Introduction: 1 Hour Bird Box
I wanted to make a simple and cheap bird box.
The plan was to use recycled materials and off-cuts.
Most importantly it can be made in 1 hour or less.
This bird box is made from a plastic cookie container (NOTE: must have a secure fitting, clip-on lid). A wooden back-stop is added with plastic tubing fixed to it for a perch.
That's all there is to it!
Step 1: MATERIAL LIST
Plastic container with clip-on lid
Plastic tubing
Wood cutting
Spray paint
1 x 6 x 60 mm wood screw
2 x fixing screws
Step 2: TOOLS
Cordless drill
Hole cutter or Forstner drill
Junior hacksaw
Pedestal drill (optional)
Step 3: MY CONTAINER
Step 4: ENTRY HOLE
Cut the wood to fit inside the plastic container bottom, then mark the centre of the wood.
Drill a 25 mm hole in the wood and in the bottom of the container (this forms the entry point for the bird).
NOTE: The entrance hole size depends on the species you hope to attract:
- 25 mm for marsh tits.
- 28 mm for great tits, tree sparrows and pied flycatchers.
- 32 mm for house sparrows and nuthatches.
- 45 mm for starlings.
Step 5: FIT THE PERCH
Fit the wood into the bottom of the container (lining-up the entry hole).
Drill a small pilot hole below the entry hole at bottom of the plastic container - and into the wood.
Select a 6 x 60 mm wood screw and cut a piece of plastic tubing long enough to almost cover most of the screw length (approx 50 mm).
Place the screw inside plastic tubing.
Using the pilot hole as a guide, screw the perch into the bottom of the container and into the wood backing.
Step 6: SPRAY PAINT
Now its time to spray paint the completed unit with a colour of your choice (I used black).
Step 7: INSTALLING THE BIRD BOX
I drilled small pilot holes through the lid of the container, then screwed the container lid onto a high point on my house wall.
Note: I also added some drain holes at the bottom of the nest box.
To complete the assembly, I simply clipped the container onto the lid (forming a tight secure fix).
This bird box was completed using recycled materials. It is an extremely simple design and can be made in 1 hour or less …And the birds really seem to enjoy it!