Gourd Bird Houses

As you look around stores and yards you will see more and more gourd bird houses. You can find them at almost any store that sells bird houses or you can make your own, which can be a great project to do with the kids to get them involved in birding.

Preparing the gourd

Soak the gourd for 30 minutes in hot, soapy water. Then scrub the gourd until it is completely clean using a scrub brush or a dull knife.

Next you need to mark where the entrance hole is going to be. To do this hold the gourd by the stem and let it hang naturally. Mark a center point along the most outermost part of the curve so the hole faces straight out, rather than tilled up to the sky or down to the ground. The entrance hole can be easily drilled using a hole saw or a keyhole saw.

Use the below guide for help with the gourd and hole size.

Wren – gourd size 6 inches, entrance hole size 1 inch
Chickadee – gourd size 8 inches, entrance hole size 1 1/8 inches
Tufted Titmouse – gourd size 8 inches, entrance hole size 1 1/4 inches
Downy Woodpecker – gourd size 8 inches, entrance hole size 1 1/4 inches
White Breasted Nuthatch – gourd size 8 inches, entrance hole size 1 1/4 inches
Bluebird – gourd size 8 inches, entrance hole size 1 1/2 inches
Hairy Woodpecker – gourd size 12 inches, entrance hole 1 5/8 inches
Crested Flycatcher – gourd size 8 inches, entrance hole 2 inches
Purple Martin – gourd size 10 inches, entrance hole size 2 1/2 inches
Flicker – gourd size 16 inches, entrance hole size 2 1/2 inches

Note: the gourd walls should be at least 1/4 inch thick so the bird house is not too warm.

Next drill two or three 1/4 inch holes in the bottom of the gourd for drainage. Then drill two set sets of holes about 2 inches from the neck for ventilation and hanging.

Then clean out the inside of the gourd by scraping out the seeds from the inside. You can also pour water inside the gourd to make sure all the dust and loose pieces have been removed.

Dip the entire gourd into a wood preservative for 15 minutes. Many people use deck sealants as the preservative. Remove the gourd from the sealant and hang it up to dry for a few days. The gourd must be completely dry before starting the next step.

Next sand the gourd to make it nice and smooth. Then paint the gourd with an oil-based paint (water based paint will peel) making sure not to cover up the drainage or ventilation holes. Decorate the gourd any way you want
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When the gourd is completely dried, you are ready to hang it out for your birds.

The kids will love watching birds move into the house that they helped make and what a lovely addition to the yard!