How To Build The Perfect Birdhouse For The Bluebirds In Your Yard

Whether you're an avid birder or a casual nature enthusiast, there is nothing quite like pausing your day to enjoy the birds in your backyard. One specimen of note is the beautiful bluebird. They bring along a cheerful warbling and bright blue plumage and are natural insect hunters. With colorful fowl and fewer insects, enjoying your backyard is easy. Attract this feathered friend into your yard with an easy-to-build DIY birdhouse, but avoid the biggest material mistakes.

Bluebirds come in Eastern, Western, and Mountain varieties and can be found flying around all over North America. Once approaching extinction, these birds have made a significant comeback over the last 50 years. The reason for their triumphant return is due in part to an increase in nesting boxes made specifically for the bluebird. While there are several clever tips to attract bug-eating birds to your yard, bluebirds don't need much help: they can spot insects and caterpillars creeping in tall grass from 50 yards away.

Before you start construction on your birdhouse, it's important to know some specifications. Bluebirds require a few amenities that will invite them in, make them comfortable, and keep them safe. Plain wood boxes with good ventilation are required, and the entrance hole should be no larger than 1⁹⁄₁₆ inches. The roof should be sloped and overhang the entrance, and a bluebird house should have a good means for drainage. Finally, after a brood has fledged, you'll need access inside to clean up before the next tenants arrive.

To build a birdhouse, start with the wood. Choose a cedar picket or two, though any weather-resistant, low-toxicity wood local to your area will work. You'll also need nails, screws, construction adhesive, a tape measure, a carpenter's square, a chopsaw, a hammer, and a drill with a 1⁹⁄₁₆ inch spade bit.

Cut the roof to 1-by-10-by-11 inches, the front, back, and sides to 1-by-6-by-10 inches, and the floor and the inner roof to 1-by-6-by-10 inches. Drill ventilation holes in the sides and the entrance hole in the front. It's important to make the perfect-sized entrance hole for your birdhouse, to discourage aggressive, non-native species. Saw a series of kerfs below the entrance hole for the bluebirds to grasp, rather than adding a perch (as perches invite competitor birds). Attach the inner roof to the back and then add the sides. Insert the front with the ladder facing in, gluing and screwing it in place. Drill a hole on each side that will go through the front. This is for bent nails that will hold the door closed, but can be opened for cleaning.

You're ready to hang your birdhouse. Mount it so the entrance hole is at least 5 feet above the ground and facing away from prevailing winds. Whether mounting to a tree or on a pole, place the house in an open field at least 8 feet away from tall grass or shrubbery. When everything is up, use this clever DIY to peek at what's inside your birdhouse.