An elegant birdhouse from a bottle. How to make a birdhouse from a plastic bottle

Surely everyone knows about the huge benefits that birds bring to the garden. To attract them, a person creates a birdhouse - a birdhouse. Often this is a traditional rectangular structure, which is usually made of wood. But you can safely experiment with materials for the house, for example, make a birdhouse out of plastic bottles ... Such a creative birdhouse, in addition to bringing benefits, will also become a spectacular decoration of the garden!

This master class describes in detail the process of making a birdhouse from plastic bottles with your own hands.

To do this, you will need tools and materials such as:

Two plastic bottles of 5 liters. for the house, as well as 2l. for cutting "tiles";
- wooden perch;
-scissors;
-marker;
- glue or double-sided tape;
-brush;
-paints;
-acrylic front lacquer;
- burlap for the interior decoration of the birdhouse;
- various decorative elements (small sticks, flowers, butterflies, bells, ladybugs, etc.).

Making a birdhouse begins with cutting out the “tiles” on the roof of the house according to the pattern. A template is applied to the inside of 2l. bottles, the contour of which is transferred with a marker to plastic, and then cut out.

Below the entrance, there should be a perch. It is attached very simply, a mark for the cut is drawn on the bottle with a marker, an incision is made along the lines and a perch is inserted.

Through the notch of the birdhouse, burlap is glued to the inner walls of the house! On the smooth walls of the bottle, the chicks will not be able to get out of the house, so their surface should be rough and textured.

After, with the help of glue or double-sided tape (not essential), the “tile” is laid over the entire area of ​​​​the roof of the birdhouse.

In the end, this is such a wonderful workpiece!

Then the birdhouse is painted. Birds prefer dark and secluded places, so the house is completely painted over. You can use acrylic paints or even gouache, since after painting the surface of the birdhouse is varnished!

When painting a bird house, the creativity and boundless imagination shown will make the birdhouse very original.

The main thing is to let each layer of paint dry properly!

Gradually, the workpiece takes on a finished look.

The top of the bottle is painted to look like brickwork. And then, in order to hide the end of the last level of the tile, a rope is wound over it.

The “tiled” roof, with the help of different shades, is given a “live” look.

After painting, you can start decorating the birdhouse, the final stage in creating a birdhouse.

With the help of sticks, a fence is created. The sticks are first glued in a bottle, and then tied with a rope until the glue dries completely.

The resulting fence, if desired, can be painted.

Also, in addition to the fence, the entrance (notch) of the birdhouse is decorated with branches and an edge is created around the house.

Decorative ladybugs, evenly distributed throughout the house.

The perch is wrapped with a rope, having previously secured it with double-sided tape or glue.

The end of the perch is decorated with a bell.

That's actually all!

A fabulous birdhouse made of plastic bottles is ready!

The final look of the craft. Photo 1.

The final look of the craft. Photo 2.

Now it remains to attach it to one of the trees in the garden, and soon a perky bird chirp will be heard from such a house. And realistic lilies of the valley made of plastic bottles will help us to complement the fabulous view of the garden.

Not all birds leave their native lands for the winter. Sparrows, titmice, crows, magpies remain, bullfinches arrive. It is difficult for them to feed themselves. Therefore, in every garden or park it is necessary to hang feeders for feathered inhabitants. And in the spring, when the starlings return, they need houses for breeding chicks. Most people in the cold season try to help the birds by creating a birdhouse with their own hands from plastic bottles.

First model

To make a birdhouse you will need:

• plastic containers of 5 and 2 liters;
• wooden stick for the perch;
• adhesive composition;
• marker, brush, scissors, paints;
• facade varnish;
• fabric for the interior lining of the house;
• decoration elements - sticks, artificial flowers, butterflies, etc.

You must first cut out the individual elements of the "tile" for the roof of the birdhouse. To do this, you need to cut the bottle to a smaller length and, applying the template to the back of the material, circle it with a marker. Cut the resulting blanks with scissors.

At the top of a large bottle, you need to cut a hole for a bird - notch. In diameter, it should not be more than 5 cm. It is better to cut an even hole with your own hands along the outlined contour with a blade or a clerical knife. Under the entrance, you must definitely attach a perch. It should be tightly attached to the wall of the birdhouse. Just below the hole, a small incision is made and a stick is inserted into it. Its length is about 10 cm.

The inner walls of the house must be pasted over with burlap or other loose fabric. This is done so that the grown chicks can get out. clinging to fabric with claws. This is painstaking work, but it is also necessary to cover the inner walls with a cloth because this will help keep the heat in the plastic house.

Tiling blanks are glued with glue or double-sided tape to the top of the bottle. The roof will protect from the scorching sun and decorate the house.

For incubation of chicks, birds choose darkened secluded places. The house should be painted over with acrylic paints or ordinary gouache. The walls and roof are covered with paint completely. A protective layer of acrylic varnish is applied over the coloring layer. It will protect the paint from exposure to rain and sun.

You can paint a birdhouse made of plastic bottles in the most creative colors with your own hands. The house outside can be plain or multi-colored. For this process, you can involve the artistic imagination of the child. The top is drawn like a brickwork, and the last tier of tiles is fixed and masked with a rope.

You can decorate the house of a feathered tenant with a fence made of sticks. They are glued to the bottom of the bottle with glue and wrapped around with twine for strength. The notch can be decorated with twigs with your own hands so that it looks like a natural wooden structure. Decorative butterflies and bugs are distributed over the surface of the walls and roof. So that the perch is not slippery, it must be wrapped with twine, after wrapping the stick with double-sided tape. You can hang a bell on its end. The final step is to secure the birdhouse to a tree out of the reach of cats and other pests.

Second model

To make it, you need a rectangular bottle. It will be placed horizontally. Birdhouses made of plastic bottles are often attached to the facades of houses, to gazebos. For such houses, you need a base - a board on which the bird house will be attached. The stand should match the length of the house.

It is better to find an opaque container of dark green or brown color. The birdhouse should be dark and quiet so that the female incubating eggs is not disturbed by light or movement from outside. If the bottle is transparent, it must be painted dark in several layers. And on top of the paint layer, varnish for strength and beauty. For such a house, the roof can be made of multi-layer tiles, also covered with paint. We cut out the tiles with our own hands from the plastic of another bottle. The roof will protect the inhabitants of the birdhouse from the heat.

The wide mouth of the container will be an entrance for birds. If the stand is slightly longer than the bottle, then the perch can be omitted. Through the neck at the bottom of the house, you need to place hay, twigs, cotton wool and other material that will be needed to build a nest. Plastic is a slippery material. In order for the birdhouse to turn out comfortable and cozy, it is necessary that the birds do not slip in it, and the chicks, clinging to rags and twigs, can get close to the hole.

To make the house look like a wooden one, it should be painted in the colors of the tree, the inlet should be decorated with twigs or blades of grass rolled in a circle and fixed in this position.

The base can be decorated with a fence. Sticks of the same length must be glued to the walls of the bottle in the lower part, and the birdhouse itself must be fixed with twine or tape to the base.

In order not to attract the attention of predators to the structure, you should choose green and brown shades for coloring plastic.

Third model

For small birds, a small birdhouse is built from a 2-liter plastic bottle.

At a height of 4-5 cm with a blade or a sharp knife, you need to cut a neat round hole. This is a birdhouse. Then glow a long thick nail and make a hole just below the notch. A thick dowel is inserted into it so that it sits tightly. This is the perch that the birds will sit on.

Next, paint the plastic in several layers of dark paint. Inside the house should be twilight. Then the starlings will feel calm and will definitely choose such a shelter for hatching chicks. Let the paint dry well and cover it with varnish so that the rain does not wash it off. Through the inlet, you can put pieces of cotton wool, rags, straws inside so that the floor does not slip and is warm. This material will be useful for residents to build a nest.

For protection from the sun and for credibility, it is necessary to make a roof near the house. To do this, from a large bottle, you need to cut off the upper part so that it gives a shadow to most of the birdhouse. It should not go down to the letka.

In order for the roof to sit tightly on the house, it is necessary to cut off the neck and put on a birdhouse. For strength, you can put the bottle on the glue. It is better to decorate the roof under a tree, and the house itself can be painted in bright colors. Then this building will be not only functional, but also a decorative decoration of the garden.

It remains to make the mount. To do this, drill two holes in the lid of a 2-liter bottle, insert a wire into them and make a strong loop. The last step is to hang the birdhouse on the tree by its loop.

Decide on the format

• A birdhouse is a versatile option suitable for most birds. Its dimensions are within: 40x15x15 cm, and the diameter of the flight hole is about 5 cm.
• Sinichnik is a haven for sparrows, tits and other small birds. When making it, try to keep within 30x12x10 cm, and make the flight hole no more than 3.5 cm in diameter.
• Wagtail is designed specifically for wagtails. Since these birds mostly walk rather than fly, the structure must be placed horizontally, and also provided with a ledge in front of the hole. The average dimensions of the product are 15x15x30 cm, the notch is 3 cm.
• The nest often becomes a haven for pikas. Therefore, if these birds predominate in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe summer cottage, a new house for them must be made in the form of a pyramid with dimensions of 25x25x15 cm, and a through exit, the diameter of which does not exceed 3.6 cm.

In this article, we will talk about birdhouses, since they are universal and suitable for most birds as a temporary shelter.

Necessary materials

So, if you decide to make a birdhouse from a bottle, we will prepare:

1. 5-liter plastic bottles - 2-3 pieces.
2. Twine.
3. Glue, paints and other materials for decoration.

This set is considered basic. For individual designs, in addition to it, other consumables may be needed, which we will mention separately.

Birdhouse from a 5 liter plastic bottle

When you collect the above materials, we move on to the question of "how to do it." The simplest birdhouse from a 5 liter plastic bottle is made as follows:

Step #1. We take a plastic container, thoroughly rinse and dry it. We get rid of the label and adhering dirt.

Step #2. On the side (approximately in the middle), we cut out a round hole and process its edges with a sandpaper or iron (in the latter case, always through the fabric).

Step #3. We outline the perch. We make a small hole just below the notch and insert a stick of a suitable length into it.

Step number 4. We wrap the structure with twine (putting it on glue) or paint it with paint. Note: If you choose twine, wrap it before cutting the hole.

Step number 5. We draw a layout of tiles on paper, use a marker to transfer it to the second bottle and cut it out. If one bottle (with a capacity of 5 liters) is not enough, we put another one under the knife.

Step number 6. So that the birdhouse does not turn into a bird trap, we glue the inner walls with burlap or other textured material. On it, it will be easier for birds and their chicks to get out of the house.

Step number 7. We attach the tiles to the birdhouse with glue or double-sided adhesive tape. We wrap the neck of the bottle with twine, which will simultaneously serve as a fastener for the new bird house and hide the “tails” of the upper layer of the tile.

Step number 8. Optionally, add other decorative elements. Outside, we cover the entire structure with varnish. We give it to dry properly, and our birdhouse is ready.

Now all that remains is to hang it under the windows, and very soon you will be able to enjoy bird chirping in the morning. And also forget about the insects that always terrorize the adjoining areas.

How to make a birdhouse out of a plastic bottle: useful tips

If you want your plastic bottle birdhouse to perform its functions properly, pay attention to the following points:

• The longer the end of the perch on the outside of the birdhouse, the easier it will be for the cat to get to its feathered inhabitants.
• Decorate only the outer part of the craft, the birds will decorate the inner one on their own.
• Do you want the life of your feathered wards to be more calm and comfortable? Use mostly discreet colors that blend with the area (various shades of brown and green) to decorate the birdhouse so as not to attract too much attention from predators.
• Do not use too small elements to decorate the birdhouse. During operation, they will quickly fall off, and the design will lose all its attractiveness.

If you know other live hacks and useful tips, write them in the comments, we will discuss and take them into service.

The benefits of birdhouses

We have already said more than once that birds as neighbors bring great benefits to humans. But what exactly does it express? For example, that:

1. Birds destroy harmful insects, caterpillars, larvae, letting them feed their chicks.
2. Most birds sing quite beautifully, helping us to wake up in a good mood and be positive all day long.
3. Making a bird house is a great chance to pump up your creative and physical skills, as well as spend time with your family.
4. Building a birdhouse with your own hands teaches children to productive work and care for nature.

All models of a birdhouse from a plastic bottle

Do you want to make a birdhouse from a 5 liter bottle, but ideas and inspiration bypass you? Then we suggest that you familiarize yourself with our photo selection. Below are dozens of ideas, among which there is sure to be one that will appeal to you and inspire you to new achievements.

More interesting on our website:

Many owners of their personal plots spend a lot of energy on the fight against harmful insects. In order to somehow make your life easier, you can attract starlings for these purposes. They mercilessly destroy not only caterpillars and beetles, but also their larvae. Thanks to such help, the summer cottage is completely cleared of these pests in a week. To attract such a useful bird, you need to make a house for it. For this, various improvised materials are used, for example, a plastic bottle, cardboard, box and others. Various options for birdhouses can be seen in the photo.

Necessary materials

The lightest and most affordable material is a plastic bottle. To make a birdhouse out of it with your own hands, you will need the following tools and materials:

• drill, drills;
• stationery knife;
• pliers;
• 2 l plastic bottle;
• waterproof acrylic paints (dark brown, beige, light brown, black and dark green);
• unnecessary CDs;
• glue for plastic items;
• wire;
• brush or sponge for applying paint;
• scissors;
• tape, tape.

These materials can be easily found at home.

How to make a birdhouse from a plastic bottle?

It is necessary to take an ordinary plastic bottle with a volume of 2 liters. A sharp clerical knife makes a round hole at a distance of 3 cm from the bottom. A little below this hole, drill a small hole with a drill and insert a long dowel into it. This is the future perch for the bird. After that, the bottle is painted in two layers of brown paint. Starlings like their house to be cozy and dark, so the birdhouse from the bottle is painted over very well, without any gaps.

Then they take a bottle cap and drill two small holes in it, thread a wire through them and twist the ends well. The result should be a strong loop, with which the house attached to a tree or pole.

Thus, the birdhouse from the plastic bottle is ready. To make it more beautiful, you can decorate it.

How to decorate a birdhouse

To decorate a birdhouse, they take paper or thin flexible plastic and make a window stencil out of it, the image of which will fit perfectly into the birdhouse. Then you need to make a beautiful roof. To create a type of tile, a CD is heated and cut, and this is done in such a way that identical pieces are obtained. Each piece can be painted with brown paint, and for greater effect, the tiles are made multi-colored.

Now you need to attach a roof to the house. The lowest layer is "planted" on the glue, and for strength, each piece is fixed with adhesive tape. Then all subsequent layers are fixed only with glue.

To make a birdhouse from a plastic bottle more comfortable, the bottom is covered with various materials, such as:

• rags;
• twigs;
• pieces of cotton;
• hay.

You can be sure that the birds will appreciate such comfort.

Making birdhouses from other materials

Cardboard bird house

In addition to plastic bottles, a birdhouse can also be made from cardboard. For work you will need:

• self-adhesive paper with a laminated coating;
• starch;
• corrugated cardboard;
• twine.

In addition, you will need tools such as scissors, a ruler, a pencil, a cardboard cutter, a square and compasses.

Work begins with the fact that on all blanks markup is done. Then the parts are cut in duplicate. A paste should be cooked from starch, since ordinary synthetic glue has an unpleasant odor that can scare away birds.

Finished parts are glued in pairs to make double walls. This is necessary for their strength. In the front wall, a hole should be cut for the notch, and in the back, 4 small holes are made for the twine, with which the birdhouse is tied to a tree.

The walls are glued end-to-end with each other in compliance with a right angle. The result should be a box. During drying, it is wrapped with threads. The roof is glued in two parts. The smaller part is placed inside the structure, and on the larger one, allowances are made on all sides.

A cardboard birdhouse can last longer if it is glued on the outside with laminated paper. The surface is completely pasted over, the result is a very beautiful birdhouse.

bird house out of the box

If it is not possible to find basic materials, a birdhouse can be made from a finished item, such as a box.

In this case, you need an empty juice or milk container more than one litre. It should be washed and dried, and then a standard notch is cut out. To strengthen the bottom, use thick cardboard or wood. Holes are made on top of the box to be used for wire. With the help of it, a birdhouse is hung on a tree. Outside, the house is pasted over with beautiful paper with a protective coating.

Before you start making a birdhouse with your own hands, you should protect yourself from getting all kinds of injuries. In order not to plant a splinter, be sure to use gloves.

The roofs of the houses are made single or gable, with a slight slope back. Birds are afraid of bright colors, so the coating should be dark tones.

Birds like their nests to be very high off the ground. Before hanging a birdhouse on a tree, you should make sure that this place is safe, and trunks are thick and strong. It is best if the house is not conspicuous, because while hatching the chicks, extra attention to the birds is useless. The birdhouse can also be attached to tall metal poles.

Thus, by making a birdhouse with his own hands, a person not only benefits the birds, but also himself, since starlings are able to destroy a large number of harmful insects in their summer cottage. A house made from a plastic bottle, if made cozy, will give the birds real pleasure.

A good thing is to work and hang a birdhouse. And right. Both for birds and for the man himself.

The tradition of building artificial bird houses is deeply rooted in history.

Birdhouses are needed for birds. Previously, in almost every yard where there are trees, birdhouses hung. This was the tradition. Which, they say, has deep historical roots. It is not known when it all began, but in the images of the early 16th century, you can already see birdhouses. Made of wood and clay.

It was a noble, in fact, and very feasible human help to our smaller brothers, so that there was somewhere to hide from the rain, build a nest and raise chicks. After all, it was man who ousted the birds, for example, from the city. Often, either a birdhouse itself, or in the immediate vicinity of it, a feeder was arranged, where, with enviable constancy, caring people poured cereals, millet and other treats for birds.

Birdhouses, of course, were inhabited by starlings, tits, sparrows, flycatchers and other bird brethren. Now, besides sparrows and doves, well, perhaps even ravens and swallows, the city dweller does not know any birds. Yes, it happened that even woodpeckers and even squirrels moved into birdhouses.

The process of making a birdhouse from plastic bottles with your own hands is described in detail.

Would need:

• two plastic bottles of 5 liters. for the house, as well as 2l. for cutting "tiles";
• wooden perch;
• scissors;
• marker;
• glue or double-sided tape;
• brush;
• paints;
• acrylic front lacquer;
• burlap for the interior of the birdhouse;
• various decorating elements (small sticks, flowers, butterflies, bells, ladybugs, etc.).

Making a birdhouse begins with cutting out the “tiles” on the roof of the house according to the pattern. A template is applied to the inside of 2l. bottles, the contour of which is transferred with a marker to plastic, and then cut out.

Below the entrance, there should be a perch. It is attached very simply, a mark for the cut is drawn on the bottle with a marker, an incision is made along the lines and a perch is inserted.

Through the notch of the birdhouse, burlap is glued to the inner walls of the house! On the smooth walls of the bottle, the chicks will not be able to get out of the house, so their surface should be rough and textured.

After, with the help of glue or double-sided tape (not essential), the “tile” is laid over the entire area of ​​​​the roof of the birdhouse.

In the end, this is such a wonderful workpiece!

Then the birdhouse is painted. Birds prefer dark and secluded places, so the house is completely painted over. You can use acrylic paints or even gouache, since after painting the surface of the birdhouse is varnished!

When painting a bird house, the creativity and boundless imagination shown will make the birdhouse very original.

The main thing is to let each layer of paint dry properly!

Gradually, the workpiece takes on a finished look.

The top of the bottle is painted to look like brickwork. And then, in order to hide the end of the last level of the tile, a rope is wound over it.

The “tiled” roof, with the help of different shades, is given a “live” look.

After painting, you can start decorating the birdhouse, the final stage in creating a birdhouse.

With the help of sticks, a fence is created. The sticks are first glued in a bottle, and then tied with a rope until the glue dries completely.

The resulting fence, if desired, can be painted.

Also, in addition to the fence, the entrance (notch) of the birdhouse is decorated with branches and an edge is created around the house. Decorative ladybugs, evenly distributed throughout the house.

The perch is wrapped with a rope, having previously secured it with double-sided tape or glue. The end of the perch is decorated with a bell.

That's actually all!

A fabulous birdhouse made of plastic bottles is ready!

One of the conditions for a rich harvest in the garden or in the garden is the fight against numerous arthropod pests. To use insecticides for these purposes is to harm the health of the environment. It is better to “entrust” this task to the birds - they become indispensable assistants in this matter.

But to hope that the birds themselves will fly to your site is short-sighted. A more reasonable solution would be to organize the conditions for the birds to settle directly next to a person. And for this it is necessary to attract them to the site with ready-made “comfortable housing”. A do-it-yourself birdhouse for birds, equipped in accordance with all the rules, will be a good prerequisite for the birds to choose a site for permanent residence. And the family that settled in it will do an excellent job with garden pests, collecting them from plants and even extracting them from the soil.

Yes, and just such a neighborhood with wildlife cannot but benefit, and especially brings a lot of joy to the children. So it makes sense to roll up your sleeves.

When starting to build a birdhouse, it is necessary to take into account some nuances when choosing a material for these purposes. Therefore, to begin with, you should consider various options, weigh their advantages and disadvantages.

• natural wood- This is the ideal material for a birdhouse. It is easy to work with it, it is environmentally friendly, natural warmth, and most importantly, it is natural for the habitat of the vast majority of birds. However, there are also important nuances. So, for the construction of bird housing, it is worth choosing a board made of hardwood.

The trouble is that coniferous boards can eventually begin to release resinous substances, especially in the spring, with the onset of heat. And this is not only a pungent smell, sometimes scaring away some birds. Resin may well stick to the plumage, and sometimes it even causes the death of birds.

• OSB, chipboard and plywood is a bad choice. Such wood-based composite materials have a layered structure and therefore do not have the proper resistance to the combined effects of moisture, direct sunlight and temperature extremes. So, the glue used when joining chips, wood chips or veneer sheets may not withstand winter frosts, so microcracks quickly appear on the ends of the material. Over time, for example, during a thaw, water will penetrate into them, which, upon subsequent freezing, increases in volume, which leads to further delamination of the material. For a long time in the conditions of the street, such a design will not last, even if the birdhouse is painted.

In addition, all these materials contain formaldehyde resins, which act as binding components during manufacture. Such substances, firstly, have a quite noticeable specific smell, and secondly, they emit toxic fumes. Both that, and another is capable to scare away birds from a similar dwelling. Although, despite the recommendations, some craftsmen still choose these materials for the manufacture of birdhouses.

• Cardboard, even durable is still a short-lived material, and a birdhouse from it will soon burst apart when wet. At the cardboard house, the roof may sag or the bottom may fall off, on which the birds equip the nest itself for laying eggs. And this means that the clutch or brood will simply die. Therefore, it is better to abandon the idea of ​​​​using this material immediately.
• Plastic bottle is also not the best option, as it has thin and transparent walls that are unlikely to attract birds. Some masters paint the bottle from the outside, but the paint can peel off under the influence of temperature and moisture. Thin walls in winter or, conversely, with strong heating, will deform, shrink or expand, making clicking sounds that frighten birds. It is ridiculous to talk about at least some insulation of such a birdhouse.

In addition, plastic bottles are light in weight, so a strong wind will swing them when suspended. If you fix the product to the tree with brackets, then the same wind can simply rip off and carry away the bottle along with all the contents.

So, you can't imagine anything better than wood. And further, various options for birdhouses made only from this material will be considered.

Varieties of houses for various birds

In order to attract certain birds or even several of their species to the site, it is necessary to create comfortable, familiar conditions for them. Due to the fact that birds have different sizes, differ in flight speed and features of movement on a solid surface, the parameters of the “living space” intended for them will also vary.

By design, birdhouses can be divided into two types - these are prefabricated and "hollow holes".

• Prefabricated bird houses, of course, are assembled from parts sawn to certain sizes from boards.

• "Duplyanka" is a piece of log (log), from which the inner layers of wood have been removed. Walls with a thickness of 15 ÷ 20 mm are left, depending on the diameter of the log.

When choosing the size and type of birdhouse, it is also necessary to take into account the fact that some birds prefer a certain form of "houses".

For example, if it is planned to attract and settle wagtails on the site, then they will have to make a house for them, which will differ significantly from the birdhouse familiar to everyone. The height of such a dwelling will be 140 ÷ 150 mm, width 150 mm, depth 350 ÷ 400 mm, together with a landing platform. In this design, it is made in the form of a rather large latch with a size of 150 × 100 mm. Thanks to such a notch and a narrow entrance, the bird can enter the house on foot.

For redstarts, flycatchers, and also white wagtails, a house resembling a feeder is suitable, since they are reluctant to settle in closed birdhouses. Due to the fact that such dwellings become weakly protected from predators, for safety reasons they must be raised to a height of 2–6 meters, positioned so that there are no thick branches nearby, along which a cat can get to the nest.

The width of the house is 120÷140 mm, the height of the rear wall is 140÷150 mm, the height of the front wall is 80÷90 mm, the depth is 120÷140 mm. The roof of such a house has dimensions of 160 × 200 mm. Since the entrance clearance is large, the roof must reliably cover it from rain and snow.

Pied flycatcher is a small bird belonging to the titmouse family. She prefers a more secure home, so it is recommended to make an entry hole on the side of the front panel. The depth of the house can vary from 150 to 200 mm, the width - 150 mm, the height of the structure is from 150 to 25 mm, the inlet, as a rule, has a square shape and its size can be 35 × 35 or 40 × 40 mm.

Another type of bird that is an excellent fighter against garden pests is swifts. These birds prefer to settle in boxes fixed under the eaves of the house, sometimes they do not have a front wall at all, sometimes they resemble an ordinary birdhouse, but turned to a horizontal position. The inlets are also different - notches, they are not round, but elliptical in shape. Other birds do not settle in such nests, since everything is designed for nesting swifts. The height of the house is 180, the width is 550, the length is 225 mm, the size of the inlet is 32×60 mm.

Another version of the dwelling for swifts is a box divided into several compartments and reliably protected from precipitation. Having chosen one of the compartments, the swifts build a nest in it, bringing various natural materials for this. This version of the shearer can be called "apartment". And living in whole "colonies" for swifts is a common thing.

The traditional birdhouse is chosen not only by starlings, but also by many other birds. This design can have different dimensional parameters.

The house shown in the illustration above has the following dimensions - width 180 mm, depth 200 mm, height 350÷400 mm. The dimensions of the bottom are 160 × 180, and the roofs are 200 × 200 mm, the diameter of the inlet is 50 ÷ 60 mm, the perch (pole) has a length of 50 mm and a diameter of 10 mm.

Starlings, and sparrows, too, get along well in "multi-apartment" birdhouses, which are installed on a metal rack embedded in the ground. The height of such a house should be at least 1500 ÷ 2000 mm. Next to the photo is a drawing of a two-story birdhouse with five compartments, that is, five feathered families can live in it at once. The only thing that would not hurt to add to this design is the landing areas on each floor of the building, such as shown in the illustration.

To make such a birdhouse, first, internal compartments-apartments are created from the prepared parts, which will become a reliable frame for the external facade cladding. In the outer panel for each of the "apartments" there is one round notch with a diameter of 50 mm.

Hollows are a natural habitat for birds in wildlife, most bird species settle in them, from sparrows to owls and even ducks. Therefore, a birdhouse made of logs will appeal to many feathered inhabitants, as it is made without the use of paints, glues and varnishes. You can always pick up a log of the required parameters and create comfortable, close to natural, living conditions inside it.

Where and how to install a birdhouse?

Having decided to equip a house for birds, it is necessary not only to choose the right design for it, but also to think over the place and method of its installation on the site. Not only the attractiveness of the home for potential residents, but also their safety, as well as comfortable conditions for raising chicks, will depend on this decision. Having carried out some protective measures, you can protect the birdhouse both from weather influences and from various predators.

• First you need to determine how to install a birdhouse. Some advise fixing the bird house so that the notch faces south. However, this decision cannot be called correct, since the birdhouse turned to the sunny side will overheat, which can lead to the death of the chicks. You can turn the notch to the south only if the birdhouse is shaded by tree branches.
• Another important factor to consider when choosing the location of a birdhouse is the wind rose in the region, that is, from which side the wind blows more often and more intensely. The fact is that along with the wind, water will enter the birdhouse through the notch during rain and snow in winter.

That is why the notch of the bird house should be turned to the leeward side, or at least to the side parallel to the predominant direction of the winds.

• To install birdhouses, tree trunks, house walls, masts made of metal pipes or durable wood can be used.

• Birdhouses are installed at a height of 2÷3.5 meters above the ground, in a place where there are no factors that can cause concern to birds. For example, if there are railway tracks, recreation areas or public buildings nearby, it is recommended to raise birdhouses to a height of 4.5 ÷ 5 meters.
• It is also necessary to observe the distance between individual birdhouses. It, by the way, depends on the type of settled birds. For example, the tit does not tolerate "competitors" within a radius of about 50÷60 meters around its habitat. The flycatcher needs about 20 meters of its “own range”. True, many birds are not so fastidious, and, as we have already seen, they get along well with entire colonies in "multi-apartment" birdhouses.

• Birdhouses are fixed on one of the supports depending on their design. If fastening is provided with the help of a pole fixed on the back wall of the birdhouse, then it is nailed or screwed with long self-tapping screws to the base - the pole. To nail to a living tree trunk - sometimes the hand is not understood by some. This means that you can fix the birdhouse by tying it with a flexible wire or even a strong cord. In other versions, birdhouses are suspended from special brackets, also fixed to the back wall or roof of the structure.

• In addition, we must not forget that predatory animals are a great danger to birdhouses. It sounds scary, but in fact, the main threat is our beloved cats, whose call of nature draws them on robbery adventures, even if they are quite provided with food. If the notch is too large, then the cat can reach the chicks or hidden birds with its paw.

To prevent the cat from reaching the bottom of the birdhouse with its paw, it is necessary to make a sufficiently large visor. If parameters from 40 to 50 mm appear in the drawings, then it is worth increasing them even to 80 ÷ 100 mm. Wood consumption will increase slightly, but effective protection for the nest will be provided. Another way to protect birds from cats is to make a gable roof on the birdhouse, while placing the slopes at an acute angle. On such a design, even the most dexterous "bandit" will not sit for a long time.

If the birdhouse is fixed on a tree, then to make it difficult for the cat to rise or descend from above to the birdhouse, the trunk is upholstered with metal belts 600 ÷ 800 mm wide. The distance between the bottom of the birdhouse and the protection should be 350 ÷ 400 mm, and between the roof and the metal 1300 ÷ 1400 mm. When choosing this method of protection, it must be remembered that the metal belt around the trunk should not interfere with the possibility of increasing the tree in diameter. That is, either a certain clearance between the tree and the belt should be set, or some kind of sliding structure should be made that can increase in diameter.

Another option that can be chosen instead of installing metal is to fasten down branches on the trunk of a bunch of branches. Branches must be securely fixed to the surface. A cat will never overcome such an obstacle.

Another danger to the nests of small birds is, oddly enough, woodpeckers. These birds are considered very useful, they are called "orderlies of the forest." But along with the active eating of tree pests, woodpeckers do not refuse to destroy the nests of "bird fry".

The letok in bird houses is traditionally made small, the woodpecker does not climb into it and is not even able to stick its head in to break an egg with its beak. But often that doesn't stop him. To get to the masonry, these "beauties" are able to expand the notch, pecking it with their sharp beak.

To protect the masonry from the woodpecker, other methods are used, which are also shown in the above figure in its first line:

The area around the notch is upholstered with metal;

Several nails are driven in a circle around the hole;

It is possible to strengthen the notch with an additional wooden lining, with a perpendicular arrangement of the fibers relative to the facade panel.

• In order for the birds to return to the site, in addition to comfortable living conditions, they must be fed by equipping a feeder and sprinkling various goodies, in the form of seeds or corn, cereals, or even just bread crusts.

It would be nice to hang a kind of "store" for the material, which is perfect for building a nest. If the birds find everything they need in one area, then they will remain on it forever. Chicks raised in a comfortable nesting box will definitely return to it next year.

Making birdhouses with your own hands

In this section of the publication, four options for making birdhouses will be considered, from the simplest to the more complex. After studying this information, each master will be able to choose an acceptable solution for himself.

The first option is to assemble a kit from finished parts.

If it is not possible to find suitable material or there is no ability to prepare from it all the elements necessary to create a birdhouse, then a ready-made set of wooden parts is purchased. From them you can quickly and easily assemble a birdhouse.

Details are made of well-dried and treated wood. The manufacturer even provided holes for screwing screws. An assembly diagram is attached to the kit, so the work can be done in just a couple of hours, having at hand only a regular Phillips screwdriver or a screwdriver. This is the easiest option for making a bird house. By the way, a good option for introducing a child to creative work.

The second option is the simplest "classic" model with a pitched roof.

This option is more complicated. But only because you have to find a suitable material and make parts of the required size from it.

Illustration
	Before proceeding directly to the execution of work, it is necessary to select a ready-made one or draw up your own project-drawing of a product that is suitable in terms of parameters. In this case, an easy-to-execute model is presented, which is available to manufacture even for a novice master.
	From the finished drawing, all dimensions of the parts are transferred to well-crafted boards. The thickness of the board can vary and range from 15 to 25 mm. For marking you will need a tape measure, a metal ruler and a simple pencil. After all the details of the structure are marked, they are cut out using an electric jigsaw. You can, of course, use a regular hand saw for wood, but burrs will remain on the ends of the parts. Yes, and it is much more convenient to work with power tools.
	On the finished front panel of the birdhouse structure, the location of the notch hole is marked. Then, it is drilled using a drill-crown of the required diameter - in this case it is 50 mm.
	For comfortable movement of birds along the inner surface when climbing to the notch, it is made "embossed", rough. To do this, it is scratched and drilled, making non-through holes to a depth of 2 ÷ 3 mm. Scratches and holes are applied below the notch.
	To prevent the ends of the boards from splitting when screwing screws into them, first the front panel is attached to the side panel, and holes of small diameter are drilled in the right places. Then, using a screwdriver, self-tapping screws are screwed into the holes obtained, which will create a reliable connection.
	Further, the second wall is fixed to the facade, in the same way as the first. The last operation at this stage of work is fixing the back panel. The parts are fastened in such a way that the right angles of the birdhouse are observed. It is enough to use three self-tapping screws on each side. In some designs, for more reliable fastening of the walls to each other, the craftsmen inside the structure install bars with a section of 25 × 25 mm at the corners, to which the walls are fixed. True, this somewhat reduces the spaciousness of the birdhouse.
	The next step is to mark the bottom of the birdhouse, determine the line along which the screws will be screwed. They should be at a distance from the edge equal to ½ of the thickness of the bottom panel. Holes are drilled along the edges of the drawn line. After that, a square bottom part is installed in place - it should fit tightly between the walls already fixed to each other. Further, self-tapping screws are screwed into the prepared through holes, which finally fixes the bottom of the birdhouse. In other designs, the bottom element can be superimposed on the end sides of the walls and fixed to them with the same self-tapping screws.
	Further, markings are made on the inside of the roof for mounting a wooden square-liner, which will fit tightly between the walls of the birdhouse when the lid is closed. First, the square is fixed to the roof with one self-tapping screw, which is screwed in its center. Then, after the final fitting of the roof, the part is additionally fixed with four self-tapping screws installed at the corners.
	In order to preserve the possibility of carrying out the internal processing of the bird's dwelling, it is recommended to fix the roof not permanently, but hingedly, on one wide or two narrow loops. At the same stage, a bar-pole is installed and fixed in the middle part of the back wall, with the help of which the birdhouse will be fixed to a tree or other base.
	If it is planned to fix the roof permanently, then after it is put in place, through its panel, through holes are drilled that go into the walls. After that, you can fearlessly screw self-tapping screws into them, being sure that they will not split the side panels. Finally, a non-through hole is drilled under the notch, into which the pole is inserted and fixed. Or - a small "take-off site" or a piece of board or bar.

The third option is a birdhouse with a gable roof

This birdhouse model differs from the previous one in the shape of the roof, dimensions and some manufacturing nuances.

Illustration	Brief description of the operation to be performed
	For this version of the birdhouse, it is necessary to prepare parts that have the following dimensions: A1 and A2 - 300 × 160 mm - front and rear wall; B - 2 pcs. - 220 × 120 mm - side walls; C - 1 piece - 120 × 120 birdhouse bottom; K1 - 1 pc. 200 × 160 mm - one side of the roof; K2 - 1 pc. 200 × 180 mm - the second side of the roof.
	The above dimensions are carefully transferred to the boards. Then the parts are cut with an electric jigsaw, which will make the edges even, without burrs.
	The finished parts are checked against each other so that during the assembly of the structure it does not happen that unwanted gaps appear between the individual parts. If this happens, then you will have to disassemble the birdhouse and adjust its elements to each other. If necessary, a slight adjustment is made until complete congruence.
	Now all the details and their edges must be processed with sandpaper. It is especially important to sand the outer sides of the walls well so that they absorb moisture as little as possible.
	The notch can be marked and drilled before the structure is assembled or after it is assembled. But it is necessary to work on the inner surface of the facade before the walls are fastened together. With a knife, drill or other sharp tool, a part of the inner wall under the notch is made rough.
	The finished parts in this example are first glued together with wood glue. The first step is to glue the side panels to the back wall.
	They are tightly pressed and pulled together with clamps until the glue dries completely. Then, without removing the clamps, holes for fasteners are drilled with a thin drill.
	Nails are hammered into the resulting holes or self-tapping screws are screwed. Two nails or screws for each side are enough to fasten the back and front walls to the side panels.
	After the walls are fastened together, markings are made on the front panel for drilling a notch hole.
	Then, using a drill-crown with a diameter of 45 or 50 mm, a notch is drilled. It is advisable to immediately process the finished hole with sandpaper.
	The next operation is the installation of the roof slopes of the birdhouse. First, one, shorter roof part is glued exactly from the ridge line. Then - the second, with thrust on the first. After that, you must wait until the glue sets, and then small holes are drilled in the roof slopes for fasteners.
	In this case, nails 25÷30 mm long are used for fastening.
	The next step is to install the bottom of the birdhouse. If the markings and cutting of the parts are carried out correctly, then the bottom should fit very tightly between the walls - sometimes it even has to be slightly knocked out with a hammer.
	Mounting holes are drilled at the bottom of the side, rear and front panels. Then nails are hammered into them.
	Under the notch, stepping back from its lower point of 20 mm, a hole is drilled for the hearth.
	The pole is glued into the resulting hole with wood glue.
	The result is a neat birdhouse with a gable roof, which will not allow the cat to lie in a long "ambush" waiting for the birds to appear.

Fourth option- making a birdhouse

This section will consider the process of making a nest box, which is chosen by many types of birds.

Illustration	Brief description of the operation to be performed
	In order to make a hollow, you do not need to make calculations and draw up drawings. The only thing that needs to be observed is the approximate dimensional parameters of "classic" birdhouses, taking into account the diameter of the notch. To implement this idea, it is necessary to find a log that is suitable in size and type of wood. An aspen or birch log that has lain on the street for about a year is perfect for a nest box. After lying down in the street, the core of these tree species becomes soft, and the outer layers retain their rigidity and strength, which is what we need.
	If the bark of the wood has become unusable, then it should be removed from the log. If it is dry and has an aesthetic appearance, then it can become a camouflage and decorative element of the hollow. The top side of the log can be cut at an angle to secure a shed roof, or cut from both sides of the log for a gable structure. When choosing a single-slope option, it is necessary to provide for such a slope so that water flows freely from the coating during rain.
	The next step is to gradually remove the inner part of the wood from the log. It should be noted here that the fibers can be removed along the entire length, or a bottom of 40 ÷ 50 mm thick is left in the lower part of the workpiece. The second option is more difficult to perform, but you don’t have to fix the bottom panel, and the birds will get more natural living conditions. If such a bottom is left in the log, then it must be made as even as possible. It is easier, of course, to clean the log from the core along the entire length. To select wood, a chisel with a hammer and an electric drill with a long drill are used, with which several holes are drilled, weakening the array of fibers.
	The core is removed from the log so that the remaining walls have a uniform thickness of 20÷30 mm. Protruding chips and large burrs must be removed from the side walls. Next, you need to mark the outer wall of the log, where it is planned to equip the notch. It should be located at a distance of 70 ÷ 80 mm from the top edge of the workpiece. A hole is drilled using a drill-crown of the required diameter.
	As a bottom, you can use a piece of log (dice) with a thickness of 30 ÷ 35 mm, with a diameter corresponding to the size of the inner hole of the hollow. The bottom should fit snugly into the hole. Then, it must be fixed in several places with self-tapping screws, for which small holes are pre-drilled. Instead of a piece of log, a round bottom piece can be cut out of a board of the same thickness. To determine the exact shape of the circle with minimal errors, it is necessary to place a workpiece on top of the board and draw the inner diameter of the circle along the board from the inside. The bottom is cut along this line. If, after installing the bottom, small gaps remain between it and the walls of the hollow log, they can simply be caulked with linen fibers.
	The final stage of work is fixing the roof. The blank for it is usually made of slab. The roof must be fastened very carefully, as it is possible to split the walls of the log. Therefore, small holes are first drilled into which self-tapping screws are screwed. The roof is mounted so that the visor protrudes about 100 mm above the entrance. To fix the birdhouse on a tree, a pole is mounted on its outer back wall. If desired, a landing pad or a pole can be fixed under the notch. On this, in fact, the work is completed and the nesting box can be installed in the intended place.

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Now, having familiarized yourself with the basics of the process of making birdhouses, as well as what models of bird houses are, and for which birds they are more intended, you can opt for a particular option.

Of course, the proposed options are one of the simplest. But in fact, craftsmen sometimes make genuine masterpieces that become not only a convenient place for birds to live, but also a decoration of the site. An example is shown in the video below - a birdhouse using precast log technology.

Video: Original birdhouse - miniature log house