How to Make a Bird Box

Cutting the Lumber

Measure and cut 2 side panels out of untreated wood. Use pine, cedar, or plywood that’s 1.5 cm (0.59 in) thick. Using a tape measure and a ruler, measure out the 2 side panels, then use a saw to cut them out. Cut out 2 panels that are both 15 cm (5.9 in) wide and 20 cm (7.9 in) in length on one side and 25 cm (9.8 in) in length on the other. The side panels will be slanted at the top to create the classic bird box shape. To find untreated lumber, look for wood that’s been approved by the Forest Stewardship Council, or the FSC, by looking for the FSC logo on the label. Since all your pieces are the same width, it may help to start out with a piece of lumber that’s 15 cm (5.9 in) wide.

Cut out the front, base, roof, and back from the same wood. Using the same wood, grab a tape measure and measure out 4 new pieces. Then, use a saw to cut them out. The measurements for each piece are: The front piece: 15 cm (5.9 in) wide and 20 cm (7.9 in) long. The base piece: 15 cm (5.9 in) wide and 12 cm (4.7 in) long. The roof piece: 15 cm (5.9 in) wide and 21 cm (8.3 in) long. The back piece: 15 cm (5.9 in) wide and 35 cm (14 in) long.

Carve out a 3.2 cm (1.3 in) diameter hole in the front panel. Attach a spade bit, or a boring bit, to your drill and make a pencil mark about 1/3 of the way down your front panel. Use the boring bit on your drill to carve out a 3.2 cm (1.3 in) wide hole in the front so that birds can enter the box. This hole might seem small, but it will allow smaller birds to get into the box while keeping large predatory birds out. If you want to attract larger birds, leave the front panel off of the box completely to make it more accessible.

Drill 5 small holes in the base piece. Using your same boring bit, make 5 marks spaced evenly along the base piece. Then, use your boring bit to make five 1 to 2 mm (0.039 to 0.079 in) wide holes to let water and waste flow out of the box. These drainage / ventilation holes will keep the box cleaner so the birds are more likely to stay for long periods of time. It will also ensure that the birds have enough air to breathe while they’re in the box.

Assembling the Box

Nail the sides to the bottom of the back plate. Start by lining up your side pieces so that the flat edges are flush with the bottom of the back plate and the tops of the side pieces are slanted downwards. Use 2 nails on either side to attach the side pieces to the sides of the back plate, leaving about 50 millimetres (5.0 cm) of space at the top of the back plate. Leaving the space at the top will give you room to attach the roof.

Attach the base to the back plate so it’s flush with the sides. Grab your base plate with the holes in it and line it up with the bottom of the back plate and the bottom of the side pieces. Use 4 nails to hammer the base piece into place to the back plate and the side pieces. The base piece needs to be really secure since that’s what the birds will actually be sitting on in the box.

Line up the front panel with the sides, then use nails to attach it. Grab the front piece and situate it on the side panels so that the hole in the front is near the top of the box. Use 3 nails on either side of the front piece to attach it to the side panels, then use 2 more nails to attach the front piece to the base piece.

Attach a rubber hinge to the roof and the base. Grab a strip of rubber that’s 15 cm (5.9 in) wide and 12 cm (4.7 in) tall. Use 2 nails to attach the top of the strip to the top of the back plate. Then, attach the top of the roof to the edge of the rubber hinge with 2 more nails. The roof should rest on the top of the 2 side panels to stay closed. Attaching the roof with a hinge rather than nails will make it easier to clean and maintain the box over time.

Paint or decorate the box if you’d like to. If you want to decorate your bird box, you can grab a paint brush and use non-toxic, water-based paint to use on the outside of the box. Let the box dry completely for about 1 day before you hang it up outside. Painting the box can make it easier to see, and it might make it a cute attraction in your yard.

Hanging and Cleaning the Box

Set up your bird box between February and March. If you’re in the southern part of the country, put up your box no later than the end of February. If you’re in the northern part of the country, put it up before late March. This will give the birds in your area ample time to use the box during breeding season. It can take a few years for birds to find your box, so don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t get used right away.

Drill a hole in the back plate for hanging. Use a ⁄4 in (0.64 cm) drill bit to make a hole at the top of the back plate. This will make it much easier to hang the box later on so the screw doesn’t have as much wood to push through. You may have to push through the rubber hinge a little bit, which is fine.

Mount the box at least 2 to 5 m (6.6 to 16.4 ft) above the ground. Choose a tree or a pole in your yard that’s out of the direct sunlight to hang your bird box. Grab a screw and use your drill to attach the top of the bird box to the tree or the pole. Make sure it’s really sturdy so that the birds can go in and out with ease. Putting the bird box high up will keep the birds safe from predators on the ground. Placing the bird box on a baffled pole will provide an even better protection from predators. You don’t need to add in any nesting materials to your box, because the birds will bring in their own.

Wash your bird box every October or November. After each breeding season, take your box down from its mount and dump out any nesting material or waste inside of it. Use boiling water to clean out and disinfect the inside, then let it air dry before you hang it back up again. Never use harsh chemicals to clean out your bird box, or you could harm the birds. If you open up the box and find unhatched eggs, leave them in the box. According to wildlife laws, the eggs can only be removed from October to January and they must be destroyed – it is illegal to keep the eggs.