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Unique Birdhouses Make Awesome Holiday Gifts
For a swell holiday gift, here’s why unique birdhouses are sure to please!- A birdhouse to match everyone’s personality
- Long lasting (the good ones anyway)
- A purchase with purpose
- Gives back to nature, provides cavity nesting birds a place to raise their young
- Beautifies the garden, porch, balcony or landscape
- Gifts of nature soothe the soul, nothing to plug-in or download!
Birdhouses for all tastes include classic or funky, modern or traditional, rustic, whimsical or just plain
weird for the one who may be… well, a tad off!Materials range from wood, vinyl, glass, pottery, copper and recycled plastic. Even textiles make a cool birdhouse like this hand-felted gingerbread pick.
There’s edible birdhouses which serve as 2-in-1 gifts for use as a feeder now and a real wooden birdhouse for spring. Not all are created equal, but the Bed & Breakfast and Wren Casita promise to host many successful broods over the years!
On a more classic note, go for these architectural birdhouses (matching feeders too). Stunning in the landscape and fine housing for feathered friends, these vinyl birdhouses are guaranteed for life.
Some rustic birdhouses include driftwood from Indonesia, vintage church birdhouses and natural log front bird abodes. The latter replicate cavities in trees and snags where birds with no housing will seek safe digs to rear young. The salvaged logs are chosen for their uniqueness and deep openings. Forming a natural predator guard, they keep nestlings safe from intruders and cozy dry in the worst elements.
Birdhouses serve friendly fliers well throughout the year. Aside from nesting in spring, most offer up a cozy roosting spot for cold nights. They add character to the garden and simply help feathered friends thrive! All in all, a totally swell idea for any nature buff on your list!
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Send Some Love with Unique Birdhouses
Here’s why birdhouses are a great choice for Valentine’s Day
Because they’re purchases with purpose! They add value and beauty to our lives and to those around us. They bring song, color and life to our spaces through those visitors who use them.
Granted one will see more activity at a feeder, but real estate is scarce out there, so please help house the birds! Competition for natural nesting space is ever increasing, and most cavity-dwelling birds would be happy to raise their young and call any of these unique birdhouses “home”.
Among those birds who use houses; bluebirds, chickadees, nuthatches, titmice, woodpeckers, wrens, finches purple martins and more. As a side note, owls, ducks and bats will take you up on man-made nest boxes as well. Because their habitats are also shrinking, providing places for shelter and successful broods can prove most rewarding.
Styles range to suit all tastes, from basic to mod to vintage. Materials are just as varied, from copper and PVC/vinyl, wood, ceramic, even driftwood!
There’s absolutely something for everyone and something for every birdhouse-using species!
Those who don’t fancy birdhouses? Robins, blue jays, cardinals and goldfinches to name a few of the more common birds. But they’ll take up residence in trees, shrubs and hedges if the habitat suits them. They’ll use bird feeders and frequent your birdbath too.
This Valentine’s Day, nix the chocolate and short-lived flowers. Opt for an artful creation with purpose… and please help house the birds 🙂
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Unique Birdhouses for Cowpoke Wannabe’s
Let’s face it, housing isn’t for everyone, but birds who do use houses will try to set up shop in just about any cavity they deem good for rearing chicks.These include crevices in trees and older abandoned holes from woodpeckers and others who’ve already done the work of excavation.
These spots are becoming more and more scarce, simply invaluable to feathered friends! Competition for these natural nest sites increases tenfold with every passing year, it’s a housing crisis for the birds 🙁
Especially favored among residents like bluebirds, chickadees, titmice, nuthatches and Carolina wrens (to name a few) are proper bird houses! In early spring males will scout territory and nesting sites, from unique birdhouses to natural cavities, they look for suitable and impressive digs to entice a mate.
Some will have only one brood or clutch, or nesting for the season, whereas bluebirds may go onto a 2nd or even 3rd brood! This is why it’s important to remove nests and tidy up bird houses once babies have fledged. So that the spot may be utilized again and maybe even again after that in a single season.
The cowboy birdhouse would be pretty impressive for the Mrs.! It’s durable poly-stone (which helps regulate ambient temperatures) complete with bottom clean-out and 1.5-inch entry. Plus it’s cute as all with western flair and fine detail.
A little larger scale but still great space for a bird family is the cowboy hat birdhouse! This one’s metal so it’s best placed in the shade. Actually full sun on any birdhouse can be detrimental in summer’s heat. Always best to minimize direct exposure to early morning if possible – avoid late afternoon sun at all costs… it’s just too hot for nestlings inside the house.
Keep your bird houses up through winter as they provide ideal roosting spots on cold nights and protection from predators. Although migration is underway for many species, resident birds will stick around through winter if the habitat is suitable.Offering fresh water (heated birdbath), a variety of food (seed and suet) and places to roost (housing and mature trees and shrubs) will ensure feathered friends grace your place through winter doldrums 🙂
Birding Tips, Information & News
