Home > Learning Center > Bird House

Bird House

Click here to see our selection of Bird House.
Bird House

There are a number of different ways to build a bird house and include kids of any age in the process. For younger kids where it may be dangerous to have them using wood, nails and tools, use an empty milk carton instead. This also teaches children the value of recycling, how a discarded object can be used for something new. It may inspire more ways of reusing what most people throw away as trash.

Simply take a paper 1/2 gallon milk container, clean it out thoroughly and staple the top together for extra strength and to seal it up. You or a child can carefully poke a hole in the center of the top of the carton. Then thread a wire through the hole. This will act as a hanger and should be strong enough to support small birds such as sparrows. Now a hole can be cut into the side of the carton near the bottom. This will be the entrance for the birds so make it suitably sized for an adult bird to barely fit through. Make the hole too big and no birds will nest there because the eggs will not be safe enough. Poke a few holes in the bottom for drainage incase any water gets inside.

The next step is to make a perch by the door. A stick can be poked through the paper carton and then secured by a parent with glue. Make sure to decorate the outside, permanent markers work the best and will survive multiple rainy days without fading, just be careful around clothing and younger children. Non-toxic finger paints also work great in some circumstances.

Now hang the bird house in a nearby tree and have patience while an expecting mother bird chooses her new home. It may take a couple of weeks before the house feels safe for a bird, the smell of mammals such as humans is a natural deterrent, so the smell has to wear off. If no birds have taken up residence after a month or longer try moving the house to a different tree or lure more birds in with feeders and bird baths. This project can easily be adapted into a bird feeder by cutting more and larger holes in the carton, attaching a few more perches, then adding bird seed.

For older children and teenagers encourage them to design and build a bird house out of wood. There are many different ways to build the house, each one varies for different birds as well, so choose which kind of bird you would like to attract or is in the area before beginning design or construction. Some birds require more space or specialized perches and a wooden house is much heavier so must be supported adequately either on a post, existing structure or in a tree. When working with wood remember some basic safety tips such as wearing protective eye wear and gloves. Learning how to use a saw, hammer and sandpaper safely is very important and will ensure a rewarding fun project.