- Bird Houses, Decorative Bird Houses, Recycled Birdhouses, Uncategorized, Unique Birdhouses, Wood Birdhouse
What Makes them Unique Birdhouses?
Up-cycling seems to be a popular word these days, in fact it’s even a trend. The art of re-purposing, recycling and reusing materials and things to make new and useful things. From the artsy perspective, most of it centers around vintage finds, so it’s no wonder new stuff is made to look old and worn. Even designer jeans with their acid washes and holes can fetch a few hundred bucks!It’s part of what makes these unique birdhouses appealing. But why? First and foremost, you won’t find them stacked on shelves in a huge fulfillment center awaiting mass purchase and shipping! Because they’re handcrafted from scraps and vintage materials, no two are ever even the same. That’s makes them pretty unique right there.
A primitive or folk art design is usually timeless, not a phase that’s here and gone. In fact these houses are actually designed with birds in mind (yes, many designs don’t even take birds into consideration).
Some of the bird-friendly features are:
A screen set above the floor. This makes it easier for mom to construct her nest with less material, it allows circulation and inhibits insect infestations which can be fatal to new hatchlings and nestlings.Locking door on back for easy clean-out. If nests are not removed after babies have fledged, many birdhouses are deemed useless. Very few birds will re-use an existing nest. Also, removing the nest provides another spot to raise young for those birds who have two or three clutches per year. In fall when nesting is through, the house provides a roosting spot for cold nights, and protection from predators.
Proper ventilation and drainage are important things in the nest box world, and many designs don’t even address the issue. Placement of entrance is a big deal too. The hole should never be at the very bottom where predators have easy access. And the size of the entrance matters as well. When you see little tiny houses with large entries, or huge birdhouses with little tiny entries, well… this makes no sense, and it’s not good for the birds 🙁
This artist is local, which to me is a positive aspect on many levels. These reclaimed materials have been outdoors withstanding elements for a long time, which means they’ll continue to do so over the years. Now that’s good for the environment, good for the local economy, and above all… good for the birds!
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why are there so many unique birdhouses out there?
While doing some bird house research and cruising the web yesterday, there were literally tons of unique birdhouses out there. Some of them began losing their uniqueness because they kept showing up, over and over again. Whimsical, finely detailed architectural styles, rustic, modern and just plain silly bird houses would all make the grade for a perfect nest site. Most had clean-outs, drainage and good ventilation. They also had safe distances from the entrance to floor-helping to keep nestlings safe from predators.Truth is, the plain wooden houses also provide optimal nesting sites for feathered friends, provided the habitat is somewhat suitable. So why are there so many unique birdhouses out there? Well, for one, people like to decorate their spaces, giving a character and warmt
h that applies to their outside environment too… call it curb appeal for the yard if you will. Outdoor space and gardening are wildly popular, and for many, backyard birding complements the garden, adding another dimension with moving color, sites and sounds.Fostering nature is rewarding in many different ways. Whether growing tomatoes, watching birds at a feeder or monitoring bluebird boxes, something from within simply awakens the soul. And absolutely, in this chaotic and fragmented world… our souls could all use some awakening! Another reason they’re so popular? Many of the houses could be classified as bonafide art, expressions of the passion and sheer talent of the artist, who’s likely also into birds on some level.
Maybe that’s why so many unique birdhouses exist? With a severe decline in habitat, and shortage of natural nest cavities, it’s a really positive sign that more folks are helping to house the birds. And if your birdhouse happens to serve as an extension of your personality or character… so be it 🙂
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are unique birdhouses really functional?
Who doesn’t like cool stuff, and why would you be here unless you’re into birds? We really love backyard birding, almost fanatical about it! But the cool stuff has to work… for the birds. Be it nesting in spring, roosting at night, trouble-free feeders, misters that don’t leak, or solid heaters for baths in winter… it has to work well!Our website, The Birdhouse Chick, affords us this really neat aspect: to live vicariously through buying and product sourcing. But when combined with a fanatical birding hobby, this can be dangerous! We’re sort of known for unique birdhouses, and I promise… the sources are wide and varied! Working with smaller companies and individual artisans, we’ve met some great folks along the way too.
Some of the prerequisites for new items are; Would we use it, is the quality there, and is it good for the birds? The useability just has to be there, real stuff versus fluff. All bird houses must have clean-outs, drainage, ventilation, proportional entrance and floor space, ample distance fro
m entrance to floor, and it still has to be cool enough to want one in our own yard! But uniqueness may at times override functionality, and that’s not good for birds. Twenty five years of experience certainly helps, but who are we to say? If it’s questionable, then it’s likely not a good fit for the website.One local artist crafts some pretty cool houses and feeders. The boathouse shown here has been a staple for the past few years because it’s unique and totally functional. While picking up some more the other day, Frank’s new creation had been erected in front of his shop (photo above). I liked it immediately, but started thinking about the feeder placement between nest boxes. Hmmmm, how safe is that for nestlings? Might this design attract dreaded starlings or house sparrows? They’re a major threat to most songbirds. One could always omit the birdseed, but then what’s the point? See what I mean… fanatical!
We were all birding beginners at one time or another, and like all things, learning comes from experience or research. But we also want to entice more people to the exciting hobby of birding, for themselves and the birds. Thus the continuous search for unique birdhouses and feeders that are fun and functional. So the jury’s still out on that feeder/house combo, but it sure is cool!
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