What kind of bird do you want to attract? If you want Bluebirds, it needs to be mounted on a baffled pole several feet from the nearest trees. It is best to put a nestbox as far away from the feeders as possible. Birds want a private place to nest, and feeders have a lot of traffic, and can attrack predators.

If you put the box on a fence post, be aware that a cat, raccoon, snake or other predator can climb right up to the box and feast on the eggs/chicks inside. There are baffles that can be attached to a post that will help deter, but a wobbling baffle is the best option.

How big is the hole in the box? That will determine what size bird can enter and make a nest.

You might want to post this question on the Bird list. Good luck!

DonnaVA

Apologies in advance for all the questions, but I'm aware of how much I don't know in this area and I want to insure as much as possible that I'm pleased with the results.

The feeder contains niger thistle; I've not seen a bird or animal around it that I would consider a predator. I would like to be able to see the birdhouse from my office window.

The birdhouse is not a box. It's pottery and the opening is irregularly shaped with the smallest diameter about 1.5 inches. What kinds of birds can I hope will nest there? Where can I find out how to encourage one type of bird over another? (I'm not particularly interested in trying for bluebirds.)

What bird list? Do you mean the bird watching forum? Will those folks know about birdhouses as well?

You are asking good questions. Most people would just act first and ask questions later :-) If you have certain types of berry-producing plants in your garden, that will be an attractor as well. Certain berries attract specific types of birds.

Yes, the Bird watching forum is what I meant to say.

The posters there are very knowledgable about this topic, and they provide a lot of support to each other. With a 1.5 inch hole size, you can expect any number of bird types to check it out, depending on your location. If you are in the city, beware of House Sparrows and House Wrens, as they will attack and kill native cavity nesters such as Tufted Titmice, Chickadees, Bluebirds, etc (up to 6-7 inches in size). The bigger birds can not fit into a hole that size.

Nestling it in the trees will be more attractive to Chickadees and Titmice, and less attractive to Bluebirds. But that makes it easy for squirrels to get on it and reach in for a snack. There are ways to help prevent that.

Although this link is on a Bluebird web site, this page covers information about other cavity nesters.

Cavity nesters will nest in all kinds of things. As for a pottery bird house, I am wondering how hot it might get outside and whether it can "breathe" like wood does. Also, if water gets inside due to wind & rain, is there a way for it to drain out? Are there some tiny holes in the bottom?

It's a good idea to try the bird watching forum, there is a wealth of information there. Your questions will get some great responses.

DonnaVA

I just want to reiterate all that Donna is saying. I would say the chances are good that pottery will get too hot. I would go and do some research to find out the way to attract the type of birds or the species that you are looking for. Then research it. It will save you a lot of heartache in the long run. It is likely you will end up with house sparrows if you have them in your area. They will nest in any cavity or nook they can find. They are non-native though and do take a toll on native species, so I do not allow them to nest here if I can help it.