How to Build a Bluebird House

Measure down about 4 inches from one end and make an “X” in the center of the board. This would make it about 2 7/8 inches from each side. Use this as the center and drill or saw a 1 1/2 inch hole through the board. If you have sandpaper, you may want to lightly sand this hole to make it smooth. If you do not have sandpaper, it will work anyway.

Using the board with the hole as the front of the birdhouse, attach the two side pieces to it. Position them with the exposed edges concealed behind the front of the birdhouse. This will make the interior of the bird house about 4 1/4 inches wide and 5 3/4 inches deep. Make sure that the tops and bottoms are even all of the way around. Use 3 drywall screws at each joint to attach the boards together. You should use 6 screws.

The 18 inch piece is the back of the birdhouse. Fasten it to the other sides with about 3 inches protruding from the top and bottom. You will use this to attach the birdhouse to a post or a tree when it is finished. Use 6 more drywall screws to fasten the joints. You should now have a rectangle without a top or bottom.

Use one of the 8 inch pieces and screw it to the top of the birdhouse with the rear of it tightly against the back of the bird house. Insert a screw at each corner through the top and into the sides. Take the 5 1/2 by 4 inch piece and screw onto the remaining 8 inch piece. It should be about 7/8 of an inch from one end and centered on the board which should leave about a 7/8 inch margin on each side. Put the bottom onto the birdhouse with the small piece being inserted inside the house. If it is a tight fit, it is no problem. You may need to trim it to make it go inside. However, it should go in with some room to spare. Attach the bottom to the birdhouse in the same way as you did the top.

If the dowel fits tightly, you are done. If it does not, you should glue it into place. This will give a little perch for the birds to sit on while entering and exiting the bird house. It is not needed, but it will give you a better chance to watch the bluebirds as they pause before going inside.

If you have some gaps here and there at the joints, you might to fill these with some caulk or silicon. Use a brush and paint the birdhouse to protect the wood from the elements. This will also help you to locate it if it is not up close to your house. When the birdhouse is completed, attach it at the pieces that stick out the top and bottom to a post or a tree and wait for its new residents to arrive.

Unscrew the bottom and empty all of the nesting materials from inside the box. You can spray it out if you want. Make sure to let it dry before replacing the bottom. Store the birdhouse until early spring. The reason this is a good idea is to keep sparrows and other birds from taking over the house before the bluebirds get to town. You may have to empty it a couple of times if sparrows move in immediately after it is put outside. Bluebirds will usually only nest in an empty box or one that has only had bluebirds.