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Craft store birdhouses - do birds use these?

16 years ago

I have a couple of wooden craft store type birdhouses I was given for some decorative painting projects. I haven't painted them yet & do not plan to do so. Before I donate them to Goodwill, I was wondering if any birds might use them if I chose to hang them unfinished in my yard. Has anyone had any experiences w/ these?

The entry hole is approx 1" in diameter & the overall size is 4"x3.5 w/ a height of 8".

If they're useful, I'll put them out; otherwise they will be donated.

Thank you for your thoughts...

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Comments (7)

lazypup
16 years ago
I build a lot of bird houses, many of which I hang out in the woods. If it was me I would hang them up. If things go well you might make a couple newly wed birds happy. Worst case scenario you end up with two more vacant houses in your neighborhood, but with the present state of the economy I doubt that it will effect property value any more than the rest of the vacant houses on your block, at east they won;t have foreclosure signs out front.
kendra2003
16 years ago
The only bird I know of that would use a one inch hole is the House Wren. Personally, I would never encourage a House Wren to nest because I try to attract other native birds (Eastern Bluebirds, Tree Swallows, Black-Capped Chickadees, etc.) to my boxes. The House Wren will break the other birds eggs and even toss the chicks. But if you happen to like House Wrens then you could put the boxes out. This is a good page with specifications for nesting boxes.
http://www.sialis.org/nestboxguide.htm
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Catherinet is right -- I bet it's house sparrows. They will not only kill baby birds, they will trap adults (bluebirds and tree swallows) in a bird house and kill them before they make a nest. The house sparrow will then build their own nest on top of the dead body. Believe me, I've had it happen in my own yard. When we moved to the country we put up too many bird houses and the sparrows moved in. They are NOT protected, so do your best to kill the adults and eliminate their eggs because they will destroy your songbird population. You can do a google search to learn how to identify their nests and eggs so you can eliminate them. House wrens will fly into a birdhouse that has bluebird or tree sparrow eggs laid and will then use it's beak to pierce the eggs to destroy them. House wrens are a protected species, so you can't kill them but their nests are easy to identify because they fill bird houses with tiny sticks. Clean them out over and over and do your best to discourage them because they, too, will destroy your bluebird and tree sparrow populations.
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I don't think you fire the Walmart type stuff. I think you can just use those new paints and bake in the oven. I just pulled out some things we poured and fired at a ceramicclass back in the 70's. I still have to finish my sister's bisque snowman punch bowl and her Christmas village. I wonder if I'll ever get around to it. 3 years ago I had the inside of the punchbowl and inside of the cups glazed and fired at the senior center. Artsy, you might check in your town to see if they have a kiln at a Senior Center. They might do it for you.
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neverenoughflowers
16 years ago
I had several of these left over from a girl scout craft project and my husband decided to hang them out in the trees. Every single one has been occupied by a little family of birds. I know that some people don't care for house wrens, but after all, they are part of the bigger family of birds that we are all trying to attract to our yards. My younger children were really thrilled that those little houses were full of little cheeping baby birds when spring came around.
kim0201
Original Author
16 years ago
Thank you all for your replies. Can't hurt to try so up they will go. And lazypup, I really enjoyed your comments. Very true! :)
donald lucius
16 years ago
you can enlarge the hole with a rasp or a saber saw or other tools. you don't want to get it too big or the larger birds will raid the nest but a little larger hole would let the chickadees or other small birds be able to get in and out no perch though cause some other birds might perch and reach in.
lisa11310
16 years ago
Yes put them up, just enlarge the hole TO 1.25 OR 1.5, you dont want House Wrens trust us
User
16 years ago
You don't want English sparrows either.

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