How to Make Birdhouses at Home

Gourd

• 1

  Rinse a kettle gourd in any shape and size you wish under warm running water. While rinsing, scrub the surface with a metal pot scrubber. Continue to scrub until the surface of the gourd is completely smooth. There may be some discoloration, but that will not be removed with scrubbing and does not hurt the gourd. Dry the surface of the gourd.

• 2

  Attach a 1 1/2-inch hole saw drill attachment to an electric drill. Use the attachment to make a hole in the side of the gourd. This is the entrance.

• 3

  Insert a metal spoon through the hole and scrape out the innards of the gourd. This includes seeds and membranes. Discard the innards.

• 4

  Attach a 1/8-inch drill bit to the drill. Drill five holes, evenly spaced, around the bottom of the gourd. These are drainage holes. Make two holes 1 to 2 inches below the top of the neck of the gourd. Feed a 2-foot-length of fishing line or twine through the holes. Tie the loose ends together to make a loop and use that to hang the finished gourd in a tree.

Tin Can

• 5

  Draw a 2-inch hole on the bottom edge of a plastic lid to a clean, metal coffee can. Use a utility knife to cut around the edge of the circle and discard the cutout piece. This makes the entrance to the birdhouse.

• 6

  Make a 1/8-inch hole, 1 inch from the bottom of the can on the side using a drill. Make a second hole above the first, 1 inch from the top of the can. Twist a closed eye screw through each hole.

• 7

  Feed two 24-inch pieces of twine through each of the two eye screws. Tie one end of the twine to the eye screw. Tie the loose end to a tree branch.

• 8

  Place the plastic lid on the coffee can with the 2-inch hole at the bottom edge of the can.