# Uses of Cedar for Birdhouse Crafters
Things You'll Need
- Cedar lumber and tools
- Birdhouse plan (species specific)
Instructions
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Preparing Your Birdhouse
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Construct the birdhouse from roughly sawn cedar rather than smoothly sawn cedar, because rough-sawn wood enables a bird to climb onto the wood. Saw grooves along the interior walls of the house, which will enable the bird to use the walls as an escape ladder.
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Use nontoxic latex paint in painting the birdhouse exterior. Paint it brown or green, to provide camouflage and protect birds from predators. Or use linseed oil as an exterior stain, which protects the cedar and is nontoxic to birds and the environment. Leave the interior of the cedar birdhouse untreated.
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The northern flicker is one of the larger woodpeckers. Supply nesting materials for some species. Flickers and other woodpeckers prefer a floor covered only with sawdust or ground cork. For other species, supply paper, yarn or feather, even string, near the birdhouse.
Bird-Specific Birdhouses
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The eastern bluebird is rarely seen in the northeast United States. Make a birdhouse for cavity nesters, such as purple martins. Bluebirds and other cavity nesters often rely on holes that woodpeckers have left in trees, but you can make houses that are just as attractive to these birds. The eastern bluebird is rarely seen, but the western bluebird is common. Purple martins are comfortable with gourd houses as well as with Swiss chalet-style houses.Only houses especially designed for bluebirds are suitable for bluebirds, because these houses keep away competitors such as starlings, which are too large for bluebird houses.
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The black-capped chickadee is content with a wren birdhouse. Build a house for a wren, the black-capped chickadee or the nuthatch. These birds are happy with a basic wren birdhouse. A wren house features an entrance hole of 1 1/8-inch for wrens and chickadees. For nuthatches, the entrance hole must be 1 ¼-inches.
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The robin often builds a nest on window ledges. Construct a birdhouse for the robin, which can double for barn swallows. This birdhouse is more of a bird shelf than a birdhouse. Place this shelf near a window and watch the robins during the nesting period. Or place it approximately 6 or 10 feet above the ground or on a post. If you find barn swallows nesting under the eaves of your house, use this bird shelf to encourage the barn swallows to nest away from your house.
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