Wren house

WHAT IT TAKES

Time:1 hour

Skill level:Beginner

Attract wrens and other songbirds to your yard with this durable birdhouse made from a plastic fence post. Wrens will nest in almost anything, but other birds have specific requirements for the entrance diameter and house cavity. If you’re trying to attract a particular type of bird to your yard, do a little research online before you start building this rather small hangout.

Buy a 4 x 4-in. fence post and cap kit (sold at home centers). One 6-ft. post is enough for six birdhouses. But the post comes with just one cap, so you’ll have to buy caps for all but the first birdhouse.

Cut the house cavity to length and drill the ventilation and entrance holes (Photo 1). Then cut the wood bottom and attach it (Photo 2). Fit the bottom loosely to allow for ventilation. To clean out the house each year, just remove the screws and release the bottom. Our birdhouse doesn’t include a perch. Perches are cute, but they allow predators easier access to eggs and babies.

Attach the eye hook to the top (Photo 3), then glue the top to the body with a few dabs of polyurethane glue. If you want to paint the birdhouse, use spray paint formulated for plastic, but don’t paint the inside of the house.

Hang the houses in partially shaded spots with the entrances facing away from prevailing winds and out of jumping range of cats and squirrels.

1

Cut 10-in. lengths with a hacksaw or miter saw. Then drill the ventilation and entrance holes. Sand off the sharp edges on the entrance hole with 60-grit sandpaper.

2

Cut a 3/4-in.-thick, 3-1/8-in. square bottom from wood. Predrill and then screw it into place with two No. 8 stainless 3/4-in. pan head screws on opposite sides.

3

Drill a 1/4-in. hole for the eye hook and thread on the nut and washer for the top. Stick it through the top and use a needle-nose pliers to hold the bottom nut while you twist the hook tight. Glue on the cap.