How To Attract Birds to a Birdhouse

Aug 4, 2022

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!

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37 inch long iron birdfeeder in pagoda shape with toadstool and bell accents attached underneath it in antique copper finish
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Full View of Large Iron Christmas Ball with Stake
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Turned Right Side View Iron Birdhouse sitting on a Stale with Bird and Leaf Details
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The Ivyland birdfeeder stake is a charming, functional piece that elevates any garden to new heights of beauty and nature-filled wonder.
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Set of Three Square Metal Plant Stands
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Large iron Christmas Archway with Santa's Elves, ball ornaments, swooping ribbon-like banner with Merry Christmas lettering
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Close up image of Tall bronze to brown country style birdhouse that looks like a round cottage house with bird perched at the rim of the house with a hole for the birds to enter and vines growing from stake coming up to the birdhouse
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Three Piece Iron Bistro Set with Birds
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Set of 3 Antique Copper Umbrella Wind Chimes with Bells
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large four person Christmas sleigh with glossy red and hunter green finish and metallic gold trim with ornate design and runners, 3 red mailboxes and 5 Christmas trees on a background
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iron hanging wind chime with umbrellas and bells in antique copper finish
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Little Boy and Girl Sharing Their First Kiss- Holding Gifts- Weaing Red and Green Hats, Scarves and Gloves
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Galvanize flat thanksgiving turkey stake holding orange pumpkin
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left side of 2.3 feet tall painted Iron Rooster figurine with red comb on his head with orange, yellow and white feathers running down his back and dark green sickle feathers behind him standing on one feet with the other feet slightly off the ground
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Three Sun and Moons Hanging from Chain
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Closeup of 3 Fish on 76.75 Long Antique Bronze Rain Chain with Rainbow Trout
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15 inch tall round porcelain pedestal birdbath in peach with hand painted hummingbird and large flower blossoms “Hadley” in front of rose bush
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Vintage Iron Truck with with Christmas Tree On Top
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full length image of metal hanging on a chain cylinder shaped birdhouse with wind chimes in antique copper finish
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66 inch tall heart-shaped iron birdhouse garden stake decorated with bird and leaf sculptures and lily-shaped bells
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“Drink With Us” Retro Style LED Lit Iron Bottle Cap Wall Decor
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Full View of Metal Christmas Ball Sitting on a Stake in Red
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Kings of the Road Motorcycle Themed Gear Shaped Wall Clock with LED Lights
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6 assorted colors hanging acrylic ornaments
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20 in. Tall Lying Fairy Garden Statue "Fern"
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A Girl and Boy- Holding Lanterns, Shoping Bag, and Christmas Trees-Dressed in Winter Clothing
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43 inch long iron birdfeeder in lantern shape with toadstool and bell accents attached underneath it in antique copper finish
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8 Assorted Hanging Metal Decorative Wind Chime Chains
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Crafted with exceptional quality, these unique birdhouses showcase intricate hand-painted designs and beautifully textured porcelain
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One set of two blue heron iron garden figurine with one standing tall with his head looking upright while the other one is looking downwards with his head slightly bent while their wings are standing up in the air
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3 Metal Christmas Gift Boxes on Stakes with Twinkle Star Details
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Set of 3 metal hanging 3-dimentional light-up six-point star snowflakes in large medium and small sizes in white finish
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24.8 Tall Polyresin Standing Thai Buddha with Hands Clasped in Prayer
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Blue coastal curvy bench with whale design on the backrest with other little seacreatures
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Close up image of Tall birdhouse stake shaped like a milk can with vines running from the bottom of the stake to the top of the birdhouse
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Large Metal Christmas Ball ornament on a tall stake in front of light-up Christmas tree
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collage of large blue acrylic angels in 6 assorted styles hanging ornaments
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4 hanging garlands 74 inch long with ceramic sailor balls and rope in navy and burnt orange colors
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Set of 6 handblown glass ball iron stakes with fleur de lis finial in 6 colors red, cobalt blue, orange, green, purple and greyish blue
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6 Feet tall iron Christmas Ornament tower with black and white polka dot pattern and red, green, gold details
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3 assorted ornate iron cross garden stakes with bells in antique copper finish
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View of Three Mushrooms Hanging on a Chain
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Light-up oversized metal Christmas ornament ball in red with gold snowflakes and LED Lights
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54 inch tall metal garden stake with welcome sign, cockatoo and bells
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4 ft. tall iron Christmas sleigh with candy cane runners full of large stack of metal gift boxes decorative Christmas display
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classic iron garden bench with ornate round top with engraved howling wolf and moon in distressed antique bronze finish
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3 Large Galvanized Reindeers with bows and bells on Christmas background
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Set of 2 "Red Hat" Christmas Tushkas with Teddy Bear Basket & Bag
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Classic galvanized metal Santa Claus figurine holding Merry Christmas sash
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closed up image garden stake with hummingbird and glass rain gauge
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Black Freedom Motorcycle Themed Gear Shaped Wall Clock with LED Lights
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Set of 3 assorted size Christmas mailboxes Letters to Santa in red with gold details
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Metal Dragon Showing its Tails Curled
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image of Iron and glossy orange porcelain birdhouse with funnel-shaped roof and a little bird perched on leaves attached to the stake
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5.6 Feet tall iron Christmas Ornament Tower in red, green, white, black and gold
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he Flora style features a pastel peach ombré base with hand painted butterflies and flowers.
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full size image of 4 74 inch long garland with porcelain sailor balls and rope in navy, blue and white colors
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closed up image if iron rain chain with peonies and chimes in antique bronze
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View of Three Suns and Moons Hanging from a Metal Chain
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full length image of 4 74 inch long hanging garlands with ceramic sailor balls and rope in blue and orange colors
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5.5 Feet tall iron Santa Claus inspired Christmas ornament tower with belt buckles and swirl pattern in green, red and gold
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set of 3 large iron hanging white snowflakes with painted silver snowflake and LED backlights
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