If you are excited about setting up the new birdhouse but do not know how to attract the birds, then we are about to share some essential tips to achieve your goal.
You would find a different style of birdhouse in the market; get the one that comes within your budget and based on the type of birds you want to attract. Next, you have to set up the birdhouse. But, remember that many houses in the neighborhood have also set up birdhouses, just like you. So, it would be a tough competition.
Thus, it is time to explore all your options to attract the bird to the new birdhouse.
1. Place the Birdhouse Next to a Bird Feeder
When it is cold or during the nesting period, you can keep the bird feeder and the birdhouse, next to each other. This would ensure that the birds keep getting food as well as shelter. This would make the birdhouse an ideal place for the birds to rest and so they would be attracted to it. But, you need to ensure that the feeder is filled with all the favorite foods of the avians, such as black oil sunflower, fruits, mealworms, suet, nuts, and other kinds of bird seeds.
2. Add a Bird Bath Next to the Bird House
If you want to lure birds to the new birdhouse, then you can add a bird bath next to it. This provides the avians with 24×7 freshwater access, either for bathing or drinking. they get the opportunity to stay hydrated without traveling far to look for water sources. Also, it would make it a perfect space for roosting as well as feeding. During the summer, you can also decide to add a birth bath fountain, so that birds can enjoy the moving water and visit your yard.
3. Use Camouflage for the Birdhouse
You can try to create a camouflaged birdhouse so that birds can nest in them without the fear of predators. Thus, you can provide a safe space for the birds by adding evergreen trees around the birdhouse. You can also add tree branches or shrubs to the location of the birdhouse to hide it from unwanted invaders.
4. Provide Nesting Material
It is usually seen that the male searches for the nesting material during the breeding season, so, if you want to lure the birds to the birdhouse, provide them with nesting materials which they can use to build the nest. You can place twigs, dead leaves, moss, feathers, dry grass or bark strips, right beside the birdhouse. This will keep the birds ahead when they look for the nesting material and build the nest. Thus, they might start to rely on your birdhouse and keep coming every year for nesting.
5. Select the Perfect Stop
If you want to attract the birds, you have to select a perfect spot to place the birdhouse, where they can also nest, if preferred. You have to choose a place for them, which should be away from the crowd, noise and not easily accessible by predators. Also, the place should be in a quiet location and birds not get disturbed and distracted by loud noises easily.
6. Keep the Birdhouse Clean
You must keep the birdhouse clean so that birds do not fall sick. Also, avians tend to avoid a dirty birdhouse. so, remove all the bird poop, and half-eaten seeds and try to sanitize the place by using a mixture of bleach and water. You must also clean the bird feeder and the bird bath placed near it. Thus, the birdhouse would be ready to welcome the birds the next day or to be chosen as a perfect nesting site.
7. Select the Correct Birdhouse Type
You need to keep in mind the preferences of the birds while buying a birdhouse. The sociable birds prefer multi-unit birdhouses which they use to form a community, while the solitary birds look for single-unit birdhouses. So, you need to follow the rule of thumb: if you want to attract smaller birds, keep the entry point small and if larger, then the entry point should be larger. so research well and learn what kind of bird species are more in your area and accordingly modify the entrance hole to fit them.
8. Pay Attention to the Structural Design
You must keep a birdhouse which is durable and can stand against the external elements. get a birdhouse that has an overhang roof which would protect the bird from sun rays and rain. The interior wall should not have paint and the wall should be strong enough so that predators cannot break in. It must also have the capability to withstand varied weather conditions and there should also be proper flow of air and drainage holes.
9. Height of the Birdhouse Placement
If you want to attract any specific species of bird, then you must take into account the height of the birdhouse from the ground. For bluebirds, the height should be adjusted to 5 to 8 feet and for woodpeckers, it should be 8 to 20 feet. If you want to maintain a safe height then go for 5 feet from the ground, which will prevent predators, such as squirrels and cats from attacking the nesting area.
10. Maintaining the Distance Between Birdhouses
If you are placing more than two birdhouses, dedicated to two different types of bird species, then you have to maintain a strict distance between them. Proper spacing would ensure that the bird species do not feel intimidated by each other’s presence. you might know that certain birds are quite territorial, so, if you place the birdhouse in close proximity then the birds might not visit the birdhouse.
11. Create a Natural Habitat
Birds get attracted to flowering plants, trees, and shrubs, so you can turn the space around the birdhouse into a beautiful garden, which will make it feel like a natural habitat. this will also insist them to visit your new birdhouse every day.
What are the Most Common Types of Birdhouses?
The most common types of birdhouses found in the backyard are:
post mounted – they are ideal for a backyard with no trees as these are freestanding birdhouses.
- Swinging birdhouses – These are hanging birdhouses and are quite easy to clean and can be hung from the roof or a tree branch.
- Wall-mounted birdhouse- You can mount these birdhouses on the tree bark or fence and that too at any height you prefer.
- Single-unit nest box – Birdhouses are meant for a single family of birds and they have only one small entry point.
- Multiple-unit birdhouses – In these birdhouses, many varieties of bird species can stay and are designed for highly social birds or a community. Here multiple entrance points can be found.
What Should You Avoid While Attracting Birds to Birdhouses?
When you are trying to attract birds to your new birdhouse, you must avoid using pesticides in your garden or any chemical-based cleaning agent and also resolve the problem of overcrowding.
How Long Does it Take for a Bird to Notice a New Birdhouse?
It can take a few weeks to even months for the birds to get attracted to a new birdhouse. so you have to be patient, follow the strategy mentioned above and continue to provide them with a safe resourceful space. The best season to install a birdhouse is during fall or winter so that birds can get familiarized with the birdhouse right before the spring sets in.
Which Birds are Attracted to a Birdhouse?
Birds like woodpeckers, creepers, bluebirds, wrens, finches, sparrows, warblers, swifts, titmice, and flycatchers are more attracted to a birdhouse.
Do You Need to Install a Predator Guard on the Birdhouse?
Yes, predator guards are essential to keep the birdhouse as well as the birds safe and it would ensure that the birds can nest without any dreadful encounter. You can install baffles or portals which will prevent common predators, such as cats, squirrels, raccoons or snakes from invading the birdhouse. However, never use toxic products against the predators, otherwise, it can also harm the birds.
If you are excited about setting up the new birdhouse but do not know how to attract the birds, then we are about to share some essential tips to achieve your goal.
You would find a different style of birdhouse in the market; get the one that comes within your budget and based on the type of birds you want to attract. Next, you have to set up the birdhouse. But, remember that many houses in the neighborhood have also set up birdhouses, just like you. So, it would be a tough competition.
Thus, it is time to explore all your options to attract the bird to the new birdhouse.
1. Place the Birdhouse Next to a Bird Feeder
When it is cold or during the nesting period, you can keep the bird feeder and the birdhouse, next to each other. This would ensure that the birds keep getting food as well as shelter. This would make the birdhouse an ideal place for the birds to rest and so they would be attracted to it. But, you need to ensure that the feeder is filled with all the favorite foods of the avians, such as black oil sunflower, fruits, mealworms, suet, nuts, and other kinds of bird seeds.
2. Add a Bird Bath Next to the Bird House
If you want to lure birds to the new birdhouse, then you can add a bird bath next to it. This provides the avians with 24×7 freshwater access, either for bathing or drinking. they get the opportunity to stay hydrated without traveling far to look for water sources. Also, it would make it a perfect space for roosting as well as feeding. During the summer, you can also decide to add a birth bath fountain, so that birds can enjoy the moving water and visit your yard.
3. Use Camouflage for the Birdhouse
You can try to create a camouflaged birdhouse so that birds can nest in them without the fear of predators. Thus, you can provide a safe space for the birds by adding evergreen trees around the birdhouse. You can also add tree branches or shrubs to the location of the birdhouse to hide it from unwanted invaders.
4. Provide Nesting Material
It is usually seen that the male searches for the nesting material during the breeding season, so, if you want to lure the birds to the birdhouse, provide them with nesting materials which they can use to build the nest. You can place twigs, dead leaves, moss, feathers, dry grass or bark strips, right beside the birdhouse. This will keep the birds ahead when they look for the nesting material and build the nest. Thus, they might start to rely on your birdhouse and keep coming every year for nesting.
5. Select the Perfect Stop
If you want to attract the birds, you have to select a perfect spot to place the birdhouse, where they can also nest, if preferred. You have to choose a place for them, which should be away from the crowd, noise and not easily accessible by predators. Also, the place should be in a quiet location and birds not get disturbed and distracted by loud noises easily.
6. Keep the Birdhouse Clean
You must keep the birdhouse clean so that birds do not fall sick. Also, avians tend to avoid a dirty birdhouse. so, remove all the bird poop, and half-eaten seeds and try to sanitize the place by using a mixture of bleach and water. You must also clean the bird feeder and the bird bath placed near it. Thus, the birdhouse would be ready to welcome the birds the next day or to be chosen as a perfect nesting site.
7. Select the Correct Birdhouse Type
You need to keep in mind the preferences of the birds while buying a birdhouse. The sociable birds prefer multi-unit birdhouses which they use to form a community, while the solitary birds look for single-unit birdhouses. So, you need to follow the rule of thumb: if you want to attract smaller birds, keep the entry point small and if larger, then the entry point should be larger. so research well and learn what kind of bird species are more in your area and accordingly modify the entrance hole to fit them.
8. Pay Attention to the Structural Design
You must keep a birdhouse which is durable and can stand against the external elements. get a birdhouse that has an overhang roof which would protect the bird from sun rays and rain. The interior wall should not have paint and the wall should be strong enough so that predators cannot break in. It must also have the capability to withstand varied weather conditions and there should also be proper flow of air and drainage holes.
9. Height of the Birdhouse Placement
If you want to attract any specific species of bird, then you must take into account the height of the birdhouse from the ground. For bluebirds, the height should be adjusted to 5 to 8 feet and for woodpeckers, it should be 8 to 20 feet. If you want to maintain a safe height then go for 5 feet from the ground, which will prevent predators, such as squirrels and cats from attacking the nesting area.
10. Maintaining the Distance Between Birdhouses
If you are placing more than two birdhouses, dedicated to two different types of bird species, then you have to maintain a strict distance between them. Proper spacing would ensure that the bird species do not feel intimidated by each other’s presence. you might know that certain birds are quite territorial, so, if you place the birdhouse in close proximity then the birds might not visit the birdhouse.
11. Create a Natural Habitat
Birds get attracted to flowering plants, trees, and shrubs, so you can turn the space around the birdhouse into a beautiful garden, which will make it feel like a natural habitat. this will also insist them to visit your new birdhouse every day.
What are the Most Common Types of Birdhouses?
The most common types of birdhouses found in the backyard are:
post mounted – they are ideal for a backyard with no trees as these are freestanding birdhouses.
- Swinging birdhouses – These are hanging birdhouses and are quite easy to clean and can be hung from the roof or a tree branch.
- Wall-mounted birdhouse- You can mount these birdhouses on the tree bark or fence and that too at any height you prefer.
- Single-unit nest box – Birdhouses are meant for a single family of birds and they have only one small entry point.
- Multiple-unit birdhouses – In these birdhouses, many varieties of bird species can stay and are designed for highly social birds or a community. Here multiple entrance points can be found.
What Should You Avoid While Attracting Birds to Birdhouses?
When you are trying to attract birds to your new birdhouse, you must avoid using pesticides in your garden or any chemical-based cleaning agent and also resolve the problem of overcrowding.
How Long Does it Take for a Bird to Notice a New Birdhouse?
It can take a few weeks to even months for the birds to get attracted to a new birdhouse. so you have to be patient, follow the strategy mentioned above and continue to provide them with a safe resourceful space. The best season to install a birdhouse is during fall or winter so that birds can get familiarized with the birdhouse right before the spring sets in.
Which Birds are Attracted to a Birdhouse?
Birds like woodpeckers, creepers, bluebirds, wrens, finches, sparrows, warblers, swifts, titmice, and flycatchers are more attracted to a birdhouse.
Do You Need to Install a Predator Guard on the Birdhouse?
Yes, predator guards are essential to keep the birdhouse as well as the birds safe and it would ensure that the birds can nest without any dreadful encounter. You can install baffles or portals which will prevent common predators, such as cats, squirrels, raccoons or snakes from invading the birdhouse. However, never use toxic products against the predators, otherwise, it can also harm the birds.
