How to build a gourd bird house

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By Charles Buchanan
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birdhouse

Bird houses have been made from dried gourds for centuries. I raise my own gourds and use some of them for bird houses every year. The type of birds you will attract depends on the size of the gourd and the size of the hole.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

large gourd (dried)
power drill
proper size hole bit for a power drill (1", 1 1/2" or 2" bit)
3/8 inch drill bit
scrubbing pad
exterior spray paint
polyurithane sealer
eye screw

Step 1

Moldy, Clean and Drilled Gourd

Preparing gourds:
You must have a fully dried gourd that is large enough for type of birds to nest in. You must drill the right size entry hole for the type of bird you wish to draw for nesting into your bird house.
If you grow your own, the gourds must dry for several months before they can be used. The gourds normally remain on the vine until the vine is quite brown and dead. Then they are cut from the vine and hung in my barn until dry and brown.
When gourds dry they have a tendency to become moldy. This is quite normal. If you buy gourds you will normally get them with the mold on them, but you can pay more and get them already cleaned.
Your gourd is ready when it is quite hard, moldy and the seeds rattle when you shake it. It should be hard as wood, which it is, and very light when dry.
If you buy a cleaned gourd skip the following instructions.
Take your gourd and soak it in warm water with a little bleach in the water for about an hour. It should be totally submerged. Now take a metal pot scrubber and rub off all the mold and a layer of skin on the outside. It takes a bit of elbow grease. Underneath should be more of a golden wood looking surface. Once all the skin is off and all the mold, let your gourd dry.
Step 2

Drilling and cleaning out your gourd:
It is important that before you drill or clean out your gourd that you wear a dust mask. The seed dust and mold dust from gourds can cause respiratory problems and aggravate allergies.
It is important that you drill the right size entry hole for your bird house to accommodate the right kind of birds. In the "TIPS" area of this article I give some suggested entry sizes. For my bird house I drilled a 1 1/2 inch hole for House Wrens.
Using a power drill and a 1 1/2 inch hole drill attachment drill an entry hole. Now clean out the insides of the gourd. It will be full of large seeds (which you can use to plant your own gourds next season) white paper-like fibers and dust. Use a metal spoon or putty knife to assist you in cleaning out your gourd. It doesn't have to be perfect the birds won't mind.
Now take your 3/8 inch drill and drill three holes in the bottom of the birdhouse for drainage. These holes will insure that any rainwater does not accumulate in the bird house.
Step 3

finished bird house

Finishing, painting, sealing and hanging:
Now, cut the stem off your bird house. Take an eye screw and screw it into the top of your birdhouse this will give you a place to hang it.
You are basically done except for decorating and sealing your bird house. You can leave your gourd unpainted but it must be sealed with polyurethane to protect it from the weather. I paint mine with water based exterior enamel, decorate with acrylics and then seal it with polyurethane. Ensure that you only paint and seal the exterior. The chemicals in the paint and polyurethane are hazardous to young birds.
You can add a perch using a dowel rod or branch although this is not necessary. Decorate with your own designs.