Rounded Bottom Birdhouse

Seems almost too attractive to put outside for birds. More important, I would like to see more details on the construction and finish. Pictures taken as the house was built would be a nice addition. Is the lack of a perch deliberate?

-- "Those are my principals, if you don't like them....I have others." - Groucho Marx

Another winner well done

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon

Nice bird house. Do you put these out for the birds? Looks like you are fast becomming the “birdman of LJ” :-))

-- Debt is nothing more than the 21st Century's form of slavery.

Micro - I only photo the ones I like and never know if I like one until I finished. I have LOTS of unphotographed things in my shop! I guess I should start making some progress pictures. Some houses get perched and some don’t – must be more design than intention.

a1Jim – Thanks

Topa – Almost all the ones I keep get put out. 50/50 on ones given away. Birdbrain might be more accurate.

-- Shrub G. , Dalton Georgia

Do you do anything in finishing the wood to deal with environmental stress (sun, water, bugs)? Done any houses with red acylic back walls? (Makes it possible to observe without disturbing the birds. BTW, I love that the poplar seems to be both camouflage and decoration at the same time.

-- "Those are my principals, if you don't like them....I have others." - Groucho Marx

Nice work Shrub !!

-- John in Belgrave ,(Slideshow http://cid-69bce320c6d8b119.spaces.live.com/ (Website) http://www.extremebirdhouse.com

“Done any houses with red acylic back walls? (Makes it possible to observe without disturbing the birds.”

Microsuffer, Is it reflective like a mirror?

-- Debt is nothing more than the 21st Century's form of slavery.

Very nice birdhouse. I like the maple. really looks good.

-- Jerry--A man can never have enough tools or clamps

It is rather opaque to the birds. Without a lot of light it wouldn’t reflect a whole lot – important not to cause the bird to think it has a competitor in the box.

A UV reflective film looks blank to them as well, though you can see through it easily. The use is for making it easy to inspect the contents without disturbing the birds or making a birdhouse that can hang in front of a window for kids to watch the birds develop, again without disturbing the animals.

I did research birdhouses after asking about the perch and found that in many instances the authors discourage them as they make it more convenient for preditors. In some areas the wood around the hole needs to be much thicker than 3/4 inch to discourage critters that might try to reach in or dig through the wood around the hole. Other points as well. All very interesting.

-- "Those are my principals, if you don't like them....I have others." - Groucho Marx

Microsuffer – I finish most of my houses with 4 or 5 coats of Helmsman Spar Urethane. Easy finish that makes it very waterproof/UV and had lots of luck with it. I usually mount the birdhouses flat to a tree. Maybe i’ll add a side window for observation.

I started cutting wood rings to put around some of my birdhouse entrance holes because the squirrels (tree rats) were boring out the holes. The rings slow them down and I can replace the chewed rings easier than a new door.

Most of my houses end up with a nest in them. I don’t usually build for a certain type of bird. I made a couple of bluebird houses to their specs. No bluebirds would not touch them. They built a nests in other houses that were completely the wrong size house/hole/height/location. You never know.

-- Shrub G. , Dalton Georgia

Ah. The reinforcement is inside instead of out, as I noted on some BH projects after starting to google around the subject. So what do the blue birds near you prefer?

-- "Those are my principals, if you don't like them....I have others." - Groucho Marx

I have done some considerable research on bird houses and feeders. The most important thing in building these houses is never put a finish on the inside of the box. (Toxins) I think you get the idea as some birds live inside trees and they never finish their homes inside or out. I have a perch on a house on my shed and that is a nono as a blue jay tried to get at the babies. You wouldn’t believe the chirping that was going on with all the sparrows trying to stop it from raiding the house. I went outside and the blue jay fled and a great peace came over the family once again. I know one thing they do a good job of keeping the squirrels a way also. I never saw a painted nest in a tree ever. Most bird houses end up inside the home for decoration as with my experience they go for the natural wood. I use mostly cedar for my houses and let them age gracefully.

-- justjohn49, New Hampshire