive for both adult birds and chicks. Fiberboard and chipboard are known for releasing toxins during operation that will not bring any benefit to birds. Plywood, seemingly the most convenient and inexpensive material, is also not suitable: it does not transmit sounds well, which is very important for ensuring safety.

Plywood does not retain heat well, which is so necessary when nursing chicks.

The best wood for a birdhouse is deciduous, for example, birch, aspen, oak, linden.

The optimal thickness of the board should be 20 mm - this is enough to maintain a suitable temperature inside the structure.

Note! The boards for the birdhouse do not need to be sanded; they must be rough at least on the inside of the product. This will make it much easier for birds to get out of their homes, clinging to uneven surfaces with their claws. It would be useful to make several notches on the board with a chisel.

Now let's talk about the size of the future birdhouse. Ornithologists argue that the structure should be compact to accommodate, in addition to adults, only 3-4 chicks. In this case, all offspring will have enough warmth, attention and food to grow healthy and strong. Otherwise, all the chicks from the brood will be weak, sickly and incapable of long flights.

The standard, optimal sizes of a birdhouse (house for small birds) are as follows:

• height - 30 cm;
• bottom width - 13–15 cm;
• taphole diameter - from 3.5 to 5 cm.

Important! Birds are different, and they need different houses. It's all about the shape, the size, and the design itself. There are many varieties of man-made bird houses, for example, there are titmice, sheep houses, nesting boxes, and triangular (wedge-shaped) dwellings. Therefore, if you know what kind of residents are on your site, do not be lazy and do exactly what they need.

So, the tools and materials are prepared, it’s time to get down to business.

Video: what to consider when making a birdhouse

Safety precautions

Working with wood requires following safety rules. When making even the simplest birdhouse, you can injure yourself with the tool or get a splinter in your finger. To prevent this from happening, remember the simple rules for carpentry and carpentry:

Instructions for making wooden bird houses with drawings and photos

Making bird houses can be quite a fun activity. It would seem like an ordinary birdhouse of a simple shape, what could be unusual about it? It turns out that bird houses can be made in several ways from different materials.

The simplest option with a pitched roof

Perhaps after renovation or construction you still have rectangular cuttings of suitable boards. They are ideal for building a birdhouse, and you don't have to look for materials.

We suggest you use a simple drawing of a birdhouse.

1. Take the prepared boards and use a pencil to mark all the elements: bottom, lid, walls, according to their sizes in the drawing. In our case, the bottom is a square with sides of 13 cm; the back wall of the product is 4 cm lower than the front to provide the roof with a slope for rainwater drainage; There are cuts along the top of the side walls for slope.
   

   Attention! For a removable roof you will need 2 parts: one of the same size as the bottom, the second of a larger size for the canopy.

2. Saw off each element sequentially so that all paired parts have the same dimensions. At this stage, you can plan the outer surfaces of the boards with a plane..
3. Make a round entry hole in the front wall. You can make it rectangular, but a circle shape is preferable.
   

   The hole should be located at least 5 cm from the top edge; this distance will protect the chicks from encroachment by cats.

4. Now you need to assemble the birdhouse. Fasten the facade and side walls with wood glue, and while it dries, secure the parts with nails or self-tapping screws. Next, connect the bottom to the side and front walls in the same way. The back wall is glued and fixed last..
   

   Try to do so that there are no gaps left.

   By attaching rubber layers to the ends or attaching the roof to hinges, you can protect the birds as much as possible from invading cats.

A simple, but at the same time convenient and reliable birdhouse is ready. All that remains is to secure it in the chosen place. But we’ll talk about this separately: there are a lot of options for installing and fastening birdhouses.

Video tutorial on how to make a simple birdhouse with a flat roof

Birdhouse with a gable roof

Now, using the same principle as in the previous paragraph, we will make the birdhouse a little more complicated. Its gable roof not only looks more beautiful, but also keeps rainwater and snow out even more effectively.

The drawing below shows all the dimensions of the parts.

If desired, you can paint the birdhouse with drying oil. This will help protect the wood from mold and pests. Painting with non-toxic water-based compounds is also allowed.

A house made of logs that can be made without a diagram - a hollow house

You can build a birdhouse not only from flat boards. There is a Russian folk version of a bird house, which is hollowed out from a piece of log and is called a nest box. When preparing firewood, you can easily cut off a piece of round log of suitable diameter, which will make a good bird house.

Video tutorial: original do-it-yourself birdhouse made from a log

A bit of design: decorating a house with wine corks

It turns out that corks are good for more than just closing wine bottles or using them for decoration. They are great for decorating the sides of a birdhouse. The advantages of the material are undeniable:

So, you will need:

• wine corks in the required quantity;
• prepared frame for a birdhouse;
• sharp knife;
• hot glue gun;
• wooden twigs.

It is not recommended to use a screwdriver when working with such material. The sharp tips of the screws can extend beyond the cork and injure birds. Therefore, we will use hot melt glue.

Progress:

1. First of all, you need to make the walls. Apply glue to whole corks or cut edges of corks cut in half and glue them. For 1 row, depending on the width of the wall, you will need 2–3 plugs.
2. Place the plugs on the glue against the walls of the birdhouse up to its roof. Where the frame structure narrows, use corks cut in half or even smaller. On the facade of the birdhouse, where the entrance is located, lay out the central row vertically.
3. To decorate the roof, cut rounds of cork up to 5 mm thick and lay them like tiles.
4. All that remains is to decorate the sides of the roof and the joints of its doors with moss, twigs or pieces of cork. Wait until the glue is completely dry and hang the birdhouse in the garden.

Photo gallery: how else can you design the finished product?

A smiling birdhouse warmly welcomes future residents Let your children decorate birdhouses using decoupage technique You can design a birdhouse like a real house, with a window, door and fence You can decorate the birdhouse with Khokhloma painting You can build a birdhouse hut from small blocks of wood, as they say, without a single nail A simple birdhouse, the frame of which is covered with corks, looks like a beehive from afar Painting with waterproof acrylic paints is a real art Such a branded entrance You can completely paint the birdhouse on all sides
Roof tiles can also be made of thin boards House for the Angry Bird European design that your child can easily handle Simple painting is one of the win-win options if it is done efficiently and accurately

The nuances of securing a birdhouse

When securing a birdhouse, it is important to adhere to two rules:

1. It should be convenient for birds to approach the birdhouse and climb inside.
2. Natural barriers must be maintained for cats and other predators.

The best place to install a birdhouse is a tall tree, the roof of a house or a pole. When securing the house, tilt it slightly forward: this will provide additional protection for the chicks.

So, attachment methods:

1. Drive a medium-sized nail, hang a wire loop on it, bend it and hammer it into the trunk so that the loop does not fly off. Place the birdhouse in this loop and align it.
2. You can nail the birdhouse at the ends.
3. You can drive 4 nails into a post: 2 from below and 2 from above. Between the lower and upper ones, maintain a distance equal to the height of the birdhouse. Carefully place the house in the gap and press it against the post.
4. It is better to simply screw the birdhouse onto a living tree with iron wire or rope. This can be done by nailing a wooden plank to the back wall of the house in advance, which will be attached with wire to the trunk.

Do not forget that your manipulations can harm the trees. It may be better to use nails if you are attaching the birdhouse to a wooden post.

And the location of the birdhouse has its own nuances:

• Firstly, the structure must be located at a height of at least 3–4 meters.
• Secondly, the tap hole should be directed in the direction opposite to the direction of the winds that prevail in the area.
• And thirdly, do not mount the birdhouse in an area exposed to the sun: the rays will quickly heat the wood, and the birds inside the house will feel uncomfortable.

Bird safety is also an important factor. The more branches there are on a tree, the easier it is for small predatory animals to get to the birdhouse.

If you are installing several bird houses, keep a distance between them of 50 cm or more. The fact is that starlings do not tolerate close proximity, especially with birds of other species.

Finally, we suggest watching a few more inspiring videos.

Video: how birdhouses are made in a carpentry workshop

Video: the simplest birdhouse made by a schoolchild

Building birdhouses is not only a useful activity for your garden, but also a pleasant pastime for the whole family. As you can see, making a bird house is not at all difficult, and even children can take part in this work with you. Please tell us in the comments which birdhouses you consider to be the best for birds, and what are the features of their manufacture. Good luck and easy work!

Attracting birds to the site is both useful and pleasant. It is useful because they destroy insect pests, it is pleasant to listen to their singing and observe the behavior of birds. That’s why many people come up with the idea of ​​building a birdhouse with their own hands. People over 40 years old can remember their school days: during labor lessons, boys made houses for birds. But it’s not just property owners who make birdhouses. Often residents of apartment buildings hang them on trees near the house, on balconies and loggias.

What to make from

The answer is clear - from wood, and deciduous trees: conifers are too resinous. The resin can stain the plumage, resulting in the death of the bird. You should not use plywood or. Rarely does anyone live in such birdhouses: glue and binders scare away birds. For the same reason, we assemble and fasten the workpieces only with 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 enough to maintain a stable temperature inside, which is important when hatching chicks. Moreover, the boards need to be unplaned; in any case, the inner surface should be rough. The front part under the entrance is also specially scratched: along these notches, chicks and birds rise to the entrance.

To prevent the boards from cracking 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 vary. It is mainly the proportions of the “body” itself and the entrance that change. The goal is to create nesting conditions that are more familiar to this species.

As you can see from the table, basically only the height changes. The width remains more or less stable. There is no point in making birdhouses anymore. They will stimulate the laying of 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, die.

If you want to attract wagtails, make a birdhouse laid on its side: its height will be 10-12 cm and width - 35-40 cm, with the same small entrance located approximately in the middle. Wagtails have weak legs, and they cannot climb a high wall to the entrance. That is why there is such a choice of nesting sites. in the shaker it is also advisable to make a ladder about 10 cm wide in front of the entrance - so that they can enter on foot.

The semi-duplyanka requires some explanation. Some birds are accustomed to nesting not in hollows, but in recesses between branches. They rarely settle in completely closed artificial nesting areas. If you want to attract, for example, a gray flycatcher, make it a small box in which the entrance runs the entire width of the front wall.

Just keep in mind that some types of squirrels also like to live in such houses.

There is another nesting site that birds often like better - a nesting box. This is a birdhouse made from a piece of log. Often dried wood is cut into logs of suitable size, turning it into apartments for birds. The height and diameter are selected based on the dimensions that were indicated for a regular birdhouse. The bottom and roof of the nest are made from a piece of board.

Duplyanka - birdhouse made of logs

Safety

It's a shame and a pity when birds' nests are destroyed. This is mainly done by cats, and also by woodpeckers. Therefore, when you make a birdhouse with your own hands, increase the roof overhang. 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 entrance. To do this, the roof must 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 likelihood 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 he won’t be able to sit comfortably - the nails won’t let him.

There are several ways to protect chicks from woodpeckers:

• beat the taphole with tin:
• drive several nails around the tap hole;
• nail a piece of wood on the taphole area, the fibers of which run horizontally.

All this will prevent the woodpecker from expanding the entrance and getting to the eggs or chicks. The last trick - the cover - will also complicate the cat’s task: it is more difficult to reach the chick through a long entrance.

Measures against enemies: 1 - against woodpeckers, 2.3 - against cats

They still escape 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 3-4 cm. Then the animals will not be able to jump over the protective belts. There should be no twigs, feeders or other possible supports between them and the birdhouse.

Where to hang

Where to hang a birdhouse is also a science. If you are going to set it up on a tree, then at a height of at least 2.5-3 meters. There should be no paths or busy places near the selected tree - a well, a bench, etc.

When choosing a place on a tree, keep in mind that there should be no large branches in front of the entrance: the approach must be free. At the same time, you need to unfold it so that the “window” faces south. All this increases the chances that residents will move into your birdhouse.

Another point: you need to tie or nail it so that the “house” is tilted slightly forward. This will make it easier for the chicks to get out, and less rain will clog them.

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 unplaned hardwood boards with a thickness of 20 mm or more. To avoid splinters, it is better to work with gloves. According to the drawing, we cut the blanks. Try to keep the cuts straight and at right angles: there should be no gaps. Immediately after hatching, the chicks are without feathers, and the slightest draft can kill them. Therefore, all edges must be smooth.

We take long thin nails - diameter 1.5-2 mm, length 4-5 cm and a hammer. Let's start assembly. We nail the sides to the front part at right angles. For each - three to four nails.

Turning the workpiece upside down, take the bottom, insert it, and level it. We nail it to the sides. We cover the top with the back wall and also nail it. Don't forget about connecting the back wall with the sides.

Turning the tap hole upside down, we nail the bottom on this side as well. All that remains is to assemble the roof. We take the remaining square - the 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.

The roof just needs to fit tightly. If something gets in the way, we use a chisel. That's all, the birdhouse with your own hands is ready.

Often a perch is installed under the entrance. Is it needed or not? If there are enough branches around, it’s 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, watch the video

Making a nest - a birdhouse from a log

If the feathered people have a choice - to live in a nest box or a birdhouse made of boards - they will choose a nest box. It is more similar to the usual “housing” - a hollow, there are no cracks on the sides and, therefore, it is warmer. They are less noticeable on the tree, which means there is a greater chance of raising offspring. These are advantages from the birds' point of view. Now about the advantages from the point of view of the “manufacturers”: a fallen tree is used for work, and it is free. If you find a suitable one, it will be enough for a large number of birdhouses. About the disadvantages - making nest boxes takes longer and is more difficult: you have to manually pick out the core, leaving the walls intact.

Now about how to find a suitable tree. Aspen is best suited: it usually rots from the inside, but remains hard along the outer edge. Therefore, we go in search of an aspen forest, and there, among the fallen trees, we look for something suitable: we cut several trunks. It is important to find one with a whole edge and a rotten middle - the work will go faster.

It is advisable to find such aspen - with a rotten core, but strong edges

Often such trees have rotten bark, which makes them look unsightly. We peel off the bark and drag the log to the dacha or house. There we cut it into logs of suitable size. Dimensions are determined by diameter. For a birdhouse, the inner diameter of the nest should be 22-30 cm, respectively, the outer diameter - 27-36 cm. For the titmouse, the sections closer to the top are suitable - the inner diameter is 15-22 cm, the outer diameter is 19-26 cm.

The height of the log also depends on the type of house - a titmouse is 20-40 cm high (but they are more willing to settle in low ones), a birdhouse - from 30 to 45 cm. When sawing, try to make the bevel that appears at the bottom level, and at the top - at a slight slope - so that sediment flowed from the roof. To make roofs and bottoms, you will need cutting boards; you can use unedged boards and slabs.

We take the cut log and begin to pick out the core with a chisel. The task is to dig a through hole. After this, even hard wood is easier to chop. 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 runs out quickly, then you have to chop off pieces of wood using a chisel and a hammer or mallet. But with a hole in the center it is much easier - the longitudinal pieces are chipped off, the work proceeds at normal speed.

The walls should remain about 1.5-3 cm. We try to work on the middle more or less smoothly, without large chips. When the walls are selected, we make a taphole. If there is a knot, you can hollow it out. Or take a crust and a drill, drill in a suitable place. If there is no crown, take a regular drill, drill holes in a circle, then, using the same chisel, cut through the remaining jumpers.

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 off as close to the walls as possible.

All that remains is to nail the roof. The same board or slab will do. Before screwing in the screw, drill holes, otherwise the board may split.

Actually, you have already made a birdhouse with your own hands, all that remains is to secure it from attacks by woodpeckers. If there are knots on the walls, it is advisable to coat them with plasticine (regular, children's). They can also be used to seal the gaps that remain between the bottom and the roof and walls: it is rarely possible to fit everything neatly. If you don’t want to cover it with plasticine, you can caulk it with hemp rope. It is applied to the crack 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” you should buy them...). If it doesn't go well, you can hit the handle with a hammer.

Caulking the “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. This is good for the birds - 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. You want your birds to survive, right? This means their nest needs to be camouflaged, and not painted in all the colors of the rainbow, attracting all possible predators.

And this one is just ideal - no cracks in the floor))

Titmouse is inhabited

Beautiful decoration and disguise

We hope that now you can not only make a birdhouse with your own hands, but also decorate it competently (from the point of view of the birds).

Drawings with dimensions

Some drawings of birdhouses are in the text, we are posting a few more in this section. Adjusting the dimensions to suit the planned “tenants” is probably not a problem. Also note that the layout is given for a 2 cm thick board. Adjustments are necessary when increasing or decreasing the thickness.

Birdhouse with a triangular roof: drawing, dimensions

Birdhouse with a sloping roof (front wall higher)

A birdhouse is a type of artificial closed nesting box, the most popular both among people - friends of wild birds, and among their charges. The tradition of hanging birdhouses on Bird Day exists all over the world, and here and there real birdhouse towns appear in places suitable for nesting, see fig.

Note: International Bird Day, April 1, is not celebrated in the Russian Federation. In Russia it is customary to consider the so-called Bird Day. Finding, but not a Christian church holiday, but a folk one. The Finding of the People falls on March 9 according to the Gregorian calendar; this date is more suitable for hanging birdhouses, see below. The origin of the name of the popular Finding is connected not with the finding of the head of John the Baptist, but with beekeeping - if by this day the bees are found (are) in the hives, then it means they have wintered safely.

Making a good birdhouse with your own hands is not difficult; Even a schoolboy can cope with this. Birdhouses are used to attract not only insect-killing birds to household plots and summer cottages, but also small songbirds to cities and homes, as well as to create nesting sites for hollow-nesting birds in forests and parks. Many useful and beautiful birds nest in hollows and competition for “living space” during the nesting season is fierce, because There are not so many hollows in the trees and, as a rule, they have been occupied by someone since the fall.

The technology for assembling a birdhouse is really simple; it does not require expensive and/or complex processing materials. But, to make a birdhouse, you need to know in advance who will live in it. In closed nesting areas, many small birds, otherwise capable of nesting openly, do not mind building a nest. All potential birdhouse new settlers have their own nesting requirements, so the designs of birdhouses for different species or groups of bird species differ, as reflected in their names: titmouse, flycatcher, wagtail, owlcatcher, etc.

General terms

The structure of a birdhouse in general is as follows: it is an elongated upward cavity, mainly in wood, with a solid bottom and a removable lid. Under the roof there is a hole - an entrance - for the birds that have settled in it. A removable lid is necessary, firstly, for autumn inspection and cleaning of the cavity: of the birds, only starlings, tits and nuthatches, after the chicks have fledged, they certainly throw away the old nesting material and do “general cleaning”. Most of the others leave the garbage as is and next year the cluttered “recycling” will no longer occupy it. Secondly, instead of birds, the birdhouse may be taken over by unwanted animal occupiers; We'll talk about them below.

The body (structure) of the birdhouse can be assembled from boards, as well as some other materials, or hollowed out or chopped from a piece of log - churak; the latter are called nest boxes. The dimensions of the birdhouse are usually, depending on the type of birds for which it is intended, 20-40 cm in height; a tap hole with a diameter of 2.5-6 cm is located 5-6 cm under the roof. The extension of the roof above the entrance should be at least 5 cm for protection from rain and cats. The diameter of the internal cavity (nesting chamber) ranges from 10x10 to 15x19 cm in birdhouses made of boards or with a diameter of 7 to 20 cm in nest boxes. Sometimes a pole or landing platform for parents is required in front of the entrance; in what cases - let's look further.

Houses like birdhouses are also made for other animals living in hollows: squirrels, bats, but their proportions are different. Making a birdhouse for birds within the specified height limits is necessary so that the chicks can still climb the walls to feed, but for squirrels, and especially dormouse, such a high threshold would be inconvenient. You should not make the nesting chamber too spacious, firstly, for the same reason. Secondly, in a large nesting area, the female will lay more eggs, but the parents will not have enough strength to feed them all. Some chicks will then die, and the remaining ones will grow stunted and will not survive the winter.

What are the birds waiting for?

A bird house must meet very specific requirements. First, it must be strong and opaque: the secrecy of the brood is the main reason why hollow nesters nest in tree cavities. Further, the inner walls should not be very hard and slightly rough, so that the chicks can climb towards their parents who have flown in with food. Without this physical exercise, the chicks will not get up on their wings properly and will not be able to withstand the flight to wintering grounds or will become victims of predators.

The following conditions: the material of the birdhouse should be moderately sound-permeable, retain heat as best as possible, and its structure should not have any cracks. Reasons: the chicks must hear their arriving parents or a creeping predator, but at the same time their squeaks should not spread far. In addition, the chicks of all hollow nesters are naked at first, the slightest draft can destroy them, and getting the nest wet will certainly destroy the entire brood. Chicks, like all birds, emit quite a lot of heat, and in an insulated, dry home they will have a much better chance of surviving a sudden cold snap.

About materials

Make a birdhouse it is best from edged, unplaned boards of deciduous wood. Only seasoned conifers are suitable, without visible streaks or a noticeable smell of resin. The best ones are used, from some dismantled shed. The thickness of the boards is 20-30 mm, then the conditions of sound conductivity and thermal insulation will be met. If the boards are planed, then the inner side of the one where the tap hole will be needs to be “roughened”: treated with coarse sandpaper, covered with notches or scratches with the tip of a knife or the corner of a chisel.

Note: in some cases, some other materials are suitable or even preferred, incl. and discarded henchmen. We will talk about their use further.

Plywood, even waterproof plywood, is not suitable for birdhouses: it muffles sounds and does little to prevent heat loss. OSB, chipboard, fiberboard are absolutely unsuitable - birds are much more sensitive than us to the vapors of phenol compounds. The nesting chamber made of artificial lumber on a phenolic binder of the highest consumer class for chicks will turn into a gas chamber. MDF, which does not contain phenolic resins, would in principle be suitable, but this is a material for internal use and will soon swell and become limp under the influence of precipitation.

Enemies and defense

There are plenty of people in nature who want to feast on eggs or chicks. In addition, the birdhouse can be occupied by new residents “without a warrant,” or even extremely undesirable ones in the garden, such as, for example. Sonya Dormouse is interested in the seeds in juicy fruits, and just a couple of these animals can spoil the harvest of the entire garden. The birdhouse can also be captured by squirrels, bats, and in Siberia, chipmunks. In general, there is no harm from four-legged invaders, but beneficial birds are deprived of nesting sites.

The worst destroyers of birdhouses are large woodpeckers, great spotted woodpeckers and woodpeckers. By the beginning of nesting time, these generally useful birds experience an acute shortage of animal protein; it is time for them to nest, too, and for this, woodpeckers peck at birdhouses, destroying eggs and chicks. There is nothing to be done, everything is poison and everything is medicine, not only in medicine.

In second place in terms of danger to the brood are cats, domestic and wild. Small predators from the mustelidae family, strange as it may seem at first glance, do not pose a particular danger to the clutches and chicks: by the time the birds nest, they have abundant, easily accessible prey at their disposal - mice, voles.

Methods for protecting a birdhouse from destruction are shown in Fig. Pos. 1 – from woodpeckers: a tin collar 5-6 cm wide, upholstered with small nails at the same distance or an overlay made of straight-grained wood with grains oriented horizontally; the fact is that woodpeckers can only peck at wood with vertical grains. The last method is preferable, because The cover does not rust and does not create inconvenience for the owners of the house. But keep in mind that the rest of the structure must be made of wood with fibers oriented vertically or obliquely, otherwise the bird’s house will quickly split.

Pos. 2 – protection from cats. The best way is an anti-cat “skirt”; it can be made from dry branches or pieces of wire. 1-2 short twigs at the root part are cut so that small inclined stumps remain, and the entire belt is fastened with wire passing under them, without pulling it tightly so as not to damage the tree. The “skirt” is placed at the same height as the lower tin belt, see below.

The threshold inside under the entrance (below in position 2) is less labor-intensive, but inconvenient for both the chicks and their parents. It is done if it is not possible to arrange an anti-cat belt. Another good remedy for cats is a wooden collar protruding outward by 3-5 cm around the entrance.

Method on pos. 3 – tin belts – provides a complete guarantee against both predators and occupiers. Indicated in Fig. dimensions, in cm, must be maintained with an accuracy of 3-4 cm; they are designed so that potential destroyers cannot jump over the belts, then catching on the bark, either from below or from above. Of course, in the section of the trunk between the belts there should be no branches, twigs, feeders or other supports for predators.

Note: a good way only from the occupiers is to hang it in the fall, before the cold weather, the so-called. temporary replacement birdhouses. We will talk about them further.

For starlings

Common starlings are the most common and most desirable inhabitants of birdhouses. Therefore, without going into details for now, let’s see how to make a birdhouse for starlings. The common starling is a rather large bird for hollow nesters, and its relatives, the mynah starling and others, are even larger. Therefore, in general, a birdhouse, which is a birdhouse, is larger and deeper than others, its entrance is wider, and a pole is required under the entrance. Starlings prefer to nest in places inaccessible to predators, but with good visibility, and the starling is the head of the family and is very caring. He will sing a marriage song only if the chosen one has the opportunity to immediately inspect and accept the living space attached to the proposal of the wing and heart.

Drawing of the most popular birdhouse, the so-called. village type is shown in Fig. The assembly order is as follows:

1. Blanks are cut from the board;
2. In the facade, a taphole is cut out in advance using a feather drill or a wood crown, a pole is inserted into the drilled hole, the inside of the front wall, if necessary, is “roughened” as indicated above;
3. The sides are glued to the bottom and then the front and back walls;
4. Level the box from the bottom and side walls while the glue is liquid, and tie it with twine until it sets;
5. Dry the box in a vertical position on a spread polyethylene film;
6. When the glue has set, the box is fastened with nails or self-tapping screws, 2-3 for each glue seam;
7. Trying on the blank of the lid without the lining, trim/trim the upper edges of the front and rear walls so that the roof fits tightly;
8. The lid overlay is placed on flowing glue, the lid is put in place, and supporting the overlay with a finger through the tap hole, the roof is finally adjusted in place;
9. Once the glue under the lining has set, pull it to the lid with 4 small nails or self-tapping screws.

• Water resistant.
• It is plastic when dried: it does not dry out, does not crack, and ensures complete sealing of the seams.
• Allows you to smear the parts with glue and immediately fold them, within 3-5 minutes to adjust the connection in place, slightly moving the parts in passing, without breaking the adhesive layer.
• Always ready to work, does not require the use of a glue gun or other special equipment.
• Used as an impregnating composition diluted 3-5 times with water, it allows the use of some waste hygroscopic materials for birdhouses.
• Cheaper than wood glue and more durable outdoors.

PVA has only 2 disadvantages over wood glue: its seam is plastic, which is not significant for a birdhouse that is not a sideboard or a sofa, and after assembling it on PVA, the product must be dried for at least a day in a warm room, and wood glue sets immediately.

When and how to hang?

Well, let's assume that the birdhouse is ready. When and how to hang it? There are 2 seasons for hanging birdhouses: in the fall, after the harvest, but before the cold weather, birdhouses for wintering birds are hung: titmice, nest boxes for nuthatches and substitute birdhouses for occupiers. Birdhouses for migratory birds, incl. starlings are hung in the spring, a week and a half before the start of the birds' mating games.

If you are familiar with ornithology, then you need to hang bird houses, especially for certain types of birds (see below), after noticing the harbinger birds. They arrive in advance at their summering grounds, hang around there for several days, hardly feeding, and then fly away. There are always few harbingers, they examine the area, “report” to their relatives and, if everything is in order, a mass arrival begins. The points of the “report” also include the nesting situation; if the harbingers were seen as “fresh”, i.e. obviously not competitive and not looked after by nest destroyers, they will not fail to notify their brothers about this in their own way, and the settlement of the “new buildings” is ensured.

If you have no experience in bird watching, nesting sites should be erected in the central zone of the Russian Federation during March, but before the April heat hits. Here you can roughly navigate by the first thawed patches: when the tubercles on them “wither,” you need to hang them. Somewhat more precisely - according to the weather, when the equinox storms will pass; as meteorologists say, when latitudinal movements of atmospheric masses in the temperate zone prevail over meridional ones, but in places with a continental climate this sign is weakly expressed.

It would not be a mistake to hang birdhouses on National Bird Day (March 9) or on the first Sunday after it, but in this case there is a fairly high probability that they will be occupied and the harbingers will overlook them. However, you can insure against the first one by hanging substitutes in the fall.

The second question is how to hang a birdhouse correctly? General rules:

1. The entrance should be oriented east-southeast so that in the spring the first rays of the Sun penetrate into it.
2. Suspension height 3-5 m.
3. It is preferable to hang it on trees, it seems safer for the birds.
4. An exception is wagtails (see below), they need to be hung under the roof of a barn (not a residential building!) at the same height.
5. The titmouse can be hung on the wall of the house, balcony or under the ceiling of the veranda if the birds were regularly fed nearby during the winter.
6. A birdhouse for starlings can be raised on a pole in a bare yard.
7. If the birds were fed in winter, the birdhouse should be no closer than 15-20 m from the birdhouse, so as not to attract the attention of destroyers.

A rather serious sub-question - how to attach a birdhouse to a support? Nailing it with nails opens the way for diseases and pests into the tree, and the benefits of birds may go in vain. In addition, cats know how to slowly tear off nailed birdhouses or, throwing off the roof, grab chicks.

The main methods of hanging birdhouses and errors in doing so are shown in Fig. According to pos. 1 bird house is attached if there is no thick enough wood. Method according to pos. 2 – optimal, it does not harm the tree at all, and the birdhouse holds firmly. According to pos. 3 birdhouses are attached to a pole. Please note: ultimately, the birdhouse should be tilted down by 2-3 degrees; this will completely protect it from cats and make it easier for the chicks to get to feeding.

At pos. 4 – incorrect, pseudo-ecological method of hanging using wire and a wooden block; in fact, it harms the trees worse than nails, the log soon falls out, the birdhouse begins to wobble. And finally, when hanging on a tree, protection from cats is necessary, pos. 5.

How to climb a tree?

Birdhouses are also hung in the forest, and even in your own home, a ladder will not always help you climb a tree if it is spreading. That is, to hang a birdhouse, you will have to climb a tree. The first thing to remember here is don’t climb like children, clinging to branches. They may be racing against squirrels or monkeys, but you are twice or three times heavier, and if you fall from the same height, the impact will be about five times stronger, children’s bones are more elastic, and their internal organs are more resistant to deformation than those of adults.

The art of tree climbing is called arborism, and those who are interested in it are called arborists. Arborists climb trees using a safety belt and special devices - gaffs, which are, in essence, the same monter's claws. You can see the technique of lifting on gaffs in the video:

Video: how to climb trees?

And how to make gaffs yourself - from the video:

Video: homemade gaffs for climbing a tree

However, much less labor-intensive and, paradoxically, statistically safer is the method of lifting using a rope loop, which has long been used by tropical fruit pickers, see video:

Video: how to climb a tree without knots?

But in any case, what is called, as father, must be observed the following precautions:

• Work only together, with an insurer below who knows how to provide first aid for bruises and fractures.
• Have transport on hand so that the victim can be quickly transported to a medical facility; everyone working must be able to manage it.
• Do not lift with a load; you need to attach a rope to your belt, and then, having established yourself in place, lift the birdhouse and, if necessary, a bag with tools on it.
• The insurer should not come closer than 3 m to the place of possible falling objects or the steeplejack, taking into account the strength and direction of the wind.
• The insurer must see the steeplejack at all times; when it disappears from sight, immediately command the descent, and the climber must unquestioningly carry out the command.
• And most importantly: before you start climbing, look out for yourself the path of descent and clearly understand the procedure for it.

Sinichniki and special construction

With the help of a birdhouse you can attract many more useful, interesting and/or beautifully singing birds. But they are unlikely to settle in a nesting box, great. Artificial nesting boxes for small songbirds come in different types; Next we will figure out which of these birds need. First of all, we will consider stationary birdhouses made of wood, and after them, temporary substitutes made of other materials for wintering birds and distracting occupiers.

Note: Making special birdhouses, as a rule, is more difficult than ordinary ones. Therefore, before you get down to work, make sure that potential newcomers are part of the local avifauna, and be patient - except for tits, they do not trust humans as much as starlings. A “small-singing” birdhouse can hang for a year or two until it is occupied, and all this time you need to make sure that it does not become dilapidated, littered, or occupied by someone else.

Who else should we expect?

Desirable neighbors both in the city and on the plot will be, in addition to starlings and tits, great tits, tufted tits, blue tits, coal tits, long-tailed tits and chickadees (pos. 1-7 in the figure), also pikas, common and short-toed, or garden pikas (pos. 8 ; common and short-toed pikas are almost indistinguishable from a distance), nuthatches (5 species in the Russian Federation; in position 9 - common), gray flycatcher, position. 10, and pied flycatcher, pos. 11. All these birds (pos. 8-11) are cavity nesters, actively destroying harmful insects.

For redstarts (in pos. 12 there is a coot redstart; you can also expect black and red-bellied ones) and robins (pos. 13) any of the titmice described below is suitable. But the wagtail (pos. 14) requires a special “wagtail”, because The legs of this bird are not adapted for vertical climbing. You can build a birdhouse for wagtails by laying a school-type titmouse on its side, see below, and providing it with a kind of balcony, see fig. The “Wagtail” should either be installed in a bare yard on a pole 2.5-3 m high, reliably protected from cats, or hung under the eaves of a non-residential building for the same purpose. But the new settlers will not keep you waiting and, walking on the ground, will peck at many pests, and no one has yet noticed damage from wagtails anywhere.

If a great owl (pos. 15) is spotted nearby and you manage to attract it to the site, it’s a joy for the owner, but woe for the pests: this little owl is a living WMD for them. Small birds have nothing to fear from the pygmy owl: it was named so not because it is somehow dangerous to sparrows, but because it is the size of a sparrow. The pygmy owl, like the scops owl, can be tamed by feeding it with small pieces of raw meat and mealworms from time to time. He is friendly and his behavior is funny. But it will nest only in a nest box made of natural material (see below), and to make it requires considerable skill, as for any owl house.

Types and designs

I. Sokolovsky was involved in the design of birdhouses a lot. His developments served as the basis for many further designs. The design of 3 types of Sokolovsky birdhouses is shown in Fig; nest boxes will be discussed further.

Titmouse

On the left in Fig. – diagram of a titmouse based on a typical birdhouse.

Designations, as for the next. pos:

• A – entrance diameter: 35 mm for great tit, tufted tit, blue tit, redstart and 30 mm for other tits and robins;
• B – side of a square bottom, 10 cm is enough. If the titmouse is intended only for great and tufted tits, common in the city, then it is better to take B = 12 cm;
• C – height of the front wall, 22 and 25 cm in the same order as in point 1;
• D – height of the back wall, 28 and 30 cm, respectively.

Note: the distance of the top of the entrance from the top of the front wall is 5 cm and the offset of the roof is from 5 cm, as for a regular birdhouse. A pole in front of the entrance is not needed.

Bird lovers, using Sokolovsky’s recommendations, try to create a titmouse birdhouse suitable for any small songbirds. Projects of 3 such titmice are presented in Fig. They differ, in essence, only in the roof structure. A school birdhouse is the easiest to make; no roof adjustment is required. These are exactly the kind that were made in Soviet schools during labor lessons; some students managed to make up to 3 items per lesson. A birdhouse-house provides better protection from cats and, especially, from precipitation. It is advisable to hang these in rainy places with a long spring. Flycatchers also nest in universal titmouses, but it is better to attract them with special birdhouses.

Note: If you make the bottom of a universal birdhouse 15x15 cm (maximum for projects), then it will turn into a birdhouse primarily for starlings. Other birds will occupy it if there are not enough starlings to go around.

Half-loop and flycatcher

The gray flycatcher prefers to nest in semi-hollows, similar to natural voids in trees. The diagram of a half-nest birdhouse is shown in the center in Fig. with Sokolovsky's birdhouses. Dimensions:

1. A – 4 cm;
2. B – 10 cm (square);
3. C – 7 cm;
4. D – 14 cm.

Pied flycatchers more readily occupy hollows in horizontal or slightly inclined thick branches, so they prefer a birdhouse-house in the form of a cubic nesting chamber with an inner side of about 12 cm, installed in a “diamond” pattern, i.e. downward angle, see fig. on right. The front wall needs to be made larger, about 20x20 cm, to protect it from cats. The diameter of the tap hole is 40 mm.

Flycatchers begin nesting relatively late, when there are enough insects. By that time, the heat has established itself, the parents provide the chicks with plenty of high-calorie food, so the thermal insulation of the flycatcher is no longer of decisive importance. This circumstance can be used to more fully imitate the nesting habitat familiar to these birds by constructing a birdhouse for flycatchers from a plastic bottle or tin can, see fig. A light-colored roof is a must, otherwise the chicks will die from solar overheating!

Note: As for other birdhouses made from bottles, see fig. on the right, these products may be artistic, but not functional. The blank does not satisfy any of the requirements for a birdhouse. If the birds occupy such a nesting site, as they say, out of bitter need, then for the brood such a housewarming ends tragically - it dies either in the mouth of a cat, or falls out fledgling; Birds abandon such chicks.

For pikas

The birdhouse for pikas has a very special design. In nature, these birds nest in hollows with 2 holes, so that if necessary they can escape through an emergency exit. Therefore, in the “pipehouse”, 2 tap holes are needed in the side walls. The design of a birdhouse for pikas is shown on the right in Fig. with Sokolovsky's birdhouses. The common and short-toed pikas are similar in appearance, but differ in size, therefore the sizes of the nesting sites for pikas vary, see table.

Note : artificial nests for pikas are hung differently than for other birds - only on a tree and at a height of approx. 1 m from the ground.

Duplyankas

Birdhouse nesting boxes are made from logs of straight-layered deciduous wood 25-40 cm long and 15 cm in diameter. For hollow-nesting birds, this is the most comfortable, reliable and healthy housing. The percentage of death of broods in nest boxes is much less than in birdhouses.

Making a nest box in the simplest way is shown in pos. 1 pic. The wide bottom and lid, as in this case, are designed for wagtails. If you make the entrance not on the side, but in the lid closer to one of the corners, and hang the entire structure laid on its side, orienting the nesting chamber like a diamond, you will get an excellent flycatcher nest. For other songbirds, the lid and bottom are cut to the size of the diameter of the log.

Sovyatnik, pos. 2, it’s more difficult to do, because Owls are picky about the configuration of the camera and do not tolerate gaps in its sides and bottom. So you will have to sweat, trimming the workpiece and hollowing out the chamber. Dimensions in fig. suitable for a pygmy owl; The diameter of the taphole for it is 4 cm, because All owls are densely built.

Duplyankas are often hung in forests and parks. In this case, it is necessary to take into account that the composition of the bird population in broad-leaved, coniferous plantings and birch forests differs not only in species, but also in the average size of birds. The dimensions of nest boxes for coniferous-deciduous forests/parks and birch forests are given in pos. 3.

About the design of nest boxes

A few words about the design of birdhouses in general will be said later. As for nest boxes, they look good on trees even without additional decoration, on the left in Fig. If you want to show your skill and taste, then they must really be skill and taste combined with a subtle sense of material, in the center and on the right there.

Park birdhouses

The tradition of attracting songbirds to parks is widespread in Europe and is also developing here. Park birdhouses should, firstly, attract beautiful birds that sing loudly and beautifully; secondly, they themselves must be attractive in appearance to people. Of the domestic designs of this kind, birdhouses of the “Blue Finch” type are popular, on the left in the figure, but the Germans prefer birdhouses-huts, painted in the color of foliage or bark, with a tin plate on the roof ridge, which perfectly protects against cats, on the right there. The diameter of the entrance, marked (*), is selected according to the type of bird, see above.

More about design

Birdhouses should be painted in discreet colors: this is not a feeder, and the birds’ housing should not attract attention. The shape of the birdhouse should be inconvenient for destroyers. For example, pos. 1 and 2 in Fig. – unsuccessful. Both are set clearly low, a cat or a woodpecker has somewhere and how to establish themselves for ruin, and the first is also brightly colored. And here is pos. 3 and 4 are both tasteful and quite functional. If pos. 3, provide a collar around the tap hole, and at pos. 4 make an anti-cat skirt from wood whose fibers are oriented horizontally, then both birdhouses will become inaccessible to both predators and woodpeckers.

Atypical self-construction - birdhouses made from scrap materials

Sometimes it’s not worth wasting energy and wood on a stationary birdhouse. Firstly, if it is intended for wintering birds, such as tits. They do not like to nest twice in the same place, because... Over the winter they have become familiar to hungry predators and the annual change of nesting sites significantly increases the chances of survival of the brood. Secondly, there is no need to try very hard for the sake of the occupying animals. They need to be diverted in the fall with temporary wintering housing. Then in the spring, for fear of losing him too, they will not occupy the bird houses, but will live through the summer anyway. In both cases, it is advisable to make a temporary birdhouse from a material that does not require special tools, labor-intensive processing and a separate workplace.

The first thing that comes to mind is paper. Paper birdhouses were invented by amateur poultry farmers in the USA; equipment for keeping and breeding pets is very expensive there. At home, in an aviary, in paper nests, it is indeed possible to breed budgies or, say, red cardinals. But you can’t seriously talk about an outdoor paper birdhouse: the material is absolutely unstable. Nevertheless, we give in Fig. a couple of paper birdhouse patterns: on the left – a distracting-substitute for four-legged invaders, and on the right – a bird one. They will be useful to us a little lower, and if necessary, using the same patterns you can make a bonbonniere or a gift box.

Note: Paper birdhouses have another unpleasant property - bumblebees and, especially, wasps willingly settle in them. The latter themselves build nests from paper, and here is a ready-made zero cycle. Having a swarm of hornets in your neighborhood is not only unpleasant, but can also be very dangerous.

Temporary birdhouses are best made from cardboard impregnated with a water-polymer emulsion or liquid-diluted PVA, then they will last outside from autumn to spring. The house is glued together with the same PVA. The manufacturing technology based on the pattern is shown in Fig. below. Pay attention to pos. 4: fold lines must be cut before bending; This is the only subtlety in this process.

Manufacturing from a pattern results in a large waste of material, which is not always desirable, and there may simply not be a lot of cardboard in the closet. In such a case - in Fig. on the right is a method for cutting a cardboard strip onto a birdhouse part.

If dormouse are noticed on the site, then a winter hut-trap for them is made from a box insulated with foam plastic; can be made from pieces of it, see fig. left. Two poles are needed to attract the dormouse. It is difficult to catch an active dormouse, but it is not difficult to get rid of sleeping animals. There is no need to kill them: dormice are generally cute and funny, they will most likely be taken to a pet store or bought by wild animal lovers. They check Sonya’s bedroom when the frost hits, just don’t bring the discovered animal into the house. Dormouses do not really hibernate; in the warmth they will wake up and start roaming around the furniture and curtains.

Finally, good birdhouses can be made simply from scrap materials; you just need to know the habits and preferences of the birds. For example, building from a bucket and cutting a board, pos. 1 in Fig. below is sure to please flycatchers. Substitute houses made from empty cylinders (items 2 and 3) are well suited for small four-legged animals; If it's a squirrel, then why chase it? Birdhouse made from a tabletop beer or wine-cognac keg, pos. 4, it is unlikely to attract birds, it is too big, but bats, which are also very useful, will fit just right. A basket with a wicker lid, suspended under the roof of the veranda, will be willingly inhabited by tits if they have been fed and not abused in winter.

At pos. 6 is not such a curiosity as it might seem: the chicks are soft and warm, it is convenient for the bird (it looks like some kind of nuthatch) to give food to the brood, the woodpecker does not gouge the skin, and in cats the shoe is firmly associated with a crushed tail and broken sides. Finally, a plastic pot with slightly rough, durable walls can turn into a small owl box, pos. 7.

Direct benefit

The author once set out to calculate: what is the economic efficiency of a birdhouse on a plot of 6 acres “for yourself”? The main share of the cost of the bird house came from labor costs; the cost of working time was 200 rubles per hour, which corresponds to a decent salary for that time of 32,000 rubles. Taking this into account, a birdhouse and 2 titmouses cost about 1000 rubles.

After 4 years, while the birds lived, it turned out that only the savings on the purchase of vegetables, fruits and plant protection products compared to the same period without the involvement of birds amounted to... about 28,000 rubles, or 7,000 rubles/year! That is, the birdhouses paid for themselves 28 times, or 2800%. Wow profit!

(1 ratings, average: 5,00 out of 5)

If you have your own plot, then attracting birds that destroy harmful insects is a great solution. For these purposes, a birdhouse will be very useful to you. It can even be made from various available materials. To do this you will need the dimensions of the birdhouse and a drawing. For starlings and other birds, the dimensions of the product will be different. And it is important to take this into account in your construction work. Let's look at design options for such products, and also select the right materials.

You can make a beautiful birdhouse with your own hands from various available materials. But the best option, of course, is wood. But only deciduous trees will do, because conifers are too resinous. In this case, the resin can stain the feathers of birds, which will provoke their death. It is not the best solution to use plywood, OSB or. Birds rarely live in such structures. It is better to assemble blanks using screws and nails. Adhesives should not be used.

You can make the structure from boards or from logs. The photo shows what such products look like. It is important to take into account the dimensions of the birdhouse and the drawings and model of the product.

Manufactured from boards with a thickness of at least 20 mm. Such parameters are important for maintaining the required temperature for breeding. It is recommended to use unplaned boards. In this case, the inner surface should be rough. It is recommended to specifically scratch the front part under the tap hole. This will make it easier to lift the birds up.

birdhouse

You can build a structure from scrap materials, but it is important to follow certain rules.

The birdhouse device must have an elongated cavity, with a solid bottom and a removable lid. Under the roof there is an entrance, a special hole for birds.

The cover should be removable for easy inspection and cleaning of the product. In addition, unwanted animals can get inside.

The bird house must meet the following requirements:

• be opaque and durable;
• the walls must be rough so that the chicks can move for food brought by their parents;
• the material should retain heat well, be moderately sound-permeable and there should be no cracks in it.

The table shows standard and original materials for making a bird house.

Image	Material	Peculiarities
	Plastic bottles	It looks original, but not the best solution. Birds do not like such smooth, transparent and unnatural material. You can only make a feeder out of bottles.
	Pumpkin	An unusual option is a pumpkin house. It is hung from branches or placed on special stands. This option will not last more than 1 season.
	Branches	From thin shoots you can weave a small basket with a lid. You need to leave a hole in it. Thick and massive branches can be connected using self-tapping screws.
	Log	Not a bad option. The structure can be made from a single log or from separate parts.
	Box or cardboard	This option is very unreliable. It is intended rather for decorative purposes. Before use, such a product is treated with special impregnations.
	Plywood and chipboard	Such materials can be harmful to birds and also do not retain heat well. It is better to make decorative structures from plywood.
	Tree	An ideal solution, but only hardwood. Coniferous varieties cannot be used.

Birdhouse made of wood: naturalness and reliability

In nature, many birds settle in hollows made by woodpeckers, so artificial dwellings should not be large.

When deciding how to make a structure with your own hands, first of all, you need to choose the right material. Hardwood boards are most often used. The best option: alder, birch or aspen.

Other materials have different disadvantages. For example, fiberboard and chipboard can emit toxic substances, and plywood does not hold heat well.

In the photo you can see how to make a simple design. Before work, make a drawing with dimensions. You can find high-quality and simple diagrams and drawings on the Internet. This will reduce the consumption of materials, as well as perform correct cutting.

The diagram can be transferred to wooden blanks. Then prepare the following materials:

• untreated hardwood boards;
• long and thin nails;
• special impregnations and safe paints;
• The tools you will need are a hacksaw, a tape measure, a pencil and a brush.

All blanks are cut according to drawings. The boards should only be planed on the outside, leaving the inside rough. A hole is drilled in the front wall. A plank is mounted to the rear wall, onto which the house is secured in a suitable place.

For your information! The roof needs to be made protruding so that it protects the entrance from rainwater.

birdhouse

Birdhouse made of cardboard: ease of manufacture

This option is often used as a decorative house. This is more of a toy for children. A cardboard house is good for one season. It is better to choose thick corrugated cardboard to create it.

So, let's find out how to make such a design with your own hands. In addition to corrugated, you will need twine, starch and laminated paper. A pre-made template with dimensions will greatly facilitate the work.

The order of assembly of the product has its own characteristics:

• The blanks are marked, and then the parts are cut out in double quantities;
• made from starch;
• All parts are glued together in pairs. A hole is made in the front part. And holes are cut in the back wall for twine;
• all walls are glued end to end;
• the roof is made of two elements.

Birdhouse made of paper: decorative functions

Many people are interested in how to make a simple birdhouse out of paper with their own hands. This material is only suitable for decorative ideas. There are different schemes of unusual models.

Such houses are decorated with acrylic paints. You can make a whole composition, for example “seasons”. In addition to drawing, you can use techniques or applications. All this beauty can be varnished.

The Christmas theme is suitable for the January holidays. This can be a wonderful garden decoration. You can make feeders this way, but not housing for birds.

Birdhouse from a bottle: an option for temporary housing

To make any birdhouse, the drawing and dimensions must be learned and prepared in advance. A handmade product made from a plastic bottle is considered the most affordable.

This option is best used as a feeder or as a decorative garden decoration. The choice of options for how to make such a device is not varied. Two holes are made in the lid for the wire. The outside of the plastic surface can be pasted over or painted.

You can see the designs of models made from plastic bottles in the photo.

Birdhouse made of plywood: is it a good option?

You can make a bird house with your own hands from plywood. This option is suitable as a temporary home or as garden decor. When deciding how to make such a structure, first think about the drawings and size of the product. All elements are transferred from the diagram to plywood. In this case, the upper part should act as a visor. All cuts need to be sanded. The elements are connected using self-tapping screws and glue. In this case, it is necessary to glue the side walls and the facade, and then additionally fasten the product with self-tapping screws. The roof must be removable, since the internal cavities must be cleaned periodically.

The product can then be decorated to your liking.

Birdhouse out of the box: convenience and simplicity

How to make a structure out of a box with your own hands will be interesting to learn for those who do not want to spend a lot of time on work. This is a simple option, but it doesn’t last long and it’s better to use it as a... You can buy materials or just take a small box.

First you need to secure a strong roof and then cut the required hole. Its edges can be covered with tape. You can use plywood as the back wall, as it should be especially durable. The product should be painted with moisture-proof paint, but odorless. Then the product is attached to the base.

Choosing the right birdhouse sizes

If you don’t know how to properly make a bird house, then first you need to find out what the dimensions of the structure should be according to GOST. We make the product taking into account the fact that the dimensions of the structure will differ for different birds.

When deciding how to build a product with your own hands, first choose a simple design that has standard dimensions for a birdhouse.

Before making drawings and dimensions, consider a number of certain conditions:

• the diameter of the hole in the birdhouse should be about 50 mm;
• the height of the structure varies between 30-35 cm;
• the length from the hole to the bottom must be at least 20 cm;
• the bottom must be at least 15*15 cm.

Using these parameters, you can build strong birdhouses for birds with your own hands. The drawings assume the designation of all elements. The sizes given are more suitable for birds such as sparrows and starlings. It is also necessary to indicate the dimensions of the tap hole on the drawing. In the photo you can see what similar structures look like.

Dimensions of a birdhouse for starlings

When making a birdhouse with your own hands for starlings, you need to take into account that this is a fairly large bird. This design should be deeper and larger than other options. To correctly complete the drawing, you need to find out the main dimensions of the product.

The size of the hole in the birdhouse is of great importance. It should be about 5 cm. The height of the feeder or birdhouse should be 35-40 cm. The bottom dimensions should be about 15*15cm. It is better to make the entrance round in shape. In this case, the diameter of the hole in the birdhouse for a starling depends on the overall dimensions of the structure.

Titmouse: drawing and dimensions, some features

How to make the design of a titmouse depends on the selected materials and its size. There are standard birdhouse sizes for tits. The bottom should have dimensions of 10*12 cm, the height of the structure should be 25-35 cm, and the dimensions of the taphole should be about 30-35 mm. The depth of the product should be about 50 cm. Using this data, drawings are made.

For your information! Such a house must be mounted on deciduous trees with a dense crown. This should be done at a height of 3-4 meters.

House for a wagtail: drawing and dimensions

When making a house for wagtail birds with your own hands, you will also need to know the recommended dimensions. The bottom must be made with dimensions of 10*8 cm, and the height of such a structure is within 20 cm. The taphole has dimensions of about 35-40 mm. When deciding how to make such a design, it is worth considering that the taphole should have the form of a slot, the width of which is no more than 40 mm.

The kids make similar products during labor lessons. In this case, special drawings are used. A special feature of this design is the presence of a platform at the entrance, the width of which is about 10 cm.

For your information! You can place such buildings not only on a tree, but also on the roof of a house or on the top of a fence.

How to make a birdhouse yourself

You can see how to make the simplest version for birds in the video below.

You can try making a simple, beautiful DIY birdhouse with a flat roof.

For this you will need unplaned boards. We make this design only with gloves. This will prevent splinters from appearing. The cuts must be smooth and there should be no gaps. Remember that hatched chicks do not have feathers, so they can die from a draft. To prevent the manufacturing process from taking much time, it is recommended to make a drawing of the birdhouse with dimensions in advance. A flat roof does not require much effort. It just needs to fit tightly.

At home, you can make a nest box or bird house from a log. This option is more like regular housing for birds. This can be seen in the photo. In addition, such structures are practically invisible on the tree, which makes them safer for living. Such a product can also be made according to the scheme. To do this, you can use a piece of dead wood. In this case, the core will have to be picked out by hand. It’s good if you come across a log with intact edges and a rotten middle. This will speed up the work.

Such wood has rotten bark that needs to be cleaned. The log is then sawn into suitable logs. For a bird house, the internal diameter should be 25-30 cm, and the external one 30-36 cm. For a titmouse, the internal size of the hollow should be 15-25 cm, and the external one – 20-30 cm. When sawing, the bevel at the bottom should be made even, and at the top parts at a slight angle. This will allow precipitation to drain from the roof. For the roof, use scraps from the boards. The middle of the log can be picked out with a chisel. To make the job easier, drill a few holes and then pick out the jumpers. The walls should remain 1.5-3 cm thick. The insides should be smooth without large chips. The bottom consists of pieces 2.5 cm thick. It is screwed on. Finally, the lid is nailed on.

For your information! Perches are not always a good solution for poultry houses, as cats can lean on them to reach the chicks with their paws.

How to build a birdhouse with your own hands

Let's find out how to make a birdhouse correctly. You can watch the working process in the video below.

How to make a birdhouse yourself and its design depends on where it will be hung. If the mounting will be carried out on a pole, under the roof of a house or, then it is worth planning special perches. If the structure is attached to a tree, then birds can walk along the branches.

To build a wooden house with your own hands, you will need certain materials. By the way, you can buy a birdhouse set with your own hands in a specialized store.

Here are the tools and materials you will need:

• boards and bars;
• carpentry glue, screws and nails;
• hammer, chisel, drill, hacksaw and drill;
• pencil and ruler.

You can see how to make a simple design in the photo. Drawings and diagrams will also help you make beautiful bird houses.

Before making such a design, you need to complete the blanks. To do this, markings are made on the boards according to the drawings. The correct house involves marking the dimensions of the roof, walls, bottom and holes. The following recommendations will help you when making preparations:

• since the roof is made with a slope, the front wall is made 4 cm longer than the others, and the side walls are cut with a bevel;
• the bottom is made in the form of a square with sides of 13 cm;
• the roof is made of two different elements. One part is made like the bottom, and with the help of the second a canopy is created.

Sawing is done carefully. All paired parts must be the same size. The outside of the house had a decorative appearance; the boards needed to be planed. It is better to make the hole round so that it resembles a hollow.

Then the structure is assembled. To do this, you need to fasten the side walls and the front facade. This is done using wood glue. Nails and screws are used as additional reinforcement. Then the bottom of the birdhouse is attached. Finally, the back wall is attached. It is important to ensure that there are no gaps between the elements. If the roof is removable, then the parts are fixed only to each other. In this case, the roof is mounted using rubber or special hinges.

The finished product can be nailed to a suitable surface or tied with wire. To make it easier for the chicks to exit, it is recommended to attach the structure with a slight forward tilt.

There are also unusual types of birdhouses. Decorative options can be used to decorate the garden, and even taken to kindergarten.

Here are some original solutions:

• An unusual bird house can be made from an old barrel. In this case, you can make a hole and then decorate the structure;

• You can weave beautiful products from willow growth. The weaving technique is identical to the method of weaving baskets. But the house at the top should narrow. The roof should protrude 3-5 cm at the edges;

• For an unusual-looking nest, you can use plugs. They are dense, fit perfectly and retain heat. They can be used to finish the finished frame. You can glue the elements using hot glue;

• a decorative house can be made from a pumpkin. In this case, it is necessary to pull out the pulp, cut the necessary hole, and attach a canopy on top;

• a beautiful and decorative option is obtained from a flower pot. To do this, you need to braid it with a strong rope;

• Among the most unusual options, we can mention a product made from old shoes;

• used vessels with necks. In this case, the neck turns down;
• It's a good idea to use tubes.

How to decorate a birdhouse with your own hands

A birdhouse can become not only a useful item, but also a wonderful one. Let's look at how you can decorate a bird's house.

Photos show how unusual birdhouses look. You can make similar products with your whole family. For children you can make a product with a picture. For example, beautiful flowers, ornaments will do, or you can depict how a starling looks out in a birdhouse.

Using original ideas, you must remember that such a product should not attract the attention of various predators. You should also not overuse with various shiny and rustling parts that can frighten your feathered friends.

Unusual decor can be made using wine corks. This material has a porous but durable structure, which protects the structure well from moisture. In addition, such a coating allows you to retain heat. Cork is also easy and simple to process.

To make this option, you will need corks, a finished frame, a device with hot melt glue and twigs. You should not nail or screw such elements. Because the tips of the screws can penetrate the walls and injure the birds.

The work is carried out like this:

• the adhesive composition is applied to the plugs, which are glued in rows to the wall;
• the plugs are glued all the way to the roof. In narrow places you can use parts of plugs;
• on the front side, the central row can be laid out vertically;
• for the roof, you can cut the corks in half and lay them on the surface like tiles.

The sides of the structure and joints can be decorated with twigs, moss or pieces of cork. You can see in the photo how beautiful the birdhouses are.

Not everyone knows whether such structures can be painted. It is better to use odorless, moisture-resistant compounds. You can see in the photo how to paint surfaces with acrylic paints.

Article

Our interest in birdhouses awakens in the spring along with raindrops, bright rays of the sun and the ringing voices of birds. I really want nimble and cheerful birds to settle in our yard. It's nice to watch the family activities of birds and listen to their trills. It’s equally nice to know that birds will help protect your garden from pests.

Birdhouses for birds: what are they?

We have all observed a considerable number of different birdhouses. You may get the impression that these are just small houses with a hole of different shapes and colors. In fact, bird houses can be made from various materials and must have certain parameters for different types of birds. There are certain requirements for their design and placement.

Especially for you, we have grouped the existing options into an easy-to-read form. Of course, before you start assembling a bird house, you need to see what they are like.

Birdhouses made of wood - classics of the genre

There is no doubt that wood is best suited for making a classic birdhouse. The reason is in the whole complex of its characteristics:

• good thermal insulation;
• acceptable sound insulation;
• sufficient strength;
• environmentally friendly;
• well processed;
• affordable.

We have prepared for you photos of 40 types of wooden birdhouses, arranging them in order of increasing complexity and quality of design.

Here are images of the simplest designs. As you can see, they suit the starlings themselves. Unless they suspect that the lifespan of an untreated house is limited. If appearance doesn't matter, choose one of these options.

If you spend a little more time, you can make a much nicer house for the birds. Perhaps you use another type of lumber for this purpose. Definitely, it will take a little more skill and effort.

In these designs, fantasy played the main role. Moisture-proof impregnation and a tin roof will definitely increase the service life of the crafts. The products are somewhat more complex than ordinary bird houses.

As you can see in the photo, the birdhouse can be decorated by cutting a hole in the shape of a bird’s silhouette. At least the roof can be painted. To assemble a bird house, you can use clapboard treated with a blowtorch.

The photographs above show the application of paints. In principle, one color is enough to decorate a craft. Several bird houses painted in different colors look great.

If you try, paints will help turn a bird's home into a fairy-tale house. The design itself is not complicated. Imagination and diligence are the main tools of the presented success.

A few more options for successful and simple solutions. Small cross-section sticks allow you to complement the craft with a fence, trellis, and so on. Using a jigsaw helped a lot in the bottom two photos. The use of wood of different colors and unusual shapes of the bird house ensured the exclusivity of the work.

The photos presented above say: don’t limit your imagination! Of course, to assemble an airplane and helicopter you will need parts made on a lathe. However, the locomotive and the tiger are made from ordinary planks using a simple tool. Can be repeated!

The two elegant bird houses pictured above were crafted with great taste and care. It's not easy to repeat this. To create something similar and your own is even more difficult.

We present four more examples that will decorate a site of any level. Of course, wood carving is not for everyone. Note that the two lower options are quite realistic for copying. It will take a lot of time and effort.

A birdhouse made of logs is a separate topic

A great idea is to use an ordinary log for a birdhouse at the dacha. This is also wood, but untreated. Please note that an old tree trunk with a rotten core is the best option. Such housing for birds resembles a hollow and is called a nest box. As you can see, the design of the product can be very different.

For many, an old log is more affordable than an edged board. Birds don't care what their home looks like. A simple deck or palace made of birch will do. You make the choice.

The nest can be decorated with branches, boards, and mushrooms. Again we are talking about the manifestation of imagination.

In any case, those who decide to make the house more complex and interesting must definitely link its design with the place and environment where the birdhouse will be located.

They also make plywood bird houses.

It is believed that plywood is not the best choice for a bird house, as it has an unpleasant and harmful smell of glue. However, the starling in the picture likes the plywood housing. You probably shouldn't use products with a noticeable glue smell. It can be assumed that the slight odor will subside over time. Plywood is more expensive than edged boards, but it is stronger and will last longer.

Here is a factory kit for assembling a bird house. Its main advantages are its interesting design and high assembly speed. Thin plywood has reduced heat and sound insulation. This type of bird house is best used in warm regions and will not last long.

Several more design options for birdhouses made of plywood demonstrate the wide decorative capabilities of the material. The use of paints will ensure a flawless appearance. It is probably better to use such crafts for decorative purposes.

Here are the simplest plywood bird houses. They are best used in relatively warm regions. They won't last long in this condition.

The use of 20mm thick plywood and paints greatly improves the position of plywood houses. Experiments with the shape of the craft are encouraged.

Birdhouses made of cardboard - it's possible

Cardboard birdhouses are difficult to take seriously. As follows from the pictures, such products exist. At the same time, they are made at enterprises producing corrugated packaging.

Of course, such a bird house is inexpensive, can be assembled quickly and even looks decent. Obviously, they will last one season, and in those areas where it will not be soaked by rain. However, we decided to overcome the identified shortcomings of the material and further in the text we offer a diagram for assembling a fairly reliable bird house made of corrugated cardboard.

Birdhouses made from plastic bottles - a backup option

At first glance, plastic containers are very suitable for a bird’s nest: they cost nothing, are durable, and are not afraid of rain. Note that birds do not like to sit in a transparent room with poor heat and sound insulation. In addition, the slippery surfaces of the bottle make it difficult for the bird to move around in the house.

However, these shortcomings can be combated. Note that the assembly of such a product does not require a hacksaw or drill and can be done by a woman or child. A plastic bottle can be painted, covered with an opaque material and lined with fabric on the inside. It is better to use five-liter eggplants.

To prevent the lightweight structure from being swayed by the wind, it must be securely attached to the tree, for example with tape. Obviously, in this situation there is a wide scope for decor and decorations. Below we offer a practical way to use plastic bottles for a bird house.

Bird houses made from scrap materials

A very interesting house for birds is made from a pumpkin. The internal contents of the plant are cleaned with a spoon through the future entrance. The craft is dried, decorated and hung on a tree.

Options for “decorating the room” outside can be very different. Note that even in its simplest form, the product has a certain decorative value. Often it is for this purpose that such crafts are made.

A wooden barrel or pebbles and cedar cones, as well as beer cans, are suitable for building a bird house. Almost any material will do, from beer cans to shoes.

At the same time, it is important to comply with the conditions for comfortable living of birds, which we discuss further in the text.

An old boot is an excellent home for birds. By the way, the leather version will last quite a long time. The convenience of living in an old snag with a hollow for birds definitely doesn’t need to be explained. Nothing prevents us from adding our human decorations.

An old bucket is perfect for birds. It is especially convenient to use a piece of plastic pipe to set up a bird house. Very simple and durable. The possibilities for decoration are, as always, unlimited.

Multi-family houses or townhouses for birds

Probably, apartment buildings were first developed by birds, and then by people. There are a great many options for execution. Just like people, an apartment building can be beautiful.

These examples look more like townhouses. Probably, next to a “high-rise building” for a large number of birds it will always be possible to observe at least one of them.

At the same time, we must not forget that a cheerful company of birds can harvest your entire garden in one sitting.

Decorative birdhouses

Decorative birdhouses also have a place. They are designed to decorate rooms. Often decorative crafts are placed in the garden.

Bird houses can be made by children from paper, cardboard boxes, plastic bottles and beer cans. Of course, in this case no dimensions need to be observed. We have selected for you images of the most typical products that are suitable for a child.

Dimensions of birdhouses and other requirements

There are general requirements for bird housing, regardless of what specific birds they are intended for:

1. The bird house must have sufficient thermal insulation and be protected from noise, moisture and drafts. To do this, a wooden birdhouse is made from boards at least 20mm thick. The seams and cracks of the house are sealed with clay, plasticine or tow.
2. The structure should not have sharp protrusions that could injure feathered inhabitants. The protruding parts are treated with emery cloth.
3. The configuration of the birdhouse should allow birds to easily get in and out. In a birdhouse made of planed boards, the front wall from the inside is roughened using a hacksaw and a drill. A birdhouse made from a plastic bottle is trimmed from the inside with a coarse cloth.
4. The material of the bird housing should not emit unpleasant odors. Laminated chipboard and OSB board contain formaldehyde and are not suitable for birds. For the same reasons, the use of plywood is also discouraged. Inorganic adhesives should not be used to assemble the birdhouse. It is better to paint the product with acrylic paints.
5. You should not use too bright colors to decorate the house. Birds distinguish colors much better than people, and in nature they are not used to showing off their nest to everyone. It is better not to create a tip for birds of prey and cats. Good paint will significantly extend the life of your product.
6. The design and placement of the birdhouse should provide sufficient protection from cats and woodpeckers.
7. The birdhouse should not be too large so as not to provoke the female to lay too many eggs. It is difficult to provide food for a large number of chicks, and they will not survive.

Let us add in more detail a few more significant comments on the “architecture” of bird houses. To protect against feline organized crime groups (organized criminal groups), the birdhouse should be positioned so that it is impossible to climb into it from nearby branches.

It is better not to make a support under the entrance, as the entrance to the bird’s house is called: branches are enough for the bird if the birdhouse is on a tree, and the cats will definitely take advantage of the additional opportunity for criminal purposes. To protect the chicks from attack from above, the overhang of the birdhouse canopy is increased to 70-80mm. The greater the angle of inclination of the roof, the more difficult it is for cats to commit a dirty deed.

To prevent cat gangs from reaching the birdhouse along the support from below or above, it is wrapped in tin in accordance with the image. The cat slides on the metal and will not reach the chicks. To protect against the claims of a woodpecker, the bird entrance is reinforced with a metal or thick wooden overlay, as in the photo. Then he will not be able to expand the entrance and get to the eggs.

Quite often, birdhouses are made from coniferous wood. Resin released from wood can ruin the plumage of birds. It is better to use birch or alder for a bird's nest. As a last resort, you should choose pine boards without knots.

Different birds have their own characteristics and choose their “apartments” according to their needs. When planning to make a house for certain birds, use its standard GOST dimensions from the table below.

The bird house mentioned in the table, called a “half nest,” is intended for birds that are accustomed to nesting not in the hollows of trees, but in the recess between the branches. These birds prefer a certain amount of light, and a slit-shaped entrance is suitable for them.

Please note that it is difficult for a wagtail to move on vertical surfaces, and it is better for it to arrange a comfortable area in front of the entrance 8-12 cm wide. For small birds, like pikas, two entrances located opposite each other are organized. It is believed that starlings do not live in green houses.

Choosing a location and methods of attaching bird houses

Ornithologists recommend placing one birdhouse on an area of ​​20 m2. In practice, one birdhouse in the garden is enough, since a larger number endangers your cherries and even tomato seedlings. If you install several bird houses, ensure a distance of more than 15 meters between them.

Usually the birdhouse is installed at a height of 2.5-3.5 m from the ground. If there are objects nearby where people often appear and will disturb the birds, increase the height to 4.5-5.5 m.

It is necessary to think about the optimal orientation of the bird's house relative to the cardinal directions. If the entrance to the open space faces south, the house may overheat. It is better to place it in the shade. It is also incorrect to point the entrance towards the most frequently blowing winds, since rain will enter through the entrance to the birdhouse. Also, to protect from rain, you should use the wall or roof of a building, tree foliage, etc.

Often the birdhouse has a special bar for attaching to the support. It can be fixed to inanimate objects with nails and screws. Flexible clamps are used for fastening to trees. Reliable and durable cords and ropes are suitable. In this case, the fasteners should not pinch the tree as the trunk thickens. If the birdhouse you installed is not occupied by residents, try moving it to another location. This circumstance will probably influence the birds' decision.

Workshops on making bird houses

Drawings, dimensions and photos of assembling a wooden birdhouse with decorations

We invite you to familiarize yourself with the drawings of three options for the most common birdhouses made of wood. Let us repeat that it is better to make them from deciduous wood or use pine boards without knots with resin. If you check the size table, you will find that for starlings and other birds the house may have different dimensions than in the drawings. Next, we describe a diagram for assembling a bird house with a pitched roof, following which you can carry out any of the three projects yourself.

Here is a drawing of a birdhouse made of boards, which is the simplest. A special feature of this design is the removable lid. In order for it to be securely fixed, a 120x120mm insert is provided, attached to the lid from the inside. If you do not plan to remove the cover, the liner is not needed.

The gable lid looks more interesting, but the design is a little more complicated. Pay attention to the accuracy of the connection of the roof parts with the side walls. Additional compaction with plasticine, clay or hemp may be required in these places. The design does not provide for a removable cover.

This drawing shows a design with an inclined removable cover. You should pay attention to the careful execution of inclined cuts of the side walls. We present a master class on assembling a birdhouse in two stages: first we make a birdhouse according to the description, and then we decorate it at our own discretion.

Let's consider the sequence of actions step by step:

1. To make the birdhouse, I used a pine board with a section of 160x20mm. The knots are very small, so the resin will not interfere with the birds.
2. For parts 120mm wide, I cut the board lengthwise to this width. I used a 40mm wide scrap as a pole to attach the birdhouse.
   
3. I used a square to mark the parts. Otherwise, cracks in the craft cannot be avoided.
4. I marked the length of the insert under the lid “in place”, it’s more convenient.
5. I carefully marked and made a bevel cut on the front and back walls of the product.
6. First, I drilled the tap hole with a feather drill.
   
7. However, I didn’t have a feather drill of the required diameter, so I finished the job with a jigsaw.
8. I scratched the inside of the front wall with a hacksaw to make it easier for the birds to get out of the house.
   
9. The result was a set of parts shown in the picture.
10. The entrance was cleaned with sandpaper for the convenience of the birds.
11. To assemble the house, I drilled holes with a diameter of 2 mm for screws. On long walls, three screws are enough, on short walls, two.
    
12. I fastened the side walls with 3.5x40mm screws; 3.5x35mm screws were used to assemble the lid.
    
13. The result is a birdhouse without cracks or gaps. For those who want to extend the life of the craft with the help of paints and at the same time make a funny birdhouse, follow below.
14. First, let's turn the canopy over the entrance into the visor of an improvised cap. We carry out the markings using a compass.
    
15. The cut along an arc was made with a jigsaw and the sharp edges were treated with emery cloth.
    
16. I also used sandpaper to smooth out all the sharp edges of the craft. When doing this type of work, it is convenient to wrap the sandpaper around a wooden block.
17. Next, I cut out templates for the eyebrows, eyes, lips and ear of the “Cyclops” from paper. I tried them on for a craft project and remade those that didn’t fit the proportions.
    
18. For false ears I used 16mm plywood, for the mouth – 10mm. I pressed the corresponding templates onto the plywood and outlined the outlines with a marker.
19. I cut out all the complex shaped parts with a jigsaw.
    
20. The nose has a geometric shape, so I marked it out using a ruler. I cleaned the cut parts with sandpaper.
21. I painted the ears, nose and lid of the birdhouse with brown paint in two layers. For the lips I used red color.
22. The body of the “Cyclops head” was painted with yellow acrylic paint. To mark the whites of the eyes and eyebrows, I attached the corresponding templates to the front wall and outlined them with a marker. I did the eyebrows and eyelashes with a black marker. The white of the eye was painted over with white paint.
23. The ears, nose and mouth were secured with screws. I invited a cheerful bird – a fashion model – especially for photography.

New technologies for assembling a birdhouse from cardboard and bottles for women's and children's hands

Not everyone who wants to build a birdhouse with their own hands has the ability to saw boards, drill and drive screws. On the other hand, plastic bottles and cardboard boxes are available to everyone. Both materials are not suitable for creating a bird house.

We came up with the idea that a wonderful result would be obtained if these available materials were used together: plastic protects from moisture, and corrugated cardboard provides thermal insulation. We bring to your attention an original project of a bird house made from improvised materials, which can be implemented by anyone at home. Look how we did it in the picture.

Here is a presentation of a master class on making an apartment for birds from plastic bottles and corrugated cardboard. In this case, a drawing is not required, since the dimensions are marked on the parts:

1. To start, you will need two identical five-liter bottles. We cut one of them from the bottom along the line marked with a marker. The cut is below the protruding part so that the second container can be inserted into the first.
   
2. Corrugated cardboard is best suited two-layer 6mm thick. The marking should be done in a rectangle. We cut the cardboard with a stationery knife using a metal ruler.
3. First, we cut out one piece 118x118mm and check how it fits inside the cut container. It is ideal if it clings a little to the walls of the jar. If it passes with a large gap or passes into the container with difficulty, you will have to choose other square sizes. In the case when the size of the bottom and roof is changed or cardboard with a thickness other than 6mm is used, the drawings of the parts will be different. The height of 300mm will not change, the width of the front and rear walls is equal to the size of the bottom and roof, the width of the side wall is equal to the width of the front, minus double the thickness of the cardboard.
4. We mark the entrance with a marker in accordance with the image. To obtain a circle, it is convenient to trace the lid of the container with a marker. Cut the hole with a narrow knife.
   
5. We cut out all the details from corrugated cardboard in accordance with the image.
   
6. Using a glue gun, apply glue to the bottom of the back wall.
7. We install the bottom liner on the glue. To ensure proper assembly, temporarily install and hold the side wall with your hand. You need to hold the parts until they are fixed with glue.
8. The result will be an assembly in the shape of the letter “G”.
   
9. Apply glue to the end of the bottom.
10. Apply glue to the edge of the side wall.
11. After installing the side wall and the glue has cured, you will have an assembly of three parts.
12. Apply glue to the upper parts of the side and back walls.
    
13. Once the roof liner is installed and the glue has cured, you will have a four-piece assembly.
14. Apply glue for the second side wall.
15. We install the second side wall and get a box without a lid.
16. Apply glue to the ends of the four parts and install the front wall.
    
17. The base of the craft is ready.
18. At the ends of the craft, remove the exposed glue to glue the bottom and roof.
19. Apply glue to the four ends of the walls and the bottom liner.
20. Install the bottom of the birdhouse.
    
21. Now we have a bird house with an insulated and reinforced bottom.
22. This is what the finished cardboard capsule looks like after gluing the roof.
    
23. Carefully insert the cardboard insert into the bottle and mark the tap hole on the bottle with a marker.
24. We cut out the tap hole in accordance with the markings.
25. We prepare corrugated cardboard parts for insulating the bird house in accordance with the image.
    
26. Everything worked out for us, and the “insulation” is in place.
27. We push the parts into place. If they do not fit well, the parts can be trimmed or the cardboard can be crushed at the edges of the long sides.
28. After adjusting the size of the second bottle and assembling, mark holes for wire staples on the sides of the birdhouse with a marker. We punch holes at a distance of 20mm so as not to perforate the walls of the product.
    
29. We make two brackets from copper wire with a diameter of 0.5-1 mm in accordance with the holes.
30. We move the bottom eggplant down and insert staples into it on both sides. We bend the ends of the staples so that they easily fit into the upper bottle.
31. We move the lower bottle into place and insert the staples into the holes on the upper bottle.
32. We push the bottom part of the plastic container into place.
    
33. We twist the wire and bend the twist.
    
34. This is what an almost finished birdhouse looks like. We received impeccable thermal insulation and protection from moisture of the bird house.
    
35. We painted the top of the house with brown paint, and the bottom with yellow paint. The sharp edge of the plastic can injure the bird. We took a piece of corrugation, cut it lengthwise and put it on the edge of the tap hole. You can color the product at your own discretion. The craft resembles a castle tower, so you can create a pattern of battlements from below.

How to make a birdhouse from a log easier

We have already given examples of arranging an original birdhouse made of logs. Birds will definitely like this project, as it resembles a hollow bird familiar to them: it has no cracks and blends in with the surrounding environment. Now let’s look at a master class on assembling such a bird house yourself.