Build creative yard and garden accents that birds can’t resist
Do you love the soothing chirps of songbirds in the morning? You can enjoy year-round yard music by building a birdhouse for them.
Aside from their enchanting melodies, there are benefits to having birds in the yard. To start, they’re natural pest control, feeding on insects and rodents that can damage your garden. Birds are also pollinators, helping fertilize and reproduce flowers and other plants.
Birdhouses provide a safe place for birds to nest away from undesirable places, where the cost to remove a bird nest can be as high as $2,000. Building a home for birds can also be a fun family-bonding activity, showing children how to care for nature and the environment.
In this guide, we list several free birdhouse plans to make at home, creative design ideas, and building tips.
The idiom “birds of a feather flock together” definitely applies to birdhouses. Different bird species have certain nesting requirements, and they look for distinct features and structures as a suitable habitat. Below are ideal birdhouse plans to help attract specific birds in your area.
Whether you live in a busy metro area or the quiet suburbs, this nest box plan will attract the lovely American robin to your home. Easily mount this birdhouse to your home or on a post in a sheltered area.
A common backyard visitor, the tiny brown wren will happily rid your space of insects. Build a wren birdhouse near a brush pile in your yard to welcome these summer songbirds.
Bluebirds prefer open, low-cut lawns to see and catch their food. Use this bluebird house plan to attract these native cavity nesters.
A multi-unit habitat like this purple martin birdhouse plan is ideal for these swallow birds. Purple martins are highly social, preferring to nest in colonies, and live in close proximity to humans.
Softwood materials, such as cedar and pine, are great for woodpeckers. Lure these woodworking pros by building a wooden birdhouse alongside a backyard bird feeder.
Need to protect your garden from night-crawling pests? Consider a screech-owl nest box to house these nocturnal birds.
Did you know sparrow populations are on the decline? This is primarily due to loss of their habitats. Creating a house sparrow nest box can help provide them with shelter and a safe environment during breeding season.
Pair a feeder with this type of birdhouse design and you’ll have chickadees in your yard in no time.
Tree swallows will make your backyard into a melodious retreat. Welcome these tiny songbirds with this nest box plan.
Mount a kestrel birdhouse along your fence or on a post to invite this small and colorful falcon to your garden.
When constructing a DIY birdhouse for swifts, be sure to mount it high on a vertical wall. These aerial birds are agile and prefer to soar high. Swifts also return to their nesting site every year, making them a great option for bird-watching.
Introduce new hobbies and nature appreciation to children through these fun bird-watching activities.
Bird-watching can be a fun pastime for the whole family and introduce them to new hobbies, such as woodworking. Here are several simple birdhouse plans that are easy for beginners.
A great starter project, you can make this sparrow nest box from a plank of FSC wood and easily paint it for a pop of color.
You can complement your rock garden with a simple yet stylish stone birdhouse.
Opt for an A-frame birdhouse as another simple yet classic style for birds to enjoy.
Unsure which species of birds are in your area? Try this basic birdhouse plan for your backyard as a trial-and-error way to find out, adjusting the entrance hole size as needed.
With a DIY birdhouse planter, you can display your favorite garden flowers and herbs.
If you enjoy pottery and ceramics, consider welcoming your feathered visitors in a clay birdhouse. Just ensure it is enclosed, the bottom is flat, and has a hook portion from which it will hang.
The gourd fruit, a popular decorative ornament, attracts many different bird species. Just like a pumpkin, you can carve and get creative with its hard shell. Make a DIY gourd birdhouse by adding an entrance hole and hanging it in your garden.
For social birds like purple martins, you can add a second compartment to your birdhouse to give it two stories.
Adding bird feeders to your yard is an effective way to lure birds in (and keep them coming). Construct your birdhouse with an external portion to store seed mix.
This Gilwood slot box is a simple yet popular bluebird house. Instead of a drill hole, this design has an open-top slot entrance, safer for birds to exit in case of an intruding predator.
Below are fun, out-of-the box birdhouses that add style to walkways and gardens.
Transform your outdoor living space by adding a stylish, modern birdhouse design.
Add personality to your birdhouse by covering the exterior with colorful patterns or fabric scraps. Consider using Mod Podge glue to seal them securely.
Rather than the usual drill hole, carve a heart-shaped entrance as an adorable alternative.
Add other creative patterns and decorative shapes to your birdhouse using stencil designs:
Some bird species, such as purple martins, nest together in larger groups. To best attract them, it’s ideal to build a birdhouse with multiple entrances.
Love the cozy cottage home style? Create a mini-version of it for the birds.
Instead of tossing out that old license plate, upcycle it as a chic birdhouse roof.
A rustic log cabin is another creative design for birdhouses and makes for a fun woodworking project.
Do you go through coffee cans on the regular? (Don’t worry, we won’t judge!) Grab a used one from the recycling bin and repurpose it into a tin birdhouse.
For a pop of greenery, consider adding a plant bed as the “living roof” of your birdhouse.
Mount a teapot on a post as a whimsical, cottagecore-inspired birdhouse. You can even hire a local landscape designer to create a custom bird bath beneath it, complementing the aesthetic.
Many thrift store finds, such as an antique dollhouse, can make a great birdhouse. Large, multi-entrance birdhouses come in handy for colonial nesting birds.
Since birds are attracted to bright colors, you can embellish your birdhouse with mosaic tile art. These can also serve as lovely lawn ornaments.
Before building your birdhouses, here are a few must-knows and design tips to ensure you attract your desired bird.
Most birdhouses have a floor size of at least 4-by-4 inches. The National Wildlife Federation recommends the following sizes for each bird species:
Wood is the best material to build a birdhouse. Opt for any type of hardwood, such as cedar, redwood, and cypress, which are durable and weather resistant.
Build a DIY birdhouse in eight easy steps:
Gather tools and materials: Choose a straight, wooden board of at least 4 feet in length. You will also need a hammer, nails, marker, tape measure, hand saw/miter saw, and drill with a hole saw.
Cut and size pieces: Following your plan’s cut list, use the tape measure and marker to mark cuts on the board. Cut the pieces to size and mark a center point to indicate the front board.
Drill a hole entrance: Ensure the opening is the recommended diameter of your targeted bird species.
Build from the base: Attach the two side pieces to the bottom board by nailing them in place.
Add the front: Slide the entrance side in between the side pieces and nail it in place.
Add the back: Line up and nail the back piece in place.
Attach the roof: Secure the top board in place with nails to the front and back walls.
Customize: Paint the birdhouse exterior two coats of your desired color (or the recommended color to attract the specific bird). You can also drill a hook or screw to the roof to attach twine and hang it from a post or tree.
With these tips and ideas, you can transform your backyard into a beautiful, bird-friendly garden. For insight on plants and flowers that both attract birds and boost your curb appeal, consult a pro gardener near you.
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