How do I Build Wren Bird Houses?

Wrens can be attracted to back yards with a relatively simple bird house.

Wrens comprise a family of songbirds found in backyards and other suburban settings. Wrens are among the smallest of the songbirds and need bird houses that are scaled to their size, with a small access hole. If the hole is too large, other species birds will use the bird house, forcing the wrens to seek shelter elsewhere, according to the website Wild Bird Watching.

Things You'll Need

• 3 foot 1 inch by 4 inch cedar board
• 1/2 pound 1 1/2 inch galvinized deck screws
• Power drill
• 1/4 inch and 1 1/8 inch bits
• Saw
• Screwdriver

Instructions

1. Cut the pieces for the wren house from a single piece of 3-foot long, 1 inch by 4 inch lumber. Cut a 4-inch long floor, a 4-inch long front and a 5-inch long roof. Cut two sides with one side having a dimension of 5 inches and the other a dimension of 4 inches. The remaining wood is used for the back of the wren bird house.

2. Assemble the wren bird house. Fasten the floor to the back with two 1 1/2 inch galvanized deck screws. Fasten the sides above the floor with the 5-inch long sides on the back. Use two 1 1/2 inch galvanized screws to fasten each side to the back and to the floor. Fasten the front to the front edge of the sides and floor with two screws in each component. Fasten the roof to the top edges of the sides using more of the 1 1/2 galvanized deck screws.

3. Drill a 1 1/8 inch access hole in the center of the front about 3/8 of an inch above the floor. Drill two 1/4 inch holes about a half inch below the roof on the sides and front for ventilation along with four 1/4 inch holes near the corners of the bottom for drainage.

Tips & Warnings

• Use cedar or other rot-resistant lumber. Do not use treated or painted lumber for the construction of a wren bird house. Mount the wren house near trees or shrubs in the backyard. Mount the wren bird house by running screws through the back above and below the bird house into posts or poles. Alternately, the wren bird house can be hung from tree branches. Drill a 1/4 inch hole through the back above the bird house and use a wire or twine to hang the house from a secure branch. No matter what placement method you choose, you should mount the wren bird house about 8 feet above the ground.

References

• Wild Bird Watching: Wren House
• Bird Houses 101: House Wren