B
irds are awesome nest builders. If you’ve ever found a nest in your yard you’ve seen how intricately they are constructed. A variety of materials- twigs, grasses, moss, feathers, dead leaves, mud and string, to name a few- can be found in a nest.
This nest building business is hard work, so offer the entertaining creatures a break and provide a bit of shelter for them to cozy into and call home. After all of the pleasure they have provided to you (if you have a bird feeder near your home you know what I’m talking about), why not provide them with a roof over their little heads?
We offer a few examples of birdhouses on these pages that are mostly appropriate for outdoor use. Those that aren’t meant for out of doors make an enjoyable collection as decorative accents for the home. Most of all, they provide a visual reminder of how important shelter is to all creatures.
The experts at Wild Birds Unlimited can give you excellent advice as to selecting the appropriate type of birdhouse to attract your favorite bird, be it a bluebird, cardinal, goldfinch or the always-present house finch.
Whether inside or outside, birdhouses are a fun addition to your décor or to the areas of your yard that are best suited to providing refuge for our feathered friends.
1. Nothing says rustic comfort better than the tin-roofed, stone- embellished chimney and entry of this birdhouse. This welcoming house is available at Wild Birds Unlimited.
2. For your bird friends who like a bit of whimsy reminiscent of Dr. Seuss, choose
this unique design. This cedar-shake and copper roof beauty can be found at Wild Birds Unlimited.
3. Shaved tufts on natural wood pieces creative a distinct pattern on this unusual two-story birdhouse from a private collection.
4. When you want to provide a place for birds to congregate, look no further than this gothic style birdhouse that can be purchased at Wild Birds Unlimited.
5. Natural fibers were used to create this home for a small bird. Purchased at a Paris flower market, it is housed in a sunroom as part of a private collection.
6. This classic white beadboard body, topped with a copper roof, is a duplex. Both front and back have entrances. This house is typically mounted on a post. Look for
it at Wild Birds Unlimited.
7. Patterned after the historic San Francisco Victorian “painted lady” homes, this three resident beauty is the largest birdhouse shown and is part of a private collection.
by Lynn Greenlaw / photography by Eli Warren
