Birds have to be one of the best ways of enjoying your garden. Building a bird house is a perfect way to beguile or appeal to them. Not all birds even so prefer to nest in bird houses. They differ especially in their dwelling predilections. Like us, these so called "cavity-dwellers" also have specifications in relation to the kind of the type of habitat they want. Minor changes for the birds can have a great impact to their lives.

Generally, there are some guidelines to be followed in building bird houses.

1. It is essential to distinguish the species or family of the birds that usually visit your garden or backyard. In addition, distinguish also which are the burrow dwellers and the cavity dwellers. Some of the distinctive cavity dwellers are the chickadees, wrens, flickers and bluebirds. Choose one of the common visitors and concoct nice bird house you can make for that bird species. Don't go overboard and build too many bird houses in your garden or backyard. Birds are very territorial, and it is not that nice to see so many birds of different species dwelling on one place. Preferable to hear chirps of pleasure rather than battle.

2. Determine all the needed dimensions and other specifications of your selected bird. The dimensions required are conforming to: entry hole, base size, depth and height. Smaller birds such as chickadees and wrens should have 8 inches in depth and 4 x 4 floor dimensions. A further source for identifying the correct sizing requirements can be found by searching on the internet.

3. Now for the building material, we would suggest using untreated timber or wood for your bird house. Apart from the copying the natural habitat of the birds, natural woods lessens the risks of overheating and toxic absorption. Processed woods such as plywood contain formaldehyde, a very harmful preservative. These can lead to serious health dangers to your invited birds. Those lumbers that are categorized as "pressure-treated" have toxic chemicals and can also poison the old and nesting birds. Using paint is definitely a no-no. Flaking paints might be mistaken as food and can be eaten by your birds. The only exception from normal paint is to use what is called milk paint, although the hardiness of milk paint is not recommended for exterior surfaces. Furthermore, plastics and metals are not also inappropriate in building avian houses since both are prone to heat.

4. Designing and blueprinting a plan for your avian friends is also very crucial Always be aware that the bird's safety is one of your primary concern, so ensure that they will be protected from the predatory animals. It is also best to use slanted roofs so that the dirt, moisture and rain would not gather on top that may finally cause rotting of the wood. It is also ideal to have extended roofs over the front and sides. Poles for roosting are good but not really a requirement particularly for cavity dwellers. Additionally, consider also ventilation and drainage needs. You can make little holes in the base to aid in the drainage of the rain water. Baby birds can be easily drown and a small amount of water collected can lead them to death. Adequate holes should also be placed on the walls to help the flow through of air to keep the place comfortably cool. Putting up the shelter at the top of a pole to assure the safety of your birds from uninvited guests such as raccoons and cats.

5. The upkeep of the birdhouse is also crucial. A disorderly and littered nest can be the catalyst for lots of diseases for your birds. Adding a back door will certainly assist in maintaining the cleanliness of the bird house. Without much effort, you can take out all those dirt like droppings and unused nests within the birdhouse. Therefore, spreading of disease can also be prevented. With all these tips, you are a way to go to building your bird house. Aid your avian friends by handling their homes as you would your own. Keeping in mind the safety of your feathered animals in their shelter can ensure you more years with them.