If you are going to build a home for birds in your backyard, you can't just throw something together without accepting a little responsibility.
Our feathered friends are counting on you to help keep them safe.
All it takes on your part is a little extra effort to find bird house plans that take into account the three primary dangers that threaten birds-predators, extreme weather and disease.
We can usually count on the local police department for our protection, but birds are still living in a state of nature.
They are under constant threat from predators.
Some of their enemies-pets, squirrels, raccoons and others-see baby birds as a food source.
Other foes-competing bird species-are intent on taking over the bird house as their own.
If your house plans include a perch, then those plans aren't very bird-friendly.
Perches aren't needed by the birds living in the house, but they do provide a convenient platform for predators to use in their attack.
Bird houses should help protect against weather extremes.
The most common problem is a house that gets too hot.
Good bird house plans should include ventilation holes that help to circulate fresh air.
Try to position the structure so that the entry hole faces away from direct sunlight and is also protected from the prevailing winds.
Make sure that the roof overhangs enough to keep rain from running into the opening.
The design of the house can also make a big difference in the health of the birds that come to stay in your backyard.
Never paint the inside of the bird house.
Stick to environmentally safe paints or stains for the outside.
And remember that lead-based paint isn't any better for birds than it is for you and me.
The size of the house should be appropriately scaled to match the species of the birds you want to attract.
You should get into a habit of cleaning out the bird house after every nesting season.
This will make it healthy and inviting for the next avian family that comes to visit.
Listen, I know that you have the best of intentions, because otherwise you wouldn't be interested in building a bird house at all.
So you definitely don't want to create something that will actually prove harmful to the birds you're trying to help.
Make sure to evaluate any bird house plans you want to use.
If your plans effectively address the triple threats of predators, extreme weather and disease, then you have a green light to start building.
But if they don't, you need to find some new plans.