x 2-1/4-in.) It’s been hanging on our fence since last year and we have yet to get a nesting pair. Well Built: A bluebird house should be watertight, yet ventilated and with drainage holes. This is one of the very simplest bluebird nest box designs you can build.
spade bit (1-1/2 in. Leave about 6 inches of box beneath the oval opening, with the front of the box about 9 inches tall and the back about 13 inches tall, creating a slanted roof or flat roof as desired. Make sure the box is clean and dry on the inside each spring. Bluebird nest boxes. Pre-drill holes and attach the roof (E) to front (D), back (C), and side (B) using 2″ finishing nails. It may take 2 or 3 years for the bluebirds to first use your nest box.
Cut the front of the box, 5" wide and 10 3/4" long, with an entrance hole (a 1 1/2" hole for eastern bluebirds or western bluebirds, and 1 9/16" hole where ranges for the two overlap with mountain bluebirds) whose center is 2" from the top and 2 1/2" from each side.
Easy to build, these DIY shelters can be constructed from scrap lumber. They build a neat nest of grass or pine needles in holes in trees. The next step to build a bluebird house is to cut part D from a 1×4 so the end is 45 degrees, and then reset your saw to cut the piece to final length. Materials Required to Build a Bluebird House.
Below we have included free bluebird house plans, a simple one-board box that's relatively easy to build. entry hole.
“I have the joy of getting an inside look at Mother Nature,” Kathy says.
Then, create the hinged side by driving one nail or screw one through the back (part B) to form a pivot point. Making Nest Boxes Sparrow Resistant By Lee Pauser lee@birdsfly.info San Jose, CA 95120 September 17, 2014 Introduction After discovering a pair of House Sparrows nesting in one of my bluebird nest boxes some years ago, I searched the Internet for information on how to make a nest box … Design by Steve Gilbertson. How to Build a ONE-BOARD BLUEBIRD HOUSE T o help bluebird reproduction, as well as that of other cavity-nesting songbirds, erect nesting boxes in areas where other habitat requirements are met. Pine or cedar boards, exterior plywood, even hardboard house siding can all be used.
Below you'll find some great links to information about bluebirds and free bluebird house plans. These free bluebird house plans can help any birder build just the right size, shape, and style of the
This bluebird nesting box is designed to be attractive to bluebirds, simple in design and construction, easy to monitor, and resistant to inclement weather and predators. Attracting bluebirds with nest boxes is one way backyard birders can make a difference. Place the bluebird nest box in an open area away from trees, fences, houses or barns to avoid predators, nesting wrens or house sparrows. Most designs have either a side panel, the box front, or the roof hinging up to get inside the box. Gilwood Slot Box . It isn’t for lack of bluebirds, there are several in the area.
Bluebird houses are mounted on poles rather than in trees to make them more attractive to bluebirds than to other types of birds. Secure the back section to the fixed side piece with nails or screws. Turn the entrance hole of the nest box to the south or east to keep the weather from summer storms out of the box. The Eastern Bluebird is a cavity nester. Opening For Cleaning - It's critically important when designing and building any bluebird box to include a way to open the box up to a) do regular nest checks, and b) to be able to clean out the nest box after the fledglings leave. Birdhouses are not one-size-fits-all so always choose a Heat Shields and Screen s can be very effective at controlling temperatures inside the box.. TBN Experiment: Check out D. Shiels' experiment with heat shields - interior temperatures were as much as 6.3 degrees F lower than outside temperatures.Plans for Shiels' design are available on the Texas Bluebird Society website. Building and mounting them properly will help deter predators and competing species.