Building Birdhouses for Stony Oasis Farms - Homes for the Homeless

There are many birds that nest in the area of Stony Oasis Farms. From the endangered Western Bluebird, Wrens, Swallows, Mountain Chickadee and White-crowned Sparrow to name a few.

I began building and installing bird houses all sized for the Bluebirds, but quite suitable for many of the other birds as well, many years ago. I generally add about 20 new birdhouses every year. I have installed a couple hundred over the years.

Lumber is expensive, so I buy the cheapest fencing boards I can find, which makes a birdhouse that will last a few seasons. I do not go around and clean the old birdhouses out, if they get filled up with nest, and the birds do not want to use them they become habitat for other creatures.

I generally cut all the boards to length, in preparation to start assembling them.

I generally use brad nails to assemble, as these type of boards are not thick enough to use screws. And just so you know a small brad shot from a pneumatic nailgun will penetrate the end of your finger quite readily!

Once I get them all put together I drill the hole that becomes the front door for the birds. Different types of birds require different hole sizes...

Bird Species	Hole Diameter	Notes for Goldendale Area
Western Bluebird	1 1/2"	Very common in your area. This size is specific to Westerns.
Mountain Bluebird	1 9/16"	If you are at a slightly higher elevation or more open terrain.
House Wren	1 1/8"	These are prolific nesters. The small hole keeps larger birds out.
Bewick's Wren	1 1/4"	Often found in the brushy draws of central Washington.
Black-capped Chickadee	1 1/8"	Standard size; they prefer a bit of wood shavings at the bottom.
Mountain Chickadee	1 1/8"	Common if you have more conifers on the property.
Tree/Violet-green Swallow	1 1/2"	These will often compete with Bluebirds for the same boxes.
Ash-throated Flycatcher	1 1/2"	Common in the dry, scrubby oak habitats around Goldendale.
White-breasted Nuthatch	1 1/4"	Great for the oak groves.
American Kestrel	3"	These require a much larger box, usually placed in very open areas.

I made mine 1 9/16 inch. As you can see this will work for about all the birds that nest in that area. I am also going to make 3 larger birdhouses sized for the American Kestrel, some of the smaller owls, and the Stellar Jay.

20 birdhouses ready to mount and be used this year. I also built a bat-house I will be installing as well. Homes for the homeless. Bluebirds, and some of the other native birds as well are cavity nesters. And, natural cavities for them to nest in a re few and far between. These birdhouses are a godsend for many of the birds that use them

There is little more satisfying that sitting by one of my ponds in July when the first clutch of birds have been raised, and watching whole families of birds come by for a drink. I have had them fly over and sit just a few inches from my head turning their head this way and that trying to figure out what I was.

I will mount a few by the wildlife guzzler I am building there. Will be a perfect spot.

Are you a birder, build birdhouses? Leave me a comment....