This birdhouse is currently out of stock.
Dimensions:
Overall: 15 1/2” high X 6.5” wide” X 8” deep
Nesting Floor: approx. 4” X 4”
Hole: 1 1/2”
Color: 3 colors of stain: Barn Red, Yellow Oak, Moss Green
Wood: White Cedar
This is a functional outdoor birdhouse. It is a traditional Bluebird house design. It is sized for Bluebirds as well as other post dwelling birds like Tree Swallows. The primary feature that attracts birds is the size of the hole. A 1½” hole is the right size for Bluebirds and Swallows. This size can also attract Sparrows as well as other song birds.
This house is made from white cedar. Cedar is a good wood for outside so it should last for many years.
The interior of the house is natural and not sealed. The outside is coated with one coat (three colors) of exterior deck stain and two coats of polyurethane spar varnish. Some purists think the outside of the house should also be natural, but after you spend this much on a birdhouse you do want it to last more than about one season. The varnish will last a number of years, but I tell people they want to check it when they take it down and decide whether they want to clean the house off and put another coat of varnish on it.
You are encouraged to take the house down every year to clean out last year’s nest. Some people are better planners than others, taking it down and checking it out at least once every couple of years is usually what happens. Some birds won’t re-use nests year to year. Different birds also make nests of different material so they also like to start from scratch. It’s also good to check that something else has not moved in like mud wasps or spiders.
I haven’t heard many problems with squirrels chewing on houses since they aren’t feeders, they usually aren’t too interested. Bluebird houses usually have hole extensions on the outside of the hole. This is just a little block of wood that extends the hole about ¾”. It helps deter Sparrows, but also Blue Jays and Starlings. The Blue Jays and Starlings can go after eggs or babies. The hole extension might allow them to stick their head in, but because of the extension they are limited as to their ability to reach down into the house. The house does have the hole extension, but I put it on the inside for appearances.
Clean out is done through the right side of the house. There is a screw at the bottom of the right side which will allow you to pull up the right side of the house . There are drain holes in the bottom and ventilation at the top of the sides because the sides are designed to not fully meet the roof. The birdhouse is meant to be mounted on a post, screws are provided.
Bluebird houses are best positioned along the perimeter of an open field. You can attach it to a post or a tree.
Tree Swallows like their houses on posts over open water. It's easiest to put it on a steel conduit pipe out about 10' from shore. If you need instructions on how to do this, let me know.
Having the front of the house out of the prevailing wind is preferred and if that is also in the morning sun the birds will like it even more. Best time to put houses out is near the end of the winter.
Each house comes with a letter explaining what I’ve outlined here, plus has all my contact information in case there any questions or problems.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Bluebird or Swallow Birdhouse
This item is currently out of stock.