Can You Build a Birdhouse with Finishing Nails?
Yes! You can! Should you? Probably not…. I was dedicated to using solely finishing nails for my first two birdhouses. Now, granted, these are not “traditional” small birdhouses where it’s just a small 4×4 box and roof. (You shouldn’t make these “traditional” birdhouses either and I’ll tell you why later). The birdhouses below were for (1) American Robins (left) and (2) Barn Swallows (right).
These, especially the one for the Barn Swallows, which purposefully is without a roof, (It’s meant to be installed under eaves of a garage or house, because that’s where they will naturally nest anyway, and this way their mud nests will be on the birdhouse instead of on your siding!) is rather rickety with just finishing nails.
Are All Birdhouses Alike?
No! The American Robin (left above) and the Barn Swallow (right above) have very different nesting needs – the Purple Martin and the Chickadee have two more unique nesting styles. Yes, this can get complicated, but it’s worth it to do your homework on these to avoid predators getting to them. Bird’s preferential nesting habits and avoidance of predators are the two main reasons I’ll be making highly varied birdhouses to cater to these.
How do Custom Birdhouses Avoid Predators?
Some birds (like the Chickadee) should never have perch spots on their houses. Chickadees will fly straight into a birdhouse they’ve accepted as a nest with a swooping motion – the perch is completely unnecessary for them, but very necessary for predators to access them. The size of access hole is also really important to make sure they’re not competing with bigger birds for nesting sites.
Other birds, like the Purple Martin, will only rest in a house that is white (or a gourd that is white), requires a specific sized hole to avoid predator claws and paws, and actually requires a porch too for their mating displays. They will not nest (or are very unlikely to nest) in different colored houses or houses without porches available to them. “What about the gourd?” you may be thinking – even the gourd is supposed to at least have a landing perch in front of the entrance hole – in which case the Purple Martin will use that.
Depth of the house and distance from the entry hole to the furthest space they could build the nest is also extremely important. That’s why, although adorable decoration, 4x4x4 birdhouses aren’t even functional for the tiny chickadee because they need to be able to build their nest inside at least 6 inches away to avoid claws and squirrel paws (up to 8 inches is better for protecting them, but any bigger may discourage the chickadee from choosing it as a nesting site since it won’t feel as safe/enclosed if too spacious).
How Do We Deal With All These Rules?
Be sure to do your homework on what specific birds you want to attract to your yard and what the ideal birdhouse and mounting spots are. (Some birdhouses are best on poles, hooks hanging from a branch, in the crook of a tree branch, under an eave, or lower to the ground near bushes).
Alternatively, if you don’t want to build your own birdhouse or deal with all the research – make sure you’re buying your birdhouses from knowledgeable vendors who can explain where/how to hang the birdhouse to best fit the bird’s nesting practices (and don’t trust ones that sell “one size fits all” birdhouses – because they don’t – or maybe some do and then it causes competition/bird fights).
Do you want to see more birds in your backyard? Follow us on Facebook to get updates on new blog releases as we teach about how to build a birdhouse for Chickadees, American Robins, Barn Swallows, and Purple Martins (and what the benefits are of bringing these birds into your yard).