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How to Create a Bird Roost

Birds sleep in roost boxes in the winter to stay warm, and in nesting boxes in the spring and summer during the breeding season. Unlike nesting boxes, roosting boxes lack ventilation holes and entrances near the top; this is so heat will not escape through the holes. Roost boxes also have perches inside for the birds. Perhaps the easiest and cheapest way to create a roost for birds is to modify an existing birdhouse for the winter.

Things You'll Need

Nest box (birdhouse)
Painter's mask
Pair of latex gloves
Grill brush
Zippered disposable plastic bag, quart or gallon size
Jigsaw
Power drill
(6) 6-by-14-inch dowel pieces
Roll of duct tape
Pocketknife
2 foot-by-2 foot-by-1/2-inch plastic craft foam, such as Styrofoam
Bag of small wood chips

Instructions

Creating a Roost
- 1
  Remove the box from the pole at the end of the summer. If it needs to be cleaned, put on the painter's mask and gloves. Clean out any left-over nesting material from the box using the grill brush. Place contents from the box into a zippered bag and dispose of into an outside trash receptacle. Leave the box open for a day to air out.
- 2
  Cut a 1 1/2-inch circle, 2 inches from the bottom, on the front of the box with the jigsaw. Using the power drill, drill six holes in the left side of the box in a staggered fashion, keeping the holes approximately 3 inches apart. Insert the dowels into the holes for perches. Use fewer dowels if the box is small.
- 3
  Place duct tape on the outside of the box, covering up the ventilation holes on both sides. Cut some foam with the pocketknife into the shape of the front entrance hole at the top. Force the foam into the hole until it fits snugly, effectively sealing it. Place duct tape on top of the foam in the hole to keep it secure.
- 4
  Cut more foam in the shape of the bottom of the nest, making it slightly smaller than the width of the floor. Place it on the floor. Cover the foam with about a 1-inch layer of wood chips.
- 5
  Place the box back onto the pole and face it south or east, whichever direction does not face prevailing winds in the area.

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