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Build the birdhouse for our feathered companion.

The population of birds is getting less in the nature. Building a bird house is the one way to maintain our feathered friends and to encourage them to be in our garden. You will see the beauty of birds flying around you. They will sing and be the part of perfect scene in your garden. It is very easy to build a birdhouse for our feathered companion. Remember to place a bowl of clean water with instant bird food or seed or seasonal fruits to welcome different kinds of birds.

Now it is time to build a birdhouse.
Follow the instructions to create a fabulous birdhouse which easy to make and highly desirable.

We will need
50x40 cm. Piece of 6mm MDF or -exterior grade plywood Ruler and pencil Jigsaw or coping saw Pair of compasses Gimlet Keyhole saw Hammer Panel pins PVA adhesive Emulsion paint in grey, white, and lavender blue. Medium paint brush Medium grade sand paper 13x5cm piece of lead sheet Staple gun Clear exterior varnish 20cm of copper wire (optional)

	INSTRUCTIONS
1. Draw the outlines of the back and front on MDF or plywood. Also draw two 9x8.5cm. sides, 13x11.4cm., 13x12cm roof pieces and a 14x13cm. base. Cut out all pieces, using a coping saw or jigsaw. (following the template) 2. Draw a vertical line down the center of the front, then draw a horizontal line across the front at the lower edge of the roof. Where the lines cross is the center point of the opening. Use compasses to draw a 2.2cm. diameter opening for finches, or up to 3.2cm. for sparrows. Drill a pilot hole in the center, then cut out the opening with the keyhole saw.
3. Glue front and back to short edges of sides, making sure edges are level. Allow to dry, then reinforce by hammering in panel pins. Center house on base and glue in place. Glue large roof piece in position, with short sides overlapping apex of the roof by 6mm. 4. Paint the house and roof with grey emulsion. Leave it dry, then paint the house walls white. After 2-3 hours, rubbing the wall with sandpaper, until some of the darker undercoat shows through. Staple one edge of the lead along the side of the small roof piece. Position roof piece on the house, carefully bend the lead to overlap the fixed roof, check the edges are level and staple in place. Paint roof in lavender blue. Apply two coats of exterior varnish to protect the house.
5. A birdhouse with a 2.5cm. diameter entrance hole is suitable for little birds, that do not require a perch. To attract the sparrow family and slightly larger birds, ensure the entrance is around 3.2cm. and add a perch. To add perch: Drill a small hole and to either side of the entrance. Bend the copper wire into a shallow loop slightly wider than the distance between the holes. Pass ends of wire through holes from outside and bend over 12mm. At each end to hold perch in place 6. Finally, fix the birdhouse securely to a pole hammered into the ground or suspend on a wire or chain from a strong branch.

Tips for sitting the birdhouse

Fix a birdhouse securely at least 2m. up a tree or wall, well out of the reach of cats and other predators.
Don't position a birdhouse with the entrance towards the prevailing wind, as rain will enter. Avoid placing in direct sunlight as overheading can cause stress to nestings.
Birds in open-fronted houses are more vulnerable as they hop from surrounding vegetation into the nest. Therefore site open-fronted boxes in fairy dense vegetation to give good protection.
House sparrows and starlings are happy using nest-boxes high up under the eaves.
Avoid placing the birdhouse or box near a feeding table, as nesting birds will suffer greatly from having so many other birds close to their homes.
The front inside surface of a birdhouse should be rough to allow young birds to calmber up. It is good idea to drill a drainage hole in the base.
Remove old nests after the breeding seasons, as they can harbour fleas. Put nests into a polythene bag, seal and dispose of safely.
Be patient. It may take several seasons before any birds settle in the boxes. When they do, don't interfere and enjoy them from distance.

If you don't want to do it yourself, let's check this ready-made coconut birdhouse.
It's only 28 baht and you can find it everywhere in Thailand.