Gourd Houses are Number One with Wild Birds

Gourd houses for wild birds are the oldest bird houses used by man. They make excellent bird homes. Native North Americans were the first to craft gourds into bird houses to attract wild birds.

Dressed naturally

Studies have been conducted to determine which type of bird house material wild birds prefer. It has been documented that Purple Martins prefer gourds, hands down, to any other bird house building material. Many other species indicated a preference for natural gourd houses too, making it the number one bird choice!

Advantages of Natural Gourds

• A larger compartment size at 10” to 12” in diameter. This makes for much roomier housing space which Purple Martins are proving to be attracted to more than traditional “apartment complexes”. Traditional Purple Martin Houses are built with 6” x 6” compartment size, which appears now not to be the ideal size.

  Larger compartments provide drier nests, less crowded conditions and fewer predator problems which allow fledglings to remain in the nest until maturity. The larger living space allows for more depth between the entrance hole and the floor of the home. This makes a significant safety barrier against predation from House Sparrows, Starlings and Blackbirds, for all cavity nesting species.

  There has been another discovery assisting in the battle against bird predators. It has been observed that Purple Martin houses that have entrance holes that are 2 inch crescent shaped, are less susceptible to predation. Starlings and Blackbirds find it difficult to navigate a hole this shape and size, but Purple Martins are able to use the entrance without difficulty.

• Gourd houses provide better insulation properties all year. They keep the warmth in during cold weather and the heat out during summer. (Wooden bird houses also have this same advantage.)

  Metal, such as aluminum, has poor insulation properties. It is important to note that cold temperatures in May and June, several years ago caused high mortality rates in the Purple Martin population in the northern United States and Canada. Perhaps paying attention to the differences in regional temperatures and the effect that has on bird house building materials is warranted.

• Many species of birds will choose gourd bird houses over other types as mentioned earlier, but interesting enough House Sparrows do not. This is particularly good news for some people as House Sparrows have acquired a bad reputation over the years for their aggressive behaviour. This dislike has been particularly accentuated as people assisted the Bluebird population over the past couple of decades, in its recovery from near extinction. The House Sparrow would often oust a Bluebird family from a bird box, which was set up as part of the recovery program, even killing the baby birds.

  Attractive painted gourd houses.

  
  

• The natural colour of gourd houses are most often chosen first over other brightly painted bird houses. But, it is also important to note, that gourds as a craft, have been the objects of beautiful artistic talent and still used by our feathered friends!

How Do Man-made Gourd Houses Compare?

Bird houses made of wood and man-made gourds are also popular with our feathered friends. They come in second and third respectively as housing choices by many bird species. (Just a reminder to those starting out as backyard bird watchers, not all bird species nest in cavities. Others prefer to build their nest on a branch or other location.)

Man-made gourds are usually made from a type of plastic. They have the same size advantage as the natural gourd bird houses. The insulation properties are not as good as the natural gourds but better than aluminum.

Gourds strung on a beam for cluster dwellers.

• Swallows, Purple Martins and other social species of birds. These species like to raise their young in close proximity to one another of the same species. To accommodate these types of birds, gourds can be strung up on a line or a pole system with arms that provide a place to hang the gourds. Hanging the gourds in clusters like this will support the setting these social birds thrive on.

• Wrens, Chickadees, Woodpeckers, House Sparrows, Bluebirds, and some Finches are all cavity nesters who will use a gourd house.

  (Don't be surprised if some birds use your gourd for a place to roost and not bother to build a nest in it. Learn about roosting boxes.)

  Most wild birds are territorial in their nesting habits. These cavity nesters will require 20 or 30 feet between their homes to be comfortable with their neighbours. Some don’t mind being closer to different species, but they will adamantly drive others of their own kind out of their territory.

Knowing that putting up a gourd house will be the number one choice by many wild birds has a special satisfaction.



Need More Information on Bird Houses

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Building Bird Houses that Get the Movers Hired

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