Bird Houses
May 21, 2008
- Why Own A Solar Bird House?
Bird houses are both a functional and decorative addition to a back yard. They will attract a variety of birds to your yard and also add a bit of pleasant décor to your back yard. There are all styles and shapes of bird houses, most of them wooden or aluminum and some even solar powered.
A solar bird house requires more detail than a traditional wood bird house because this bird house will light up at night from receiving the sunshine during the day. The most important thing to remember when selecting a bird house for your yard is that each species of bird has its own special requirements. The shape of the house, the location and the diameter of the entry hole will determine which type of birds will live in your bird house.
Assembly
If you purchase your bird house pre-assembled then you are very lucky and will only need to find a location for it in your back yard. If you are creative and want to make your own, then a fun task awaits you. Making a solar bird house is an exciting project to create. You must first decide on how much of the house you want to light up at night. You will then need some LED panels to place in your bird house.
Since bird houses are small, you won’t have to worry about your solar bird house illuminating your yard and, therefore, you should be able to place it almost anywhere you want. Hanging it on a branch or nailing it to a tall tree is a good idea. Anywhere you might need a little bit of light is also another good idea. Maybe you could place it along a path or in a dark corner of the yard. If your solar bird house is a church you might want to put your panels on the steeple and maybe on the windows of the church.
This will make a great effect at night when your church lights up after dark. If you have several solar bird houses in your backyard it is very lovely to place them all around your yard and then your backyard takes on a mystique all of its own. Your shrubbery and trees almost come alive when these bird houses light up at night. If you are sitting on your patio with a few torches and candles lit, solar bird houses make a wonderful romantic effect.
Solar bird houses are a little more expensive to purchase then the traditional wood bird houses, but they are worth the price because of the ambience they create in your yard. If you are making your own solar bird house remember they are a little more time intensive to build because of the solar panels that have to be strategically placed.
Buying a kit to give you a diagram, directions and parts is probably the best way to go when making your own solar bird house. So, why own a solar bird house? Solar bird houses are beautiful at night, the birds can find their way home in the dark after a night on the town, solar energy does not cost you anything and it might give you a little more sense of security knowing you will always have light in your backyard at night.
May 7, 2008
- How To Paint A Non-Toxic Bird House Successfully
You’ve just spent an entire weekend building a fabulous birdhouse and now you are trying to decide how to paint a bird house. Maybe it would be easier to leave it in its natural condition. The answer is fairly simple. Raw wood will slowly deteriorate over time. The rain, heat, ice and sleet will age the wood and painting will protect the wood from the splitting, cracking and rotting that occurs from Mother Nature and her elements. How to paint a bird house and keep it non-toxic to the birds is another question.
No Lead
Learning how to paint a bird house and making it environmentally friendly can be easily accomplished. When you choose paint be sure that it is not a lead-based paint. Lead is very toxic to both humans and animal. Since birds peck on their bird houses, they will ingest some of the paint and that can have dire consequences. Using a good latex paint is fine. The inside of the bird house is a different story. Baby birds will peck and eat small bits of the inside of the house as they grow older, so the inside should be left as natural wood. Learning how to paint a bird house on the outside is the only part of the house in which you need to be concerned about.
The next step in how to paint a bird house is choosing the color of paint. Bird nests are generally hidden to keep predators away; therefore, neutral colors are the best colors to use on your bird house. Brightly colored bird houses may be beautiful, but it will bring unwanted attention to the birds inside and may pose potential danger to the baby birds. Soft green, tan, or brown will do very nicely as a color for your bird house.
The next step in how to paint a bird house is the actually painting of the house. You have chosen a soft green, latex paint and now it is time to take a small brush and paint the outside of your birdhouse. Once that is finished, a few extra strokes of white and pale yellow paint make beautiful flowers on the front of your house. You can now breathe deeply and stand back and admire your work. You started the weekend project not knowing how to paint a bird house and now your project is finished with a half a day to spare. It really was a simple and quite educational project.
As for color of paint, consider where parent birds build their nests in the wild. The nests are well hidden to keep predators away. Although a brightly painted birdhouse is fun to see and a delight to our human eyes, it will draw unwanted attention to itself, placing the baby birds in more potential danger. Use neutral colors, a soft green, tan, or brown, to paint the house. Bring bright flashy colors into your backyard and garden in the form of garden ornaments or stepping stones or flowers. Help keep your backyard bird families as safe as possible by helping the birdhouse blend into its surroundings.
April 30, 2008
- Tips About Bird House Pieces
We all know that one of the best ways in which we could lure different kinds of birds to frolic in our gardens is by placing a nice piece of bird house on it that would not only provide them with a temporary dwelling place, but also give your outdoors a new look that is only pleasing to the eyes. But then, knowing which bird house piece to place in your garden is sometimes a confusing task especially when you are going for a unique, beautiful look that would compliment your landscape.
Here are the tips you must learn when it comes to finding the best piece of bird house that you could put in your garden and it is guaranteed that once that you have followed these tips, you will get not just the perfect piece of bird house for your garden, but also, you get to show your appreciation to nature by providing a protection for the birds.
Tips To Know
One of the first tips that you must know when it comes to looking for a nice piece of bird house that is perfect for your outdoors is to know first which kind of birds that usually frolic in your garden. This is because there are many kinds of bird house pieces in the market that are most of the time, designed for a specific kind of bird like the blue jays, robins, bluebirds, and many others. Once that you have learned what kind of birds that usually frolic in your yard, then you would know the kind of piece of bird house would suit them and your garden.
Another great tip when it comes to looking for the best piece of bird house for your outdoors is to know if you would buy or just build your own. Do you think you have enough time to build the one of a kind bird house piece that would compliment your garden? Would you let your kids join you when making the bird house? Or your answer to these first two questions is a big “no” and you are just eager to shop around and spend some money on the first piece that you would see that you think would best suit your garden?
If you are willing to buy, the best online store that you could check out is the www.miniature-gardens.com where you will find the cutest themed bird houses that ever existed. And if you are just willing to build your own but would like to buy the pre-packed bird house kits to make the job a bit easier for you, then you could check out this wonderful online store, www.birdbathandbeyond.com for more options of different kinds of bird house kits.
April 13, 2008
- Choosing the Perfect Church Bird House for Your Backyard
If you are a God fearing family and want the birds in your neighborhood to know it too, you can place a beautiful church bird house outside to show the world your faith. You may simply want a church bird house for the beauty it can bring to your yard. Whatever the reason, you can find just what you are looking for whether you choose to build it yourself or buy it already made.
What Types of Church Bird House are There?
You can find a church bird house that is elaborate and showy. You can find a Spanish mission bird house that is handcrafted and has an old style entrance, a bell tower and crosses. This can be the perfect gift idea for a Christian minded person.
You can find simple church bird house kits that are easy to assemble using simple or no tools. Even a novice woodworker can build a bird house from a kit. You will get all the supplies you need and step by step instructions on how to construct, paint and detail the finished product. You may find that you truly enjoy building, and what may have started as a gift idea has turned into a hobby you adore.
There is a church bird house that will remind you of Sunday’s spent in the country. It may have a shingle style roof and other accents that will let your birds know they have entered the old fashioned world of country churches. There is a wide variety of styles and designs when it comes to a church bird house. Whether you are into rustic things or more contemporary designs, there is a perfect bird house out there for you.
Where to Find a Church Bird House
There are many different venues where you will be able to purchase the perfect bird house church for your yard or for the person on your gift giving list. You can find many styles to choose from when you visit a home and garden store or a where notions are sold. You can find many choices when you visit a craft fair or when you search online. Once you have a bird house in your yard, you may want to add a feeder and perhaps even a bird bath, making your outdoor space a haven for our feathered friends.
No matter where you find your church bird house, you are sure to get years and years of pleasure seeing it hang brightly outside and watching the various species of birds who may take advantage of a good place to nest. You can spend many happy afternoons watching young fledglings take their first flight when you have a church bird house in your backyard.
More on Choosing the Perfect Church Bird House for Your Backyard
April 9, 2008
- A Decorative Bird House With Flowers Is Simple To Make
Making bird houses is a fun project and is a project that should be done with the entire family. If you are a leader of a Girl Scout or Boy Scout Troop, making bird houses is a simple, educational and fun craft project. A good starting point is with a simple wooden bird house kit that can easily be glued together. The decorating is the best part of making a bird house and one the kids are surely never to forget. Flowers and bird houses go hand in hand and your children or group of students will have fun picking out the artificial flowers for their bird house.
Getting Creative
Flowers for bird houses can be made or purchased. Most craft and hobby stores or major discount stores will carry artificial flowers. Any size flower can be used, but you must remember that too large a flower on a bird house may scare the birds away. The idea is to decorate your bird house to attract the birds. Decorative flowers for bird houses should be cut at the top of the stem with a wire cutter. A small needle nosed wire cutter is probably a very good tool to keep around the house because it always comes in handy for some type of project.
A hot glue gun is another handy tool to have when decorating your bird house with flowers. If a hot glue gun is not available then a tube of Elmer’s glue will do. The color of your flowers will depend on the color of your bird house. After painting your bird house it is always a good idea to place the flowers on the bird house and strategically plan your decoration before you begin to glue. Decorative flowers on bird houses are a very pretty look. It softens the wood and will blend into the natural atmosphere that it is intended for.
Painting flowers on a bird house is also a very pretty way to decorate a bird house. If you are a skilled artist or just good at painting simple flowers, then painting flowers on your bird house is the easiest way to decorate it. Your students might find this a fun way to express their creativity. You could make and paint your bird house on one week and the next week paint flowers onto your bird house. They could spend the week in between studying wildflowers and picking one that might have some special meaning to them. Decorating a bird house with flowers is a project that is simple and a memory that will soon not be forgotten.
More on A Decorative Bird House With Flowers Is Simple To Make
April 2, 2008
- Best Online Store For Birch Bird Houses
One of the best ways in which we could beautify our own gardens or yard is by mounting a bird house to one of our trees and it is also a nice way in which we could show our appreciation to our feathered friends that may be, from time to time, frolicking in our area. Having a bird house in your own garden not only adds a little flare to your outdoor but it also attracts other beautiful creatures like the birds to visit in your own yard and provide a temporary dwelling place for them where they could feel safe and happy.
Probably one of the most durable materials that have been used in creating a bird house is out of birch wood and here are the best online stores wherein we can find a wide range of birch bird houses. It is guaranteed that once you have place a wonderful birch bird house in your garden, soon, more and more cute birds would frolic around your area.
Ask Help From The Doctors
One of the most outstanding and unique online stores that you could find on the internet is the Doctors Foster And Smith shop which features different kinds of products for your outdoor needs. And right now, they are featuring a one of a kind birch bird house that also serves as a tube feeder to your feathered friends and also helps keep away from pesky squirrels or other animals that may bother the birds that have visited in your garden.
The birch bird house that Doctors Foster And Smith are featuring is very much unique and beautiful that it was said to be the ultimate when it comes to squirrel resistance. Because of its material, the wonderful birch bird houses that they offer their customers are virtually indestructible. It is not only made of birch tree but also features stainless steel locking roof clips keep squirrels out of seed and four oversized stainless steel reinforced seed ports further protect from squirrel damage. And not only that, this one of a kind birch bird house also features metal roof and base snap open for easy cleaning which you could easily hang or pole mount.
For those who are interested in knowing what the online specialty store, Doctors Foster And Smith could offer and to see this marvelous creation of birch bird house, you could visit them at www.drsfostersmith.com for more details. You could order them online or call their toll free number 1-800-381-7179 and a friendly operator will answer all your questions and concerns.
March 26, 2008
- Putting a Bluebird House in Your Yard can Help with Conservation Efforts
The bird we know as a bluebird has a beautiful blue coloring and is a type of thrush. They frequent open spaces that have cover nearby or adjoining brush or trees. They are patient little fellows only being about seven inches long, as they sit perched on low branches waiting for the unaware bugs and insects to wander along. Bluebirds also like to eat fruits and berries as well.
There are three species of bluebirds found in North America. One species is the Eastern Bluebirds and they can be found far into Mexico as well as the eastern half of the continent. There are also the western Bluebirds that are found widely in the southwestern regions of Canada and the western half of the United States and into Mexico. The third species is the Mountain Bluebirds who live high in the mountainous area and the prairies of the western region of North America. This species can be found from Alaska all the way down to Mexico.
Why Do You Need a Bluebird House?
Bluebirds are cavity dwellers. They like to nest in holes in trees made by woodpeckers and other abandoned cavities left by other birds. With the urbanization of their native habitat, it is getting harder and harder for them to find a safe and secure place to build their nests and hatch their eggs successfully.
The bluebird’s population is continuing to decline as more trees are destroyed to build housing developments and parking lots for superstores. This is not good for the bluebird and it certainly isn’t good for the environment. Each living creature contributes to the correct balance of nature and when one of creatures are taken out of the mix, things you may not notice can happen and not for the good.
Building a Bluebird House
Although the bluebird house will be used mostly in the spring, the cool weather of autumn is a terrific time to get started building the bluebird house. It is said that bluebirds begin nesting early, so you want to be ready to erect your houses in some areas as early as February.
Building a bluebird house is pretty simple and you can find the plans easily and quickly either online or at your local library. You can also do some research to find out if there are others in your area who are into building bluebird house for these lovely and endangered birds. You may find a club that maintains a bluebird trail where there are bluebird house lined in a place the birds will be happy to call home and raise their young.
More on Putting a Bluebird House in Your Yard can Help with Conservation Efforts
March 19, 2008
- Best Online Store For Decorative Bird Houses
If you are one of those people who enjoy being close to nature and savor the feeling of just being one with them and watching as trees sway and birds go by, then you will also appreciate the hobby of bird watching. Though bird watching is a fun and exciting way to be close to your feathered friends, there are also ways in which you can show your appreciation to them in different ways.
One of the best ways in which you can show your appreciation of the beauty of the birds is through making them a decorative bird house. But on the other hand, you may think that constructing your own decorative bird house is a lot of work and that is why sometimes it is just better if you buy them.
Where To Buy
Having a bird house in your own yard not only provides a great design or decorative piece in your area, but above all, having a decorative bird house provides shelter for your feathered friends. You also provide a great way of protecting them from the outside world where they can nest safely and rest from time to time. But on the other hand, building your own decorative bird house can be also require you of a rigorous hard work that is why, sometimes, it will be better if you will just buy them from specialty stores.
One of the best specialty stores that you can find online selling different kinds of bird houses and specialize in decorative bird houses is the Allamish shop. All of their collections of bird houses are guaranteed to be handmade and crafted with the finest quality of materials that are nothing but superb, brilliant and made to perfection.
Their designs of decorative bird houses include a charming wedding chapel bird house, wood bark bird house, three-story wood bark bird house, Christmas bird house, log cabin bird houses, lighthouse style bird house, a beach cottage, jailhouse for the birds, and other designs which are all so cute and very beautiful. What is so great about these decorative bird houses that you can see on the Allamish online store is that not only are they all intricately designed and beautiful but they are also very much affordable as compared to other stores.
If you are interested in knowing more about the bird houses that Allamish is offering, you may check them out at www.allamish.com. You can also order directly online or call them at their toll free number at 1-866-49AMISH and a friendly customer service representative will be of help.
March 5, 2008
- The Endless Possibilities Of A Ceramic Bird House
When it comes to bird houses there are all kinds of possibilities. Nearly everyone has seen the standard wooden bird houses that we make in high school shop class or come in neatly packaged kits at the store just ready for assembly. Those are nice but sometimes I like to get really creative and one of the easiest ways to get creative is to buy a ceramic bird house kit. By ceramic bird house kit I mean a ceramic bird house in a the style that you want but left white so you can paint it however you want. The only drawback to a ceramic bird house kit is that you cannot fire it so that the paint is adhered to the ceramic bird house and this means the weather can get at the paint quickly.
Your other option is to shop around for a finished ceramic bird house and there is quite a variety of ceramic bird houses to choose from and each of them can be as individual as you want it to be. Some bird house designs include light houses with operating lights, a southern plantation, and even an old European castle. It is hard to imagine such luxury in a bird house but when you consider the ease of making a ceramic bird house, and the relatively low cost, then you are only limited by your own imagination.
A Great Gift
Many years ago my mom, many of her friends, and several of my aunts all belonged to a local ceramic club the learned how to make ceramic pieces and among them were these very elaborate bird houses. When people are allowed to make their own customized bird houses you can really see their personalities come through in their work and these ladies were making some extremely impressive bird houses. For several Springs and Summers in my hometown we were overrun with a plethora of some of the most beautiful ceramic bird houses anyone had ever seen.
But years pass and the ceramic club closed down and my mom and her friends had sold all of the bird houses they had made and saved none for themselves. I guess you can get caught up in the notion of people really wanting to buy something you have created and that is the beauty of learning a craft like ceramics and matching that up with such a popular lawn decoration as the bird house.
March 1, 2008
- Easy Milk Carton Bird Houses That Children Can Make
There are many projects that you can do with your kids and one of the most educational and easy ones to do is to make milk carton bird houses. This is a project for young children and one the whole family can get involved in. Deciding where and how you are going to hang your birdhouse can be as much for young children as making the bird house. You can be assured this is one family memory that will be recorded in your scrapbook.
Start With A Milk Carton
You begin your milk carton bird house project with an empty half gallon milk carton. Not the big round plastic cartons, but the soft square cartons. You must first open up the top of the carton and wash and rinse it thoroughly. When the carton is dry, then close and staple it shut. The next step in making a milk carton bird house is taking a roll of masking tape and tearing off one half inch strips to cover the entire carton.
Be sure and overlap the tape so that none of the carton shows. Take brown shoe polish and rub it all over the tape to make it look like brown bark. Let this dry thoroughly. Now it is time to decide what type of bird you want to live in your milk carton bird house. When you have made this decision, then look at a bird house specs page and determine how large a hole to cut and how far the hole should be from the floor. Make sure it is big enough for the bird to get inside. Now cut your entrance into your milk carton bird house. The next step to making your milk carton bird house is using a pencil to make several holes in the bottom of the carton so that the rain can drain out.
Also, you must make several holes in the top of the milk carton to let any condensation and heat escape. The final step in your milk carton bird house is to make a hole in the top of the bird house near the staples. Put a short piece of clothes hanger wire through the hole and make a loop. You are now ready for the final task in making your milk carton bird house, hanging it outside so the birds can enjoy it. This is a fun project for the adults, as well as the kids and a family project that will be passed down through generations.
February 17, 2008
- Tips On How To Hang A Bird House
Having a bird house in your garden is probably one of the best ways in which you can give a little flare and added beauty to it and it is also one of the greatest gestures that you could show to your feathered friends that you appreciate them. But sometimes, as much as we want to have a bird house especially if we are clueless as to how to hang a bird house that would guarantee that they will not be pestered by squirrels or other creatures or to make sure that they will not be easily destructed.
Here are some tips that you could learn as to how to hang a bird house effectively to your own garden to make your feathered friends feel safer and secure. It is for sure that when you have implemented these helpful tips on how to hang a bird house, not only you get to have a decorative ornament in your garden that would last a lifetime, but also help you save money so you do not have to replace them.
Helpful Tips
One of the best tips that you must remember when learning how to hang a bird house is to spot a tree which you think is sturdy and strong enough to have branches that could hold the weight of your bird house even under the worse weather conditions. Once you have located and have decided which tree in your yard where you will put your bird house, then think of the best branch where you could hang them.
When looking for the branch where you would place your bird house, consider the height of it because it is one of the most important things to remember when learning how to hang a bird house effectively that other outside factors could not easily disturb. Think of some branch and its height that is less accessible to the pesky squirrels and other climbing or walking animals that may seem to play around your garden, and that is where you could hang your bird house.
Also, before hanging your bird house on to the tree that you have chosen, it is important for you to check if the thread or the loop of your bird house is stable and durable. When you notice that your bird house thread is not that strong, what you can do is replace it immediately with something that is stronger like nylon to make it more stable when you mount them.
January 27, 2008
- Learn How To Create Your Own Pop Bottle Bird House
They say that bird watching is one of the most fulfilling and relaxing hobby that you could literally enjoy almost anywhere, even in your own home. That is why there are now more and more stores which are selling bird houses, not just to be a decorative display for your outdoors or garden, it is also a great way which you could protect your feathered friends from the cruelty of the outside world.
On the other hand, there is also a great way in which you could provide shelter and protection to the birds but at the same time, help save the world by recycling some materials and that is through creating pop bottle bird house. Here are the instructions that you would need to create a one of a kind pop bottle bird house that would not only attract your feathered friends into your yard, but also help save the world through recycling.
What You Will Need
One of the main materials that you need in creating a pop bottle bird house is of course, a pop bottle. It would be very effective if the soda bottle that you would choose to use is a two liter bottle and it would greatly help and neater if you would remove all the labels and clean the bottle before you plan on using them. Do not forget that when making a pop bottle bird house, it is also important that you would let them be dry and free from dirt.
The next thing that you could do is to drill two small holes at the bottom of the bottle and remember that the bottom of it will be the top of the feeder of your pop bottle bird house. After you have drilled the two small holes, what you could do next is to thread through one hole into another and twist the ends of the wire to make a loop for hanging your feeder. When sealing the holes, you could use some duct tape or caulk so that rain and other outside elements could not get into your pop bottle bird house.
After which, what you could do next is to drill a 5/16” holes on the opposite sides of the bottle where you could insert an eight or nine inch by 5/16” dowels into the pairs of holes where birds could rest. Repeat this instructions until you get to create a series of perches. To make your pop bottle bird house more colorful and exciting, you could paint and draw on all the materials first before you do all the instructions in constructing your bird house.
