Free Birdhouse Plans

Perfect for Chickadees, Titmice, and Nuthatches

Free birdhouse plans - this plan is called the Tall Texan because of the birdhouse's height and because the roof uses the colors of a Texas flag. Of course, you don't have to paint this birdhouse at all. Old fence boards have a great natural look.

You can build this birdhouse from a single 6-foot x 1-inch x 4-inch fence board. I use old fence boards to create most of my birdhouses. If you do the same, the material is free. The only cost was the galvanized air nails that I used to fasten the pieces together and the wire I used to hang them.

Materials List:

6-foot 1x6 (3/4" x 5 1/2") cedar or redwood fencing plank
Eye Bolts (2) - (for hanging wire)
Hinges (2) - 1" x 1" (galvanized)
Galvanized Finish Nails/Screws
Exterior Wood Glue
Eco-Friendly Paint (Optional)

Tools:

Saw (Circular or Miter)
Hammer
3/8-inch Drill/Bits
Paddle Bit - 1-1/4"
Screw Driver
Square
Carpenter's Pencil
Tape Measure

Using the diagrams below, you can determine how the pieces fit together.

Free Birdhouse Plans

Titmouse Birdhouse Exploded View — Exploded View

Birdhouse Parts List

Description	Size	Quantity
Base	3/4" x 4" x 4"	1
Front/Back	3/4" x 4" x 12"	2
Left Side	3/4" x 5 1/2" x 10"	1
Right Side (Upper Fixed)	3/4" x 5 1/2" x 2"	1
Cleanout Door (hinged from the back)	3/4" x 5 1/2" x 8"	1
Right Roof	3/4" x 4 3/4" x 8"	1
Left Roof	3/4" x 5 1/2" x 8"	1

Building the Birdhouse

From the 6-foot piece 1x6 (3/4" x 5 1/2"), trim off just enough wood to square the end of the board, and cut the 4" x 4" base. Drill four 1/4-inch drain holes near the corners.
Cut the front and back pieces as indicated below. They are identical except for the entrance hole.

Attach the front and back pieces to the 4x4 base, as shown below, using the fasteners of your choice. I use a combination of exterior wood glue and galvanized finish nails.

Cut the two identical sides as indicated below with a 45-degree bevel-cut on the top end. From one side, measure 2 inches from the long point of the 45-degree bevel-cut and cut it with a circular saw of miter saw. The 8-inch door will become slightly shorter - 7-7/8" long (the width of a saw blade).

Attach the left side and the upper right side, as shown below. Attach galvanized or painted hinges to the back of the cleanout door and birdhouse, as shown in the diagram on the right. Use a wood screw or latch to secure the hinged cleanout door.

This cleanout/observation door design makes cleaning the birdhouse easy and provides access for non-disruptive bird observation. You can slowly rotate the locking screw and ease the access door open with minimal disturbance to the nesting bird.

Cut the two 8-inch long roof sections. Rip the right piece 4-3/4" wide and leave the left piece the full 5-1/2" width so that when you overlap the two 3/4-inch thick pieces, the overhang will be the same on both sides. Attach the roof sections to the titmouse birdhouse centered front to back, as shown in the diagrams.

Success!

Free Birdhouse Plans

This birdhouse is perfect for Chickadees, Titmice, and Wrens, but other small birds might find this birdhouse suitable for nesting. The last bird I saw accessing this birdhouse was a Carolina Wren.

Building birdhouses and observing the birds nesting in them is an excellent way to learn about birds and their behavior and habitat. We enjoy birding wherever we go, whether it be an RV Trip or just a short trip to the market. One day, while sitting in my pickup truck waiting for my wife to come out of the grocery store, my nephew and I spotted a female Scott's Oriole in one of the small trees in the parking lot. I had never seen one in the area where we live. You never know when and where you are going to spot that rare bird!

Birdhouse Maintenance

Every year in January, I clean out the old nesting materials from each of my 13 birdhouses. It is not uncommon to discover a wasp nest attached to the ceiling of the birdhouse. Be careful when opening the cleanout door! I also use the time in January to inspect the integrity of the birdhouse and ensure the sides and roof are not coming apart. A wooden birdhouse exposed to the weather every day requires periodic maintenance.

Painting a Birdhouse

If you plan to paint your birdhouse, use nontoxic, eco-friendly paint that does not produce airborne emissions called VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). Try to use natural colors that do not absorb heat. Do not paint the interior surfaces of the birdhouse where the birds build their nests.

Protect your Birdhouse from Predators

The methods you use to protect your nesting birds from predators depend on how you mount the birdhouse. If you install it on a pole, you can purchase or construct a shrowd that prevents critters from climbing up.

Visit Texas Birding on RVweekends.com to see photos of some of the birds we have seen during the bird migration seasons.

Visit eBird to learn more about birds and discover the world of birding.