Tree & Violet-green Swallow Birdhouse
This violet-green swallow birdhouse is made of cedar, pine, or nearly any other soft wood. Utilize wood that has been rough-cut on both sides to allow birds to grip surfaces both inside and outside.
Its inside dimensions are 5 by 5 inches, and its inside front dimensions are 8 feet from floor to ceiling. There is a 1 1/2-inch-diameter entrance hole 6 inches above the ground (to the top of the hole). There are openings for ventilation in both the floor and the roof.
A hinged roof provides easy access for monitoring and cleaning. Shutter hooks secure roof in closed position. Always use corrosion resistant screws and hardware.
For primary work pieces, countersunk pilot holes and regular pilot holes should be drilled. This lessens the likelihood that the wood will split and allows for quick assembly using a power or hand screwdriver in a matter of minutes.
Extend the back wall panel beyond both top and bottom. Drill pilot holes in these long panels for mounting. Create an additional mounting hole inside the box, directly beneath the roof. These holes should be spaced apart so that they don’t all align with a single wood grain. Wood can split due to weakening holes aligned with the grain.
Between four and twenty feet high, with some sun and shade, hang from a tree branch, mount on a tree, post, or wall, or hang beneath an eave. Remove the nest after the brood rearing seasons are over.
Place near bluebird houses on posts in pasture fence lines, grove and shelter belt edges that border fields, and among sporadic trees.
Plant tree swallow nest boxes in “bluebird trails,” which are lines of bluebird boxes spaced roughly 100 yards apart (closer in clearings of wooded areas and farther apart in wide open spaces).
Although tree swallows are excellent neighbors who can protect bluebirds from sparrows, sparrows are also drawn to these bird houses, so keep an eye on both the swallow and bluebird houses.
Once the brood rearing season is over, remove and thoroughly clean the box. Store clean and dry. For habits and ranges, see the pages for the Violet-green Swallow and Tree Swallow species.
Where Birds Come to Life
Birds that Nest in this Birdhouse
This box can also be used by wrens, downy woodpeckers, chickadees, nuthatches, titmice, and sparrows.
This violet-green swallow birdhouse is made of cedar, pine, or nearly any other soft wood. Utilize wood that has been rough-cut on both sides to allow birds to grip surfaces both inside and outside.
Its inside dimensions are 5 by 5 inches, and its inside front dimensions are 8 feet from floor to ceiling. There is a 1 1/2-inch-diameter entrance hole 6 inches above the ground (to the top of the hole). There are openings for ventilation in both the floor and the roof.
A hinged roof provides easy access for monitoring and cleaning. Shutter hooks secure roof in closed position. Always use corrosion resistant screws and hardware.
For primary work pieces, countersunk pilot holes and regular pilot holes should be drilled. This lessens the likelihood that the wood will split and allows for quick assembly using a power or hand screwdriver in a matter of minutes.
In order to provide mounting holes (usually to a tree or post), the back wall panel extends beyond both the top and bottom. A third mounting hole can be drilled inside the box, right under the roof.
These holes should be spaced apart to prevent the wood from weakening and splitting along a single grain.
Between four and twenty feet high, with some sun and shade, hang from a tree branch, mount on a tree, post, or wall, or hang beneath an eave. Remove the nest after the brood rearing seasons are over.
Place near bluebird houses on posts in pasture fence lines, grove and shelter belt edges that border fields, and among sporadic trees.
Plant tree swallow nest boxes in “bluebird trails,” which are lines of bluebird boxes spaced roughly 100 yards apart (closer in clearings of wooded areas and farther apart in wide open spaces).
Although tree swallows are excellent neighbors who can protect bluebirds from sparrows, sparrows are also drawn to these bird houses, so keep an eye on both the swallow and bluebird houses.
Once the brood rearing season is over, remove and thoroughly clean the box. Store clean and dry. For habits and ranges, see the pages for the Violet-green Swallow and Tree Swallow species.
FAQ
What type of birdhouse do swallows like?
How big should the hole be for a swallow bird house?
How do you attract swallows to a bird house?
Where is the best place to put a swallow bird house?