How to Make Gourd Birdhouses

A gourd makes a perfect natural birdhouse.

Bird fanciers are smart in choosing natural gourds for birdhouses. Gourds provide an eco-friendly, inviting and protective nesting destination for many types of birds. A gourd birdhouse that will last for many years and offer you endless hours of bird-watching pleasure.

Things You'll Need

• Kettle gourd
• Wire or raffia for hanger
• Drill and bit
• Sandpaper
• Bleach
• Oil-based primer
• Oil-based paint

Instructions

1. Select a gourd with a nice long neck for your birdhouse that is approximately 8 to 14 inches in diameter at the base. Make sure the walls of the gourd are approximately 1/4 inch thick so that it doesn't get too warm inside when the birds are nesting.

2. Allow the gourd to dry out. This could take from anywhere two weeks to several months, depending upon its size and skin thickness. The gourd is dry when you can shake it and hear the seeds rattling inside, and it will be very light, weight-wise.

3. Place the gourd in hot soapy water. Scrub thoroughly with a wire brush and sandpaper.

4. Soak your gourd in 10-percent solution of bleach and water for approximately 15 minutes, then allow to dry completely. This will protect it from rot and fungal molds.

5. Decide what size hole you want to cut in your gourd for the entry. Different sizes are required for different types of birds.

6. Using an expansion bit or hole saw, cut a hole slightly above the center of the gourd.

7. Drill three smaller holes (3/8-inch) in the bottom of the gourd for drainage. Also drill a hole towards the top of the neck, from one side through the other, which will provide a means to hang the birdhouse when completed.

8. Clean out the inside of the gourd, scraping out the seeds and any other debris inside. Sand the edges of the entry hole as well. You can also pour water inside to make sure that the dust created by drilling is removed.

9. Lightly sand first with fine sandpaper. Finish the outside of the gourd with an oil-based primer, followed by enamel paint. White is a good color choice, as the white will reflect the sun, keeping the inside of the birdhouse cool. For a more natural look, just use two to three coatings of clear polyurethane.

10. Add wire or natural raffia through the top neck holes to hang your completed birdhouse. It can be hung from a tree branch or other sturdy structure.

Tips & Warnings

• You can add a perch to your gourd birdhouse if you like. However, birds have precise flying skills and can land on the edge of the entrance opening. A perch would only provide an invitation for other predator birds to enter the nest.

• Make sure that you wear rubber gloves for protection when cleaning and soaking the gourd with the bleach solution.

References

• University of Nebraska Extension: Gourd Birdhouses