How do you make a birds nest for kids?

What do you do with bird houses after nesting season?

At the end of the season, clean out the old nest material and store your birdhouses in a dry spot in the garage or basement to enjoy again next year. You’ll make the opening doorway for the birdhouse, but don’t worry about it coming out perfectly—the birds tend to make adjustments when they move in.

What kind of birds live in a gourd?

Gourds make fine homes for several varieties of cavity nesters, including bluebirds, swallows, chickadees, wrens, woodpeckers, great crested flycatchers, titmice, screech owls, kestrels and nuthatches. Learn how to turn a gourd into a birdhouse.

Can you bleach a gourd Birdhouse?

The bleach disinfects the outer shell and slightly lightens any imperfections on the gourd. However, it won’t make the spots disappear, but that’s what makes each gourd birdhouse unique.

How do you hang a gourd in a Martin House?

When dry, you can hang your gourd (you’ll need at least 4 to 6 gourds to attract martins) from a 24-inch plastic-coated copper wire. Thread the wire through two of the holes directly across from each other and hang it from a support line, below a martin house or on a specially made gourd rack.

Where do birds build nests around the House?

Birds build their nests in the darndest places around your house – below a deck, atop a porch light, in a planter or whatever seems safe and stable to a bird. Or, maybe you set up a nesting box that some chickadees, martins or wrens used to raise their baby birds.

What kind of gourds are used for birdhouses?

There are various types of gourds that you can use for birdhouses. The most popular type of gourd used for birdhouses is the bottle or kettle gourd. This gourd is pear-shaped. Make sure that the gourd you choose has a hard shell. Gourds are readily available at a farmer’s market.

How do you make a hole in a gourd?

The easiest way to create an entrance hole in the gourd is using a drill and a hole saw. The hole should be towards the center of the gourd. Avoid having the entrance hole facing the sky or the ground. Clean the edges of the hole with a piece of sandpaper.

How long does it take to make a gourd Birdhouse?

The whole process can take a long time, often up to eight months from seed to finished birdhouse, but each step is fairly straightforward just with a lot of wait time in between. To successfully grow, dry, and finally make a gourd birdhouse you simply need the space to grow them, the patience to let them dry, and a bit of know how to finish them.

How to clean gourds with bleach?

I recommend using a mild bleach solution to clean gourds. This makes sure there is no live mold on your gourd that could continue to grow or make anybody sick. Simply add a bit of bleach to your soak water. You need very little. You are aiming for about a 1:30 ratio of bleach to water. This translates to about 1/4 cup for a sinkful of water.

Can I use a gourd to house a cavity bird?

Gourds can also be used to house other cavity nesting birds and the same general criteria will apply. You will need the proper size gourds and entrance holes for that species along with the proper location and height above the ground.

Can you make a Martin birdhouse out of a gourd?

For birds other than the Purple Martin, see the birdhouse hole size chart before starting. It’s common knowledge that martins love a large gourd to nest in. It might be the homey feel or the natural look, but whatever it is, they flock to them. Since gourds are their preferred housing, here are a few tips to make them into martin houses.

How do you take care of a purple martin gourd?

A good purple martin gourd has a diameter of about 8 to 13 inches. Wash it thoroughly in water, rinse in a solution of 1 part disinfectant (bleach works fine) and 10 parts water, and dry it with a towel. Hang the gourd in a sunny spot or place it on newspaper in a warm dry spot (such as an attic or basement) for 3 to 6 months.

Are birdhouses good for shelter from rain?

However, during inclement weather, such as storms or when it is pouring rain, they make take temporary shelter in a birdhouse. So, generally speaking, the first two products reviewed here should work fine for such purposes.

Can you grow gourds yourself?

Growing gourds are easy and if you’ve ever done it yourself you know how plentiful your crop can be. Put those gourds to good use by making cute and safe birdhouses. However, you have to be a bit patient and allow the gourds to dry (or cure) for a season. After that, the fun part begins.

How long does it take to make a birdhouse?

They are also quite easy to make. The whole process can take a long time, often up to eight months from seed to finished birdhouse, but each step is fairly straightforward just with a lot of wait time in between.

How to grow Birdhouse gourds?

Birdhouse gourds are unique and birds love to make nests in them, plus you can have tons of fun decorating the gourds and using them to decorate the garden. How to Grow Birdhouse Gourds! Plant birdhouse gourd seeds in the spring. They take several months to make fully mature gourds. Each vine will grow several gourds.

What kind of Birdhouse is best for a Phoebe?

View Gourd Birdhouses. Robins, Phoebes, and Barn Swallows prefer open sides on their homes so they can see out in many directions. For these species, use one of our gourd nest boxes. Gourd Birdhouse (medium) 1-1/2″ hole – Green For some wrens, titmouses, nuthatches, and more.

Can you use gourds to make birdhouses?

Put those gourds to good use by making cute and safe birdhouses. However, you have to be a bit patient and allow the gourds to dry (or cure) for a season. After that, the fun part begins. You can leave your gourds natural to blend in with the woodlands, or express yourself by decorating your gourd birdhouses.

Do gourds like open sides?

Robins, Phoebes, and Barn Swallows prefer open sides on their homes so they can see out in many directions. For these species, use one of our gourd nest boxes. Natural gourd birdhouse with a multicolor patchwork pattern. Entrance Hole is 1-1/2″. Each birdhouse is unique with a different patchwork pattern but with the same colors.

How do you finish a gourd?

I like to finish with a quick bleach bath (1 part bleach to 10 parts water) to sanitize and fully clean the gourd. Whether you have scrubbed all the skin and markings off the gourd or left the gourd natural it is advisable to sand it. Sanding allows you to smooth out any imperfections in the gourd and also make it look it’s best.