A Nature-Friendly Way to Attract and House Birds Birdhouses are a favorite project among woodworkers. Made of inexpensive materials, they are quick to build and a pleasure for the whole neighborhood. Easy to Build Birdhouses includes 26 fun projects for woodworkers of all skill levels. • Part 1 talks about construction basics, wood grain, doors and access, proper drainage and ventilation, interiors, materials and hardware, paint and stain, and house mounting and support methods. It also addresses birdhouse placement and how to attract birds. • Part 2 shows how to make birdhouses using natural materials to help them blend in with their surroundings. • Part 3 shows how to make bird feeders that help attract birds. • Part 4 provides examples of colorful and whimsical birdhouses, like a lighthouse and a Cape Cod bungalow, that are a little more advanced.
Produced in association with the National Audubon Society, Audubon Birdhouse Book explains how to build and place safe, species-appropriate bird homes for more than 20 classic North American species, from wrens to raptors. A visit to almost any home or garden center presents birders with numerous cute and colorful contraptions that are sold as bird homes. But the fact is, many of these products provide anything but a safe refuge for your feathered friends. Each of the easy-to-build boxes and shelves within is accompanied by cut lists, specially created line diagrams, and step-by-step photography, making the projects accessible to those with even the most rudimentary woodworking skills. In addition, this practical and beautifully presented guide is packed with color photography and profiles and range maps for the bird species covered—including titmice, chickadees, nuthatches, phoebes, swallows, waterfowl, and even kestrels and owls—to help the reader properly place and maintain the homes to attract birds. And because these projects are the product of years of experience and field-testing, you can be sure you’re getting the best advice regarding proper design, safe construction materials, and correct home placement to mitigate exposure to elements, pests, and predators. Finally, beyond the birdhouses, you’ll find out how you can contribute to the larger birding community and even enhance your birding experience with the aid of new technologies. Build an Audubon-approved home for these species: Bewick’s, Carolina, or House Wren; Prothonotary Warbler; Eastern, Western, or Mountain Bluebird; Ash-throated or Great Crested Flycatcher; Tree Swallow or Violet-green Swallow; Juniper, Oak, Black-crested, or Tufted Titmouse; Barred Owl; Eastern or Western Screech-owl; Barn Owl; Northern Flicker; American Kestrel; Black-capped, Carolina, or Mountain Chickadee; Wood Duck; Hooded Merganser; Purple Martin; Mourning Dove; Barn Swallow; American Robin; House Finch; and Eastern or Say’s Phoebe.
Detailed instructions, illustrations, and tables for building 7 attractive, sturdy, and genuinely inhabitable birdhouses. Also data on bird habitats and instinct patterns. Bibliography. 3 tables. 63 illustrations in 15 figures.
"Provides step-by-step instructions, full-color photos, detailed illustrations, and clear diagrams for 19 environmentally-sound projects that will attract birds to your backyard"--
Turn your garden into a haven for your feathered friends with this book of simple and attractive bird houses to make and make over. Setting up a bird house in your garden will provide birds with a place to rest and raise their young, and will also add a touch of color and style. Only basic woodworking and crafting skills, materials and tools are needed. There are easy-to-follow step-by-step photography and instructions throughout, and diagrams where required to help ensure your measurements are accurate. Several variations are given for different parts of the bird house so that you have even more options to choose from. Chapters cover: building a basic box, roof styles, roof treatments, wall treatments, doors, windows and other features, painting and finishing, base treatment and mounting your bird house. One basic bird house can be made into something unique, depending on the combination of features you choose and how you paint and finish it.
Over 30 fabulous birdhouses and feeders: a log cabin, a country cottage, a '50s diner, a San Francisco row house, and many others. Full-color photos, detailed patterns, grids, and instructions, plus charts on hole size, perch height, and feeding--and tips on attracting and protecting preferred species. "Some of these projects look so good, you hardly want to put them outside. None of them are difficult to build."--Booklist.
