Beautiful blue birds, sweet songbirds, and small sparrows fluttering around your yard are a perfect way to feel closer to nature. Birds are looking for a safe space to call their home. Want to learn how to attract birds to a birdhouse near your home?
We can help!
Below are our top birdhouse tips to create a home to which birds will flock. Read on to learn how to attract birds to a birdhouse!
Buy the Right Size
There are two sizes to keep in mind when selecting a birdhouse. First, the size of the house itself is important, but so is the size of the entrance hole.
Tailor the size of the birdhouse to the bird that you’d like to see living in your yard. Most birds don’t want an overly big home to build their nests in. A bird house around eight inches tall should be sufficient for most small birds.
For these smaller birds, the entrance hole shouldn’t be larger than two inches. Most holes should only be a little over an inch, in fact! Birds need to be able to enter the house but feel safe enough that nothing is going to come in after them.
An exception to this would be if you are trying to lure an owl to nest near you. An owl box would need to be around fourteen inches tall with a three-inch opening.
Keep Location In Mind
Location is probably the second most important key to attracting birds to a birdhouse. Birds can be picky with where they choose to live and want the right accommodations!
Appropriate Height
The height of your birdhouse will again vary based on the species you’d like to see. However, a good rule of thumb is no lower than five feet from the ground.
Eight feet off of the ground is a safe bet for most small birds, while owls can be as high as forty feet! Check out which birds you’d like to lure, and place the house accordingly.
Near Food & Water
It’s easier to attract birds to a birdhouse if it’s close to food and water. The less distance a bird has to travel to feed baby birds, the more inclined it will be to build its nest there.
If you’re not near a water source, add a birdbath to your backyard. Not only will it be an attraction for birds, but it will also add visual appeal. However, you don’t want to place the bird house too close as the constant commotion could scare them off.
Some birds, like hummingbirds, will never use a birdhouse. This doesn’t mean you can’t see them, though! Placing a bird feeder close by will not only bring birds that will nest but also ones that are just passing by for food.
Under Shade
While not all birds need or want the density of the woods to build their nest, most will be drawn to a birdhouse that has some sort of shade protection. Placing your house on a pole under a tree, for instance, would be a good way to give birds shade and protection.
It’s not ideal to nail it to a tree or tree branch as those cause damage, and many predators climb trees. However, a little landscaping providing shade is the perfect way to go!
Away From Predators
Birds have many natural predators. Cats may be the first ones that spring to mind, but less commonly considered threats are squirrels and raccoons!
It’s important to protect the entrance hole with something that can’t be chewed through. Or you could opt for a fully iron birdhouse that these pests can’t chew through!
Additions of metal baffles keep snakes from making their way up into the birdhouse as well. It will make it difficult for most predators to climb up in general.
Until your birdhouse is well established, consider yourself a predator that needs to stay away. If the birds don’t feel the area is safe, they won’t nest there!
Not Too Close To Other Birds
Many birds don’t enjoy cohabitating with other birds. For this reason, houses need to be far enough away from other houses. Twenty-five feet away is a safe distance if you’re wanting to place several houses.
Give Them a Clean Home
A clean birdhouse is more attractive to potential nest builders. Once you’re sure a family has left, you can give it a good cleaning.
Remove any old, used nesting material and give it a good scrub with a bird house cleaner or a solution made of bleach and water. Rinse it out thoroughly to remove any bleach, and leave it to dry in the sun.
If you don’t clean your birdhouses, not only will birds not nest in them, but they also could become infested with parasites. Sometimes baby birds die, and the mess that it creates is not one you want to linger.
Waterproof the House
Birds won’t build their nests somewhere they could potentially drown themselves or their babies. This is why the house should be waterproof and/or have an overhang to keep rain from blowing inside.
Make sure you keep them safe by choosing a house that doesn’t allow water to leak through the roof. It’s also very important that there are drainage holes for quality airflow!
Now You Know How To Attract Birds to a Birdhouse
We hope we’ve answered your question, “How to Attract Birds to a Birdhouse.” Follow our birdhouse guide, and soon your birdhouse will have a pretty little houseguest.
While you’re here, take a look at a few of our birdhouses. You can find them here!
