What is your plan for getting the perfect Bird House?

Once you decide that you would like a birdhouse for your yard or patio, what is the next step? Do you have a plan to get one? Most people go shopping at a local store or shopping mall to see what they can find. Lots of time the purchase is made at the first store they look in, and the bird house is then brought home and installed. This is usually the last time that much attention is paid to it. Here are some of the many benefits that you gain from using a good plan when getting a bird house.

After you decide it is time to get a bird house, the first question you should ask yourself is what kind of house would I like in my patio or yard. Research is a good tool to preform during this step. The internet greatly simplifies this by letting you see a variety of beautiful bird houses. You can refine your search by using terms such as rustic, natures, decorative, wren, purple martin, and so on. Once you find the style that you like, you can get an idea of the price range you will be dealing with. If you decide to order on line don't forget to figure in the shipping charges. This is still the research stage so don't rush into purchasing until the first two stages of the plan is gone through. Stage two of this plan looks into placement of our bird house, The whole success of the project as well as the safety of the birds depends on this next step. You should head out to your patio or yard and start to come up with possible locations for your project. Areas that provide you with good visibility both inside and out are the most desired. Next you need to search the area for hazards. Poison plants like azaleas, daffodils, juniper, lilly of the valley, oleander, and philodendron should be removed. Animals are another danger that has to be dealt with. Decide weather you will be hanging your home from a tree or using a pole or post. Make sure to use a piece of rubber inter tube on any part of the tree that is contacted by the wire or rope used to suspend the bird house. A metal pie pan can be connected to the wire to prevent sly predators from attacking from above. Height from the ground should be ten feet to prevent good jumpers from reaching the nest. Poles and post need to be installed properly so they don't become a safety hazard. If your not sure how to do it properly, seek the help of a professional. Wooden post need to be wrapped in sheet metal or have a squirrel baffle installed. The entrance hole should point North or South to avoid direct sunlight, which could cause over heating. Then make sure all feeders and bird baths are far away from the nest house. You don't want an aggressive visitor at the feeder to spot the house or there could be trouble. Our last part of the plan is very important, as it involves what to do with the bird house after it is set up. Monitoring is the key to this step. Make sure you really notice what is going on with your bird house. This will tell you weather you have maintenance to do, or if aggressive birds like the European starlings or house swallows are moving in and taking over. The best time for maintenance and installing new birdhouses is in the fall or early winter. Birds seem to prefer the rustic look over the freshly painted one. If you do feel the urge to paint, make sure to avoid dark colors and never paint the inside of the home or sides of the entrance hole. This could cause harm or kill your birds. Also avoid anything with lead or creosote. Weather proofing the outside is a good idea to prevent water logging and cracking of your wooden bird house. Cleaning out the home needs to be done at least once a year. Birds will not usually use a nest more than once. If anything they will build another nest on top of the existing one. Parasites can reside in old nest and need to be removed before they can harm our young feathered friends. A mild bleach and water solution works best for this.
These are the benefits of brainstorming and carrying out a plan for adding a beautiful bird house to your patio, yard, or garden. Not that hard once you start doing it. There will be hours of fun watching your feathered family go about there daily business. The air will be filled with natures music, and you will know that your plan was successful. How sweet it is.