Bird House

THE BEST WAY TO MAKE BIRD HOUSE GOURDS

Although it is possible to buy a lovely gourd bird house, they are also one of the simplest types of homemade bird houses that nearly anyone can make including young children. This makes them excellent unique birdhouses projects for the entire family as well as a wonderful addition to any backyard. With a little planning and a few simple tools new bird house gourds will be ready for use by our flying friends.

Suppliers List

1) Obviously a large dried gourd.

2) Exterior spray paint or house paint and decals or other decorations to add a bit of decoration also but try not to make it too brightly colored or flashy because it might scare off the birds rather than attract them.

3) An exterior sealer to help protect the bird house gourds from the elements once it is completed. A spray ceramic sealer works well for this.

4) Appropriate bird seed. Most good bird seed suppliers can help with this so you get one that the birds in your area will enjoy.

Required Tools

1) A power drill and assorted drill bits

2) An eye screw and pliers

3) A scrubbing pad

4) A small headed spoon with a long handle or something similar to help scrape out the inside of the gourd bird house.

5) A dust mask

Making the Gourd Birdhouse

1) Prepare the gourd making sure it is dried out (shake it, it should rattle) and clean the outside with the scrubbing pad but leave it a little rough not as smooth as glass. Obviously make sure the gourd is big enough for birds to nest in.

2) Experiment with how you would like to have the gourd hang. At an angle, from the end (a good idea) or flat and determine where the eye screw should go to produce the desired result. Use the pliers and insert the eye screw.

3) Determine where you want the hole to be. A little above center is usually good and make it big enough for the type of bird you are looking to attract. A gourd bird house is perfect for the smaller birds like sparrows or finches.

4) Drill the hole into the gourd. Make sure you wear a mask because any mold or seed dust from the gourd may not but can cause respiratory problems if you inhale too much of it.

5) Also drill three small holes in the bottom for water drainage. This is an important and often overlooked step.

6) After drilling the hole clean out the inside of the gourd. Try to avoid using moldy gourds but if you get one just put a little more effort into the cleanout process. Never use any type of chemical to clean the inside of the gourd, they birds will not be happy with you if you do.

7) Paint and decorate the gourd bird house to your taste remembering it is as much for your visual pleasure as it is a home for the birds. Then use the ceramic sealer to protect it from the sun and rain over time.

8) Hang (be sure you can see it through the glass in your windows) and enjoy.

Making bird house gourds is a fun and simple project that the whole family can enjoy for years to come. Great accessories are glass hummingbird feeders. And the birds will appreciate the effort your family makes to provide them with a new home unlike any other gourd bird house.