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You are here: Home / Critters and wildlife / DYI minimalist birdhouse

DYI minimalist birdhouse

February 1, 2008 by Andrea Bellamy 8 Comments

gourd_birdhouse.jpgCheck out this gourd birdhouse by Courtney of the craft blog Two Straight Lines. Inspired by the Polynest featured on Design*Sponge, but not loving the birdhouse’s use of not-so-natural polystyrene, Courtney decided to make her own.

She says, “We often see gourd birdhouses, but they are usually left unpainted, or are
painted decoratively. How about just a simple coat of non-toxic
paint? Add in a little twig perch.”

Here’s how you can make your own:

*  Buy a pre-dried, cleaned and drilled gourd. (Martin gourds seem to work best. You can buy them here.) Or grow your own and preserve it yourself. 
*  Paint the gourd. Courtney ended up using leftover latex interior paint. You could also try non-toxic or low-VOC paints.
*  Drill a hole for the twig perch. Courtney says, “the size of the hole for the perch is dependent on the size of the twig you’re using. It needs to be a bit smaller than the twig so that it is “press fit”– meaning tight. I also brush on wood glue.”
*  Attach the cable (or whatever you’d like to hang it with). You can buy steel cable by the foot at any hardware store. Courtney says, “you will also need little aluminum crimping fasteners that can be hammered closed (one to make the top loop, and one to make the bottom loop.) They are found with the cable.”

Hang outdoors or in (I’m thinking this would be lovely in the woodland nursery!).

Thanks Courtney!

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Filed Under: Critters and wildlife, How To Tagged With: bird house, birdfeeder, birdhouse, craft, gourd, gourd birdhouse, minimalist birdhouse, modern birdhouse

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Teacher A says

    February 1, 2008 at 5:03 pm

    How cute! It looks just like a pear.

  2. paola says

    February 4, 2008 at 4:32 pm

    I am SO making this!

  3. Andrea Bellamy says

    February 5, 2008 at 8:35 pm

    Me too!

  4. Didi says

    February 7, 2008 at 9:37 pm

    Except for the twig perch, I think it’s adorable. But the birds that inhabit this bird house won’t need it. It’s only useful for predators to perch upon and… well, you can guess the rest… Don’t mean to rain on the birdhouse building party. By all means, groove on, just, no twig perch, s’il vous plait.

  5. Andrea Bellamy says

    February 8, 2008 at 9:49 am

    But the twig perch is the cutest part! You’re right that the birds won’t need it, though. I suspect that in my garden, it will be solely for decorative purposes anyway – the only birds around here are your typical urban scroungers: pigeons, crows and seagulls!

  6. porter says

    March 26, 2009 at 6:06 pm

    dont grow them buy them back in oct. with pumpkins & preserve it over winter green!!!!!!!!!

  7. barb piveteau says

    July 29, 2010 at 6:18 pm

    Do these types of birdhouses attract birds that eat greenhead flies at the jersey shore bay areas . Thats what I was told and thats why I would make them.I live there and those maneaters, (the flies i mean) ruin our days down there.

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