Home >> Hobbies >> Birding

How to Build Bird Houses for Michigan Birds

Many species of birds make their nests in natural tree cavities or abandoned woodpecker holes, including chickadees, nuthatches, wrens, screech owls and wood ducks. As suburban development continues to expand into the woodland areas of Michigan, prime nesting habitat in old snags and dead trees are in decline. Fortunately, many cavity-nesting birds will move into a wooden birdhouse built to the proper specifications to raise their young.

Things You'll Need

Pine or cedar boards
Saw (power or table)
Weather-resistant fasteners
Drill and drill bits

Instructions

- 1
  Decide which bird species you want to attract, and build your birdhouse to the proper specifications. For smaller birds, including chickadees and wrens found commonly throughout Michigan, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology recommends a nest box that is at least 5 1/2 inches wide, 4 inches deep and 8 inches high. Larger birds such as bluebirds, barn owls and wood ducks require larger nesting boxes.
- 2
  Size the entrance hole to allow the desired birds into the birdhouse while preventing predators or other birds from entering. Drilling an entrance hole between 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter allows chickadees, wrens and bluebirds to enter but is too small for the more aggressive European starlings, which are not native to Michigan but will drive away other, more desirable species of birds.
- 3
  Use bird-safe materials. Birdhouses made from untreated cedar and pine boards are inexpensive and stand up well against Michigan's seasonal weather. Redwood is another good choice of wood, though the cost per birdhouse is higher. Use wood that is at least 3/4 inches thick, and attach the pieces together with weather-resistant nails or screws to ensure that the nest box is sturdy.
- 4
  Add an over-sized roof to the birdhouse, providing protection to the entrance hole from the rain, and perhaps from a late snowfall common to early spring in Michigan. Sloping the roof helps to shed the rain away from the nesting box. Drill several 1/4 inch diameter holes in the bottom section for drainage, and drill several more holes near the top of the side sections for ventilation and airflow during the warmer summer months.
- 5
  Include a hinged door for easy access to the nesting box for monitoring the nestlings and for cleaning out the birdhouse at the end of the breeding season. Use a weather-resistant screw to secure the door shut.
- 6
  Extend the back section above the roof and below the bottom of the nest box, making it easier to attach the birdhouse to a tree or pole. For most of the cavity-nesting birds found commonly in Michigan, including chickadees, sparrows and wrens, mount the birdhouse between 4 feet and 10 feet above the ground, and face the entrance hole toward an open area of your yard.

Birding