How To Choose and Prepare a Birdhouse

Make a beeline for the wood houses. The best choice will be a house made of durable cedar or cypress, and will have a rough surface, which gives birds a foothold as they enter and exit the house.

Choose a house with an angled roof, so that predators can’t sit on it—they could spook Mom and Dad into leaving home. And avoid metal, which attracts too much heat.

After bringing your new birdhouse home, use a whittling knife or sharp penknife to carve grooves below the entrance hole on the inside and outside of the house. This will provide added traction for little bird toes.

It doesn’t need air conditioning, but be sure your birdhouse is well ventilated. If they aren’t there already, drill small holes along the edges of the top walls.

If the birdhouse needs them, you should also drill small holes in the corners and middle of the bottom, to allow drainage and keep the nest aired out.

Make sure the entrance hole in the house is large enough for the birds in your neighborhood to come and go comfortably. If not, get out your trusty knife and perform some more repair work.

Hang your birdhouse in a safe, cat-free spot and start watching to see when your new tenants move in! When the season is over, clean out the birdhouse and save it for next spring.