Birdhouse Gourd Projects
Gourds are an ideal natural home for purple martin birds. Best of all, gourd birdhouses are simple to make at home. This project, which involves using a drill and thus requires adult supervision, also serves as a way to educate the family about the local bird population. Does this Spark an idea?
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Purple Martins
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Purple martins are small birds commonly found on the East and West coasts of the United States. These birds prefer to live high in trees and in communities, making them the ideal inhabitants for a group of gourd birdhouses.
Materials
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Choose gourds that are a minimum of 10 inches wide, suggests the National Wildlife Federation. Other supplies include rubbing alcohol, a wire drying rack, drill, expansion bit, eighth-inch bit and twine or small rope.
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Preparation
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Clean the surface of the gourds with rubbing alcohol. Place them on a wire drying rack in a cool, dry shed or similar space. Rotate gourds every few days throughout the drying process to prevent rotting. Gourds may take several months to dry. When a gourd feels light and seeds can be heard rattling inside, it is sufficiently dry, according to the Mother Earth News.
Construction
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Use a power drill fitted with an expansion bit to drill a hole in the center of the widest part of the gourd's bulb, recommends the National Wildlife Federation. The hole should be about 2 1/2 inches wide. In the bottom of the gourd, drill several holes about a quarter inch wide to allow for drainage.
Hanging
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Secure rope or heavy-duty twine around the "stem" of the gourd. Drill a hole and thread the rope through if necessary. Hang gourds at least two stories off the ground, with the opening facing away from the common wind path, suggests the National Wildlife Federation.
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References
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