Do-it-yourself birdhouses from waste material. Do-it-yourself birdhouse: how to make a reliable and comfortable house for birds (61 photos). How to protect a birdhouse from cats, squirrels, magpies: tips

  • 27.06.2021

Instead of dubious chemical compounds, you can use safe "environmentally friendly" products. To effectively combat caterpillars, beetles and other pests, it is enough to attract starlings to yours. These and some other species of birds are capable of destroying not only insects, but also larvae. The only thing you need is a high-quality, do-it-yourself birdhouse. Design drawings and dimensions, manufacturing techniques and helpful tips you will find in this article.

Read in the article

What to make a birdhouse: the best materials

To clarify the dimensions of the birdhouse, a drawing for starlings must be created taking into account the characteristics of habitat in natural conditions. It is recommended to consider the following facts:

  • Usually these birds make nests, or use a hollow hollowed out by a woodpecker in a tree. They do not need excessive space, so it is enough to create a small interior space of housing.
  • To grow chicks, you will need a lack of drafts, good heat and.
  • We should not forget about natural enemies. Sufficiently reliable protection against .
  • It is necessary to ensure the convenience of penetration into the birdhouse and free flight.
  • Unpleasant odors and vapors harmful to biological organisms should be excluded.
  • The design should not have sharp protrusions, defects that could injure the bird.

This photo shows that the birds like the unsightly-looking structure. It is made from natural materials, without varnishes and paints. In terms of its parameters, housing turned out to be close to natural conditions, which is why the corresponding structures are called “hollow houses”. Manufacturing is not accompanied by unnecessary difficulties. In a suitable block of wood, the core is removed, a hole is cut out for the notch. Boards are nailed from below and from above.

Birdhouse made of wood: in harmony with nature

This material is used most often, since its parameters are well suited for bird housing. However, be aware of the following limitations.


  • To get acceptable, it is necessary to use sufficiently thick sheets (from 20 mm or more). Creation of typesetting walls is admissible.
  • Moisture-resistant varieties are suitable for outdoor use. These materials are more expensive than standard ones. But products made from them will retain their shape for a long service life.
  • Make sure that there are no glues or other chemicals harmful to birds that create unpleasant odors.

Birdhouse out of the box: a turnkey solution


This set contains wooden blanks made using factory techniques. They differ high quality processing, precise dimensions. Paints and a special decorative overlay will be useful to create an aesthetic appearance. Assembly instructions will help you perform the necessary steps correctly.

Important! As a rule, such kits do not include tools. They will have to be purchased separately.


This cardboard birdhouse is assembled in just a few minutes. Special cutouts are designed to create connections. The advantages include low cost, speed of installation operations, the possibility of disassembly. To determine the shortcomings of such a model, it is enough to carefully examine the image:

  • The absence of an additional layer that protects against moisture.
  • Too big for birds.
  • Low strength of the connecting nodes.
  • Overly modest appearance.

Birdhouse dimensions: what to consider

The questions above are discussed in detail on how to properly make a design using different materials. After a comprehensive analysis, it is not difficult to draw a conclusion about the advantages of natural wood:

  • it is an environmentally friendly, inexpensive material;
  • it has high strength and good insulation performance;
  • it is not too difficult to process it at home with your own hands using the simplest tools.

The last item on this list deserves special attention. Prudent owners make housing attractive to birds of certain species. That is why it is necessary to take into account not only the physiological differences between starlings and tits, their special habits and preferences.

It should be noted right away that it will not work to build such a miniature object according to GOST. Standard reference parameters have not been developed for the birdhouse.



Important! What should be the dimensions of the products, discussed below. The requirements for other parameters are also given there, taking into account the peculiarities of behavior. different birds. You can make individual changes to any drawing. But it is better if they refer only to the aesthetic parameters of products.

Sizes of the birdhouse for starlings

Typical design parameters are shown in the following table:



When the feathered neighbors have mastered a new home, this is removed. After that, the birds will begin to destroy harmful insects.

Sinichnik: drawing and dimensions

The dimensions of the birdhouse for tits are slightly different from the previous version:


Wagtail house: drawing and dimensions

To make the birds comfortable, the following parameters must be considered:

Drawings can be created independently based on the data provided in the table. But we must remember that the legs of the wagtail are better suited for running than for clinging to vertical surfaces. It is difficult for this bird to penetrate into the notch of a standard birdhouse. For her, the design is supplemented with a “threshold”, a special platform with a width of 80 to 120 mm.



How to make a birdhouse step by step

After familiarizing yourself with the theory, you can proceed to practice. This table shows an algorithm that will help you correctly create birdhouses for birds with your own hands. Blueprints, expendable materials, the tools must be prepared in advance.

A photo Action plan and important notes

For the manufacture of a relatively simple bird house at home, such a drawing of a birdhouse with dimensions is suitable with your own hands.

According to data design documentation, the dimensions are transferred to .

Wooden blanks are cut using, or with an electric drive.

To make it easier for the birds to move, the inner surfaces are roughened. If necessary, special notches are applied in the notch area.

The hole is made with an electric drill. Use a cutter of the desired size.

To simplify the assembly process, thin holes are drilled at the marked points, or small indentations are made. Screws are screwed into them. With the help of such fasteners, reliable connections are obtained.

The assembly is performed sequentially. The workpieces are installed so that in the process of their fastening they do not create additional loads on the structure. For the product from the example, three screws on one connection line are enough. This is not indicated in the photo, but some craftsmen install special inserts in the inner corners. With their help, the shape of the internal space is rounded off, making it look like an ordinary hollow.

In the central part of the lid, a wooden rectangle is fixed with dimensions slightly smaller than the free part of the inner contour of the walls. It is fixed with five screws.

Check the ease of installation and dismantling of the cover. If necessary, a chisel gives the optimal shape to the details.

If you create several birdhouses, the garden will be better protected from harmful insects. To extend the service life, the product is impregnated on the outside with specialized compounds.

With the help of this video, you can find out how to make a functional and beautiful birdhouse yourself:

Important! When creating any type of house, it is necessary to seal the gaps. You can use foam for this. Working operations are performed using specialized tools, blades.

How to build a birdhouse with your own hands: step by step instructions

If you buy a ready-made kit, a do-it-yourself birdhouse for birds can be made quickly and accurately. In such kits there are precisely fitted blanks, consumables. Detailed Instructions manufacturers explain how to make a birdhouse. But much more interesting original designs.



Detailed drawings are not needed for this project. It is only necessary to comply with the above requirements for the size of the houses for different types birds. First you need to find the necessary raw materials. Aspen fits well. In this wood, the core often becomes rotten while maintaining the integrity of the outer layers.
After delivering the log home, it is sawn to the desired size. Remove rotten bark. One of the cuts is made at a slight angle. A roof will subsequently be attached to this end. The slope will automatically remove precipitation. A hole must be made in the workpiece (along the entire length). To speed up the process, use a power tool with a long drill, chisels.
If there is a through hole, even strong wood will not be too difficult to remove.
Further, the sampling of excess material is carried out until uniform walls with a thickness of 20 to 30 mm are formed. Chips and sharp burrs are removed from the inside. The tap hole is drilled using an electric drill equipped with a toothed crown of the appropriate diameter.
A board (20-25 mm) is suitable for the bottom. It is cut so that the excess parts do not protrude beyond the level of the contour of the lower part.
The roof in a stationary version, like the bottom, is fixed with screws. In order not to split the wood, holes are first created with a small diameter drill. How to make a removable version of the roof, described above.

How to decorate a birdhouse with your own hands

Often there are questions, is it possible to paint such structures? The application of impregnations, decorative coatings protects the wood from moisture, harmful bark beetles. This processing allows you to use the same design for many years without repair. But be sure to make sure that the paints do not contain odors that repel birds. On the other hand, they should not be overly bright so as not to attract predators.

When applied correctly original ideas it will be possible to make an expressive design element out of a functional object. How to decorate a bird house is easier to figure out using photos of specific examples.

1 of 6

Unusual birdhouses (pictured) can be created using relatively complex technologies (1) and improvised materials (2) An unusual option is a good illustration of the widest possibilities of a creative person. Metal linings, like the stones in the previous version, perform certain protective functions. In order not to think about how to paint the walls, you can use ready-made images for decoration, photo printing

Article

What date is Halloween? The answer to the question all over the world has not changed for two millennia of the existence of the holiday. Halloween originated with the ancient Celts and spread throughout the English-speaking countries. During this time, the meaning of the holiday moved from pagan to church, and then became traditional without the direct participation of the church. Every year from October 31 to November 1, All Saints' Day is celebrated, […]

What is Halloween, celebrated all over the world, not everyone knows in our country. There are 7 holidays in Russia, for the period of which weekends are set. In addition, the calendar is filled with professional holidays, memorable days, religious events. Some are distributed all over the world, others - only in Russia and the regions. What is HalloweenContents1 What is Halloween2 How to spell […]

How to install drip irrigation correctly so that the system functions at the proper level? Spot irrigation complexes, correctly assembled into a single network, maintain an optimal microclimate in the greenhouse and ensure uniform watering of the soil in the garden or on the territory of the garden. Simple and automatic irrigation installations can significantly reduce water consumption by performing point moistening of the root zone of plants. How to install drip […]

Automatic drip irrigation provides uniform soil moisture and promotes the rapid growth of garden and fruit crops. The operation of simple micro-drip installations is manually regulated, which may not always provide the correct irrigation conditions. Automated systems drip irrigation function without human intervention and maintain the specified mode throughout the summer season. Automated drip irrigation: what is it forContents1 Automated […]

Do-it-yourself drip irrigation from plastic bottles is especially relevant when there is a shortage of water in a summer cottage. The easiest way to micro-drip irrigation is to organize an irrigation system from separate blocks. There are several easy-to-implement and cost-effective solutions for such a system, which use improvised means and inexpensive components. Drip watering from plastic bottlesContents1 Drip watering from plastic bottles1.1 […]

Do-it-yourself drip irrigation for giving at no cost - do it yourself, without spending money on acquiring a ready-made complex. The design features of drip irrigation installations mounted on a personal plot make it possible to successfully grow fruit trees and shrubs, garden crops and other plants. It is easy to assemble a drip irrigation system on your own, without spending money on purchasing a ready-made complex, the parameters of which may not […]

Gardeners attract birds to their plots for a reason. It is pleasant to listen to the birds singing, to observe their behavior and the maturation of the chicks. And most importantly, the singing family is able to rid the garden of bugs and pests. If you make do-it-yourself birdhouse and hang it among fruit trees, there will be no need to use insecticides to protect garden plants. Biologists have calculated that chicks can eat almost as many larvae and bugs every day as they weigh themselves.

Who will live in the house?

Closer to warm spring days, birds return home from warm lands. For swifts and wagtails, starlings and flycatchers, swallows and titmouse in early spring, there is not enough food, and there is nowhere to hide. It is impossible to predict which feathered family will settle in the prepared house. One thing is known: in order to feed their brood, starling parents bring their children about a thousand larvae and beetles per week.

If a birdhouse (do it yourself made or bought in a store) will remain in the garden for the winter, sparrows or titmouse will settle in it. However, with the onset of spring, the "legitimate" owners (starlings) will evict the tenants and occupy the dwelling.

For flycatchers, which also live in garden plots, smaller huts are built than birdhouses, but according to the same scheme. But for pikas, you need a teremok with two additional through holes in the side walls.

The dimensions of the notch in the house for titmouse should be no more than 3-3.5 cm. And housing for settling in wagtails should not have a perch under the entrance, but a small stand - a trap. The paws of this bird do not have sufficient tenacity.

Important! Before you start making a shelter for birds, first decide for whom exactly it is intended, since the dimensions of the dwelling must correspond to the size of the bird.

What is the difference between a birdhouse and a feeder

In frosty and snowy winter months people help the birds to survive. Small devices and devices for feeding birds are called "feeders". Birdies are treated not only to bread crumbs. Titmouse love to peck on pieces of fat. Other birds will not refuse grain and rowan berries. Feeding troughs look like hanging mini verandas. This is a kind of bird dining in the open air.

DIY birdhouse make it more closed. In such towers, a feathered family builds a nest in the spring and hatches chicks. This dwelling should be inaccessible not only to predatory crows, but also to cats. If the feeder can be made even from ordinary plastic bottle, then the house for permanent residence should be not only strong, but warm and reliable.

"Duplyanka" is a birdhouse made from a single piece of log with a hollowed out core. The round entrance resembles a natural hollow, which gave the house its name.

What materials do craftsmen use to make a home for birds? Natural ones are best, such as:

  • wood;
  • plywood;
  • rough boards;
  • waterproof cardboard;
  • gourd lagenaria.

To improve moisture-resistant properties, ready-made birdhouses are treated on the outside with a protective agent.

Important! Birds do not like sharp smells of paint and drying oil. Therefore, acrylic enamels or wax impregnations are used for coating.

About birdhouses and design ideas

Even an old sneaker can find a "second life" as a birdhouse if you fix it on the board and then on the tree with the heel part up! Pichugi will live it with pleasure.

Gets very warm do-it-yourself birdhouse, made from pieces of thick felt or knitted from coarse woolen threads. Above such little houses, an additional roof made of plastic or tin is necessarily fixed to protect against rain.

Important! Housing should be comfortable and safe for the feathered family and their chicks.

One of the interesting and easy-to-make options is a bird's hut made from gourds - gourds (lagenaria).

The sequence of work is as follows:

  1. take the dried fruit without cracks and damage;
  2. wash its surface with a rough sponge and hot water from possible contamination;
  3. dry well;
  4. mark with a simple pencil a place for a notch (entrance to the house);
  5. cut a hole with a sharp knife and clean its edges with a piece of sandpaper;
  6. shake out the seeds from the pumpkin;
  7. pierce a hole under the notch with an awl and insert a stick into it, previously lubricated with PVA glue;
  8. pierce the top of the pumpkin across the “tail” and thread a strong twine into the hole;
  9. lovers of drawing will be able to color an unusual do-it-yourself birdhouse;
  10. cover the finished house with a protective layer of acrylic varnish;
  11. hang a designer birdhouse on a tree or pole.

Such an unusual and beautiful nesting will serve as a decoration of the garden, will bring double benefits. After the departure of the grown chicks or in the fall, the product is removed, freed from feathers, straw and other residues, disinfected, dried and cleaned until next spring.

Simple and cost-free

The most budget option for making a birdhouse is a house from a juice bag. 15-20 wooden ice cream sticks are prepared in advance. The package is washed from the remnants of the juice, dried, a hole is cut with a knife for an entrance with a diameter of 5-6 cm. The entire surface of the package is glued on the outside with chopsticks (to look like a hut). From the inside, a small rough board is attached to the front wall so that the chicks can get out. A rope is threaded through the top of the package, for which the house is hung on a tree branch. Teremok is ready to receive guests.

Classic wooden birdhouse

DIY under the power to make not only a simple hut, but also a fairly solid housing for feathered friends. You will need the following tools and materials:

  • wooden boards up to 2 cm thick;
  • a pole and wire for attaching a birdhouse;
  • ruler or square;
  • simple pencil;
  • a hammer;
  • screwdriver;
  • jigsaw or saw;
  • drill;
  • PVA glue;
  • nails or screws.

Blanks are marked on the boards and cut out in accordance with the dimensions.

On the front wall, a notch with a diameter of 5-6 cm is sawn through at a height of about 10-15 cm from the bottom. Traditionally, the entrance hole is made round, and its dimensions should correspond to the size of future residents. This must be taken into account so that neither a crow nor a cat can climb into the nest and drag off the chicks.

A hole is drilled just below the notch and a stick is inserted into it, 8-9 cm long. On this perch, the birds will rest and announce the surroundings with their trills. Sometimes the enemies of starlings and flycatchers also use this wand.

The lid is fixed at an angle to prevent water from entering the house. To do this, 2-3 cm are cut off on both side walls towards the front part. The inclined plane of the roof, in addition, prevents the predators that have climbed onto the birdhouse from keeping their balance.

Important! The inside of the front wall must be rough, otherwise the chicks will not be able to get out. If the boards are smooth, small notches are made on their surface.

Assembly of finished parts of the house

First, a pole is nailed to the back wall of the birdhouse. Then, sleeve strips are attached to the inside of the lid. Moreover, there should be a distance for the visor ahead. The next step is to connect the back wall to the side parts and nail the bottom, attach the front front wall. All parts must be connected tightly, without gaps and cracks. When using nails, small holes are pre-drilled at the joints. This is done so that the wood does not burst.

The lid is not nailed, but tightly inserted from above. This is done in order to subsequently easily care for the birdhouse after it is released by the birds. The roof should protrude forward a few cm, creating a small visor above the notch.

Important! During work and assembly, it is necessary to ensure that the tips of the nails do not stick out on the inner surface of the walls. Otherwise, the birds that will live in the hut may get hurt.

How to fix a birdhouse

After the assembly is completed, it is important to choose the right place where it will hang birdhouse. DIY you need to prepare a strong wire. Do not nail a pole with a house with nails to a tree. It is tightly attached at a height above 3 meters, attached with wire to the trunk.

It is recommended to hang the bird house with a slight forward slope. To do this, use a small board, which, when installing the birdhouse, is placed under the upper part of the rear wall. This step will keep the rain out of the nest and make it easier for the chicks to get outside.

Important! The birdhouse is fixed in such a way that the entrance faces south or southeast. Then the cold winds will not blow in and the chicks will be warm and comfortable.

Both feeders and nests for feathered singers are not located in open space. Birds are very cautious and shy. They will only use the houses if they feel safe.

Do I need to care for birdhouses

Then the dwelling is dried, aired and cleaned until the next bird season.

Many gardeners pre-repair paints and outdoor surfaces so that any smells will wear off by spring. And in mid-March and early April, install cozy bird houses on your site.

What role do birds play in our lives?

Many believe that birds only bring harm by destroying the berry crop in the garden, while forgetting that birds feed on insects, slugs and worms, which harm the garden and vegetable garden much more.

According to some reports, one starling eats about three hundred different insects a day. Imagine how many pests the starling family eats!

It is not without reason that since ancient times a person has attracted birds to his garden, building birdhouses for them and.

In spring, starlings will come to the rescue, in winter - tits. Tits destroy wintering caterpillars, and in spring they eat laying eggs of insects, butterflies, aphids, bedbugs, beetles.

Do you still doubt the benefits of birds? If not, then we suggest you make a birdhouse for birds with your own hands and prepare for the spring meeting of our smaller brothers.

Traditional bird house

A traditional birdhouse is considered to be a house well known to all of us from childhood, made of boards. The older generation made such birdhouses in schools during labor lessons, and perhaps now today's schoolchildren are doing the same, taking care of birds and school plantings.

And so, in order to build a birdhouse with your own hands we will need unplaned boards 2 cm thick and 100-200 mm wide, nails or self-tapping screws, a hacksaw, a hammer or a screwdriver, a drill with a pen drill, a pencil and a ruler for marking. In no case should the building material be toxic, otherwise the birds simply will not settle in it.

Getting started, complete the drawing of the future birdhouse based on available materials.

The size of the natural hollow in which birds usually settle is approximately 12x12 cm.. Based on these parameters, we determine the size of the birdhouse. We make the bottom 100x100 or 120x120 mm. The height of the house is 250-350 mm. In a house that is too large, more than 4-5 chicks can fit, it will be difficult for parents to feed large offspring, the chicks will be weak and painful.

The inlet (nothole) is made with a diameter of 40-50 mm - for the starling, 30 mm - for the titmouse. The small hole is suitable for small birds. A hole that is too large can be a reason for the "settlement" of large or predatory birds, and we would not want this. Besides predatory bird will be able to destroy the offspring of starlings or tits that have chosen your birdhouse.

The inlet must be made at a height of 180-210 mm from the floor level. Outside, under the notch, it is necessary to fix a perch (cylindrical stick) or make a platform. If you use a planed board for the construction of a birdhouse (you have one available), then it is necessary to make notches on the inside of the wall with a notch. The roof of the house can be made single or double, at your discretion and taste, but it must hang over the "facade" by at least 50 mm.

To give a more attractive appearance, you can paint the birdhouse with a water-based (non-toxic) paint of red or gray, for some reason it is these colors that attract birds the most.

Making a birdhouse can be an interesting family pastime where all members can take part in the process: men and boys saw and work with a hammer and nails, and the female half can paint the bird house with the accuracy inherent in women. Girls will love decorating the birdhouse.

You can decorate the bird house in various ways. It is unlikely that birds need this, but for their own satisfaction and for creating a beautiful thing that will fit in your garden, the occupation is quite suitable.

Bird house from improvised materials

Of course, the best home for birds will be wooden birdhouse, it is warmer and resembles a hollow in a tree for birds. But not everyone has the opportunity to make such a birdhouse, improvised materials will come to the rescue.

For example, you can make a birdhouse from a pumpkin. Surely this beauty is growing on your site. Free the pumpkin from the pulp, dry it, make an inlet with the same drill, build a roof, and the house is ready.

Beautiful birdhouse for birds can be made from branches with a diameter of 8-12 mm, cut into lengths of 12-15 cm. Connect the branches together with screws or a rope, make a notch, build a roof, and you will get a cozy house for birds.

And this is an option from a regular log. How to make such a birdhouse? The core is selected using a chainsaw or chisel. The entrance hole is drilled. You build the roof at your discretion.

It can be in the form of a sawn ring, all from the same log, or made of boards.

As a pole, you can use the knots that are present on the log. This is perhaps the most "natural" home for birds. Such a birdhouse will be the most durable.

If you own the technique of weaving from a vine, then apply your abilities in the manufacture of a bird house. An old wicker basket is also suitable for this purpose. Such beauty can be purchased in shops selling souvenirs and interior items.

Such a birdhouse will decorate a stylish exterior, it will be perfectly combined with wicker furniture.

You can also make a house from an ordinary one and a half liter plastic bottle.. But the birdhouse needs to be insulated with a thick hemp or sisal rope, wrapping or tying the bottle around it. It is better to paste over sharp sections of the inlet with tape or adhesive tape, which is sold in a roll.

By the way, a birdhouse can simply be woven from a thick rope, for example, using the macrame technique or crocheted or knitted. The product will keep its shape, but for greater rigidity and durability of the structure, it can be painted with acrylic paint.

Various plastic containers of small volume, as well as cardboard boxes for milk or juice, are also suitable for making a house. But still remember that more comfortable bird housing will be one that is made from natural materials.

Here is a birdhouse you can build from ordinary wine corks: creative, and the birds are warm and cozy.

You can also make a birdhouse from a small wooden barrel.

Or take advantage flower pot, where saucers securely attached to the pot will serve as the bottom and roof.

And this is how a very unusual multi-storey and “apartment” bird house looks like.

If you still don't have required material or just don't have time to independent production birdhouse, you can purchase a birdhouse making kit, which is sold in the DIY department or in a garden supply store. The cost of such sets varies from 550 to 800 rubles. Such a set can be a gift to a child who can build a birdhouse without any problems (or with your help). It remains only to fix it in the garden.

Ready-made birdhouses can also be found on sale, more often they are not only a home for birds, but also an ornament garden plot. The price of such products is different, depending on the materials, the complexity of manufacturing and the individuality of the model. Designer birdhouses can reach a cost of several thousand rubles.

How to install a birdhouse in the garden?

A very important point in creating housing for birds is the correct installation of a birdhouse. Usually it is nailed to a pole, which is subsequently screwed to a tree with a wire at a height of 4-7 meters from ground level.

If cats live on your site, they will be a danger to starlings and other birds. To protect the chicks from "predators", nail a rail under the entrance, which will prevent the cat's paw from entering the house and prevent it from reaching the kids. The birdhouse body attached to the tree should deviate slightly from the vertical forward.

Perhaps your version of the birdhouse will be different from those proposed by us, and you will be able to replenish the piggy bank of unusual bird houses.

Useful video

The love of birds or a simple desire to get rid of pests in their area makes many summer residents think about making a birdhouse. Not everyone knows that not only starlings, but also many other birds can live in a birdhouse. For example, small owls can live in a birdhouse that will hunt for small rodents, and if you manage to settle singing birds in your dacha, then you can enjoy their beautiful trills throughout the warm season. In addition to practical and aesthetic benefits, making a birdhouse together with your children will help develop their love for nature and work.

How to make a birdhouse with your own hands, and what types of birdhouses are, you can find out by reading our article.

Materials and tools for manufacturing

Professional ornithologists advise using hardwood boards for the construction of a birdhouse:

  • Alders.
  • Aspens.
  • Birches.

Softwood boards are not recommended as they release resin which can harm birds. You also do not need to make a birdhouse out of plywood, because it has poor thermal insulation properties and the birds will be cold in such a house. In addition, plywood does not transmit sounds well, and this negatively affects the reaction of birds when predators appear. It is strictly not necessary to build a birdhouse from chipboard or fiberboard, first of all, such a birdhouse will fall apart after the first heavy rain, and secondly, chipboards are made using toxic substances that can damage the health of birds.


Larch boards

In addition to hardwood planks, you will also need:

  • Hand saw or electric jigsaw.
  • A hammer.
  • Drill.
  • Chisel.
  • Measuring tape and ruler.
  • Pencil.
  • Nails.
  • Joiner's glue.
  • Water-based paint (if you want to paint the birdhouse).

Consider one more important point, no matter how much you want to build the most beautiful birdhouse, in no case do not treat the surface of the boards with a planer! The boards should not be planed, this is necessary for the chicks to be able to climb the walls of the birdhouse.

Making a birdhouse

Referring to the drawing below, proceed as follows:



  1. Mark up by transferring the dimensions of the parts from the drawing to the boards.
  2. Using a jigsaw or hacksaw, cut out the details according to the markup.
  3. Using a drill or chisel, make a hole with a diameter of 40 millimeters in the front wall of the birdhouse.
  4. Put the side walls in a vertical position and glue the front wall with the made notch to them. It is very important to avoid gaps when gluing.
  5. After the glue has dried, reinforce the joints of the side and front walls with nails.
  6. Glue the lower ends of the connected walls with glue and glue the bottom of the birdhouse to them. After the glue dries, also nail the bottom to the walls.
  7. Attach the back wall in the same way.
  8. Make the roof of the birdhouse by connecting the retaining spike and the lid.
  9. Put the roof on the birdhouse. The roof does not need to be nailed or glued, as it must be removable so that the birdhouse can be cleaned.
  10. Additionally, for the convenience of the birds, you can install a bar or pole in front of the hole.

A simple birdhouse made of boards is ready! It remains to properly hang it on a tree or pole.


Simple birdhouse

How to make a simple birdhouse, see also the video:

Birdhouse placement

In order not to harm the trees, you should not nail the birdhouse to the trunk or branch with nails. Many people hang birdhouses on metal wire, but this method also harms trees, because over time the wire damages the bark and the wood begins to rot. It is best to hang the birdhouse on a thick rope made of organic material or on a wooden crossbar sandwiched between branches.


Ways to install a birdhouse

When placing a birdhouse, consider the height, if it is hung very low (less than two meters), then wild and domestic predators can easily reach the masonry or chicks.

When hanging a bird house, take care of their convenience, give the birdhouse a slightly tilted forward position, this will allow the birds to easily move from the bottom to the entrance.

When choosing a place for a birdhouse, do not place it near thick branches, which in windy weather can damage the structure of the house.


Set up a birdhouse with a partner

Since the work on fixing the birdhouse takes place at a fairly high altitude, be sure to work with a partner who will belay and help you on the ground. It is also desirable that you have a mounting belt tied to a tree.

Birdhouses from improvised materials

You can make an original birdhouse not only from wood. There are many items from which wild human imagination can create a bird house, let's look at some of them:

Birdhouse from a plastic bottle

From a plastic bottle, you can make both a large and a small birdhouse, it all depends on the displacement. As a permanent home for birds, a plastic birdhouse will not work, but as a winter feeder it will do.


To make a birdhouse:

  1. Take a plastic bottle with a volume of five liters.
  2. Cut a hole with a diameter of 3-4 centimeters from the bottom of the bottle.
  3. Tape the edges of the hole with tape or adhesive tape to prevent the birds from getting hurt on sharp edges.
  4. The fastening of a birdhouse-bottle can be made in the form of a loop sticking out of the neck and clamped with a lid.
  5. Additionally, you can insulate the birdhouse by wrapping it with felt and tape.
  6. In conclusion, you can place dry straw on the bottom of the birdhouse or simply pour bird food.

If you are a creative person, you can also paint the bottle or decorate it with decorative elements.


There are many options for feeders and birdhouses from plastic bottles, but the manufacturing principle is the same for everyone, this is cutting out a notch, a fastening device and your imagination for design.

Instructions for making a birdhouse from a plastic bottle are also in the video:

Birdhouse made of cardboard

Despite the absolute non-resistance of cardboard to water, it is quite realistic to make a birdhouse out of it that will last at least a year. Below are a drawing and instructions by which you can make a birdhouse out of cardboard.

To make a cardboard birdhouse:

  1. Take a piece of cardboard or take apart one or more cardboard boxes. The denser and thicker the cardboard, the longer the birdhouse will last.
  2. Draw on the sheet the pattern that you see in the picture.
  3. Cut out the drawn details.
  4. Fold the pieces along the fold lines.
  5. Take a wide adhesive tape and glue it on the inside and outside of the parts. Also, in place of adhesive tape, you can use any waterproof material and glue. On the inside of the front wall, under the hole, stick a piece of coarse fabric so that the birds can easily climb from the nest to the entrance.
  6. Glue the bonding points with universal glue.
  7. Reinforce the glued corners by sticking tape strips on them.
  8. Cut a hole for the notch with scissors.
  9. Tape the inside of the notch with tape.
  10. Make a hole and insert a pole.
  11. Paint the birdhouse with paints or decorate with decor.

It is worth noting that it is better to glue the roof in such a birdhouse with adhesive tape and, if necessary, clean it, cut the adhesive tape with a knife and remove the roof.


Birdhouse made of cardboard

Birdhouse - made of cardboard, it has a very light weight, so if it is poorly fastened, it can be blown away by the wind.

You can also learn how to make a birdhouse out of cardboard from the video:

Shoe box birdhouse

A birdhouse from a shoe box is made according to the same principle as a birdhouse made of cardboard. The main task is to give the details of the birdhouse absolute waterproofness. This can be achieved - either by gluing a waterproof film, or by coating parts with water-repellent paint.

Thick log birdhouse

This type of birdhouse is closest to the natural habitat of birds living in hollows of trees. To make it you will need:

  • A piece of log with a diameter of 20-3 centimeters and a length of 40-50 centimeters.
  • Chainsaw or two-handed saw.
  • Powerful drill with a wide drill bit.
  • Large wide chisel.
  • A hammer.
  • Clamps (for clamping a log during sawing and drilling).
  • Nails.

Leave the walls 3-4 centimeters.

The technology for making a birdhouse from a log is quite laborious, so it is advisable to produce this work with a partner.

  1. Clamp the log with clamps.
  2. Saw off two dies at the log, 4-5 centimeters thick, they will serve as the roof and bottom of the birdhouse.
  3. Take a drill and start drilling the log from the inside. When drilling, leave walls 3-4 centimeters thick along the edges of the log.
  4. If the length of the drill is not enough for through holes, drill from both sides.
  5. With the help of a chisel and a hammer, give the inner walls of the birdhouse a final, round shape.
  6. Drill a hole for the notch and install a pole or bar under it.
  7. Nail the bottom of the birdhouse.
  8. The roof of the birdhouse can simply be baited with a few nails so that it can be easily removed if necessary.

Log birdhouse

In no case do not make a birdhouse from wet wood, otherwise, after drying, it may crack and fall apart. Also, it is desirable to treat with water-repellent paint - the bottom, roof and parts of the birdhouse that are not protected by bark.

You can see another option for making a birdhouse from a log in the video:

Wine cork birdhouse

The name of the birdhouse is not entirely correct, since wine corks serve only as a decoration. The name would be more correct: a birdhouse decorated with wine corks. In addition to decorative properties, the wine cork has good thermal insulation characteristics, therefore, in a birdhouse decorated in such an unusual way, the birds will be warm.

Birdhouse decorated with wine corks

If you decide to ennoble your birdhouse with wine corks, then prepare the following tools and materials:

  • Glue.
  • Glue gun.
  • Lots of wine corks.

There are three ways to decorate with wine corks:

  • The first method involves cutting the cork into several round dies. After that, the dies are glued to the roof and walls of the birdhouse.
  • The second way is to cut the cork longitudinally into two semicircular parts and then finish the walls of the birdhouse with them.
  • The third way - excludes cutting. The cork is glued in its entirety.

Multi-apartment birdhouse decorated with corks

It makes no sense to choose any one method for decoration, the birdhouse will look prettier if it is decorated in all three ways. For example: the roof - with dies, the side walls - longitudinally cut, and the front wall - with whole plugs.

Variants, design and decorative elements of birdhouses

There are many options for birdhouses of unusual shape and design, we offer you photos of some of them:

    • Birdhouse - "barrel". It is made from half-bent rails and round blanks glued together. Plastic elements imitating vine and hemp rope. Such a birdhouse is difficult to manufacture and is not recommended for people who do not have experience in carpentry.

    • The "three-room" birdhouse is made of three sections of different shapes, interconnected. The peculiarity of the birdhouse is to use the front wall as a removable element, and not the roof as in conventional models.

    • Birdhouse - "shoe". A budget option for a birdhouse from an old shoe. Boards and galvanized iron were used as protection against precipitation.

    • Birdhouse from the body of an old rotary phone. An environmentally unsafe birdhouse, since substances harmful to birds can be released from the plastic case when heated on salt licks.

    • Birdhouse from an old canister. A good design solution, but the use of metal products for nesting birds is not recommended by ornithologists, because in summer it is hot in such birdhouses, and birds can freeze in the cold period.

    • Birdhouses decorated with stones. A beautiful version of birdhouses, but a significant disadvantage can be the weight of the product, especially when installed at a height.

  • Birdhouse - "hut", made of glued beams folded in a rustic frame. Beautiful birdhouse, but very difficult to manufacture.

Thanks to human imagination, bird houses will always be replenished with new options, it may happen that you will become one of the authors of the new birdhouse design!