Do-it-yourself titmouse from what to make. Do-it-yourself birdhouse for tits

You will need: pieces of unpainted boards 2 cm thick, nails and / or screws.

For the side walls, blanks 16 cm wide and 26 cm long will be required, for the bottom - 12 × 12 cm. The bottom is inserted between the side walls and nailed. In this case, it is necessary to deviate from the ends by 2 cm on each side, based on the facade and back wall.

The lid should have a size of 18 × 20-23 cm. It is good if it is sloping, for example, from a slab. A visor protruding by 3-4 cm should be provided in front, it is left behind only if the house is not attached closely to the tree trunk. The lid is screwed on or hinged to allow the house to be cleaned at the end of the season.

For the back wall, you will need a blank 12 cm wide and 26 cm long. A narrow and long board is attached to it (no more than 11 cm wide and about 50 cm long) or a bar so that the house can be hung on a tree. If nails are used for fastening, then their ends must be bent from the outside. After that, the back wall is put in place and nailed through the side walls.

For the facade wall, you will need a board 12 cm wide and 26 cm long. Stepping back from the top edge of 5 cm, a round hole with a diameter of 3.5 cm is hollowed out or drilled in it. If the surface of the board is smooth, then you need to scratch it deeply, making a kind of horizontal steps for the chicks : otherwise it will be difficult for them to get out.

A "porch" from a small piece of board is usually made for starlings, but it will also work for tits. It is nailed so that the caps are inside the titmouse, and the tips are directed outward.

The front wall is fixed in the same way as the back wall - through the sides of the house. If you are afraid that the tips of the nails stick out inside the house, you should unscrew the screws on the cover, remove it and check the quality of the walls and bottom fastening, and then install it back.

Titmouse is hung at a height of 3 to 6 m straight or with a slight forward inclination. It is better to choose a tree with a dense crown so that the house is hidden by foliage. For fastening, a strong wire is used, under which a piece of burlap or rubber from old bicycle cameras is placed so as not to damage the trunk.

Important

• the thicker the boards, the more comfortable it will be for the birds;
• there should be no gaps in the titmouse;
• the house is not painted.

In the article, we’ll talk with you about how to make a titmouse - a convenient home for decorative birds needed in any summer cottage. We hope it will be very interesting and informative!

Titmouse is designed for birds such as titmouse, garden redstart, goldfinch, pied flycatcher and many other decorative birds that will not allow a large number of pests to breed and develop in your summer cottage. And yes, they look amazing.

How to make a titmouse

If you have a desire to have tits in your garden, attract them with comfort, and not with the original compositions of the bird house. Be wary of the use of new building materials: in houses made of plywood, asbestos-cement pipes, roofing felt or baked clay, birds simply will not survive during low temperatures. Moreover, plywood is quickly destroyed by rain.

How to make a titmouse

If you think carefully, then creating a comfortable home for beautiful and useful birds is not the slightest difficulty for a simple gardener. Such birds will gladly settle in a wooden house with a horizontal roof (the titmouse, as a rule, is hung on a tree with a slight slope forward - which is quite enough for water to drain). There is no need to plan the workpieces; the titmouse will not be able to climb the smooth and slippery walls inside the house.

Drawing of a titmouse with dimensions (Large and Triangular titmouse)

It is best to use not a board for the roof of the house, but a slab directly with the bark. For convenient internal cleaning, the roof of the house is made removable. It is necessary to clean when you are completely sure that there is no one in the house. A litter of sawdust or dust is laid on the floor, up to 2 cm thick.

Scheme of wooden titmouse with dimensions

It is not necessary to make a shelf under the notch (the entrance for the bird) - the birds do just fine without it, but for cats and crows it will serve as a good support.

Help for the birds

In order for the birds to build their own housing to their liking, make a titmouse with lattice walls. Put something like cotton wool, tow, dry grass in it and hang it on the intended tree. In the process of life, to build a nest, tits pluck wool from animals and all kinds of suitable material. Now they do not have to do this, everything is prepared in advance by your hands right there in the garden.

How to hang a titmouse

Nailing a house to a living tree is not worth it. You just need to tie it to the trunk with a thin wire. And it will be even better if you attach the house with a bar. To the ends behind the titmouse closer to the roof, you need to nail a bar that will hold the house in the fork of the tree branches. To hang the house, you need to hook it with a pole with a nail nailed into it at the end of the notch (entrance for the bird) and hang it in any horn on a tree you like. A house made in this way can then be easily removed for transfer to another place or for preventive cleaning. In order not to damage the branches of the tree, the plank itself must be wrapped around the edges with soft material or the edges should be rounded.

Tin from cats

Upholster the pole on which you hung the birdhouse at chest level with a sheet of tin for 1 meter. Cats will not be able to climb over slippery tin, thus reducing the threat to the chicks. If you did not find a piece of tin, wrap the pole with barbed wire. Such methods are also good in protecting tree nests. Use them with care so as not to harm the tree and prevent the trunk from further development.

• On a plot of 4-5 trees, one such house is enough.
• Do not direct the letok to the leeward side (from where the wind often blows). Point it south, southwest. Hang titmice at a height of 3-5 meters.
• In winter, it is necessary to constantly feed the birds until spring. Otherwise, they will die without finding food in their usual place.
• can be made from food boxes or bottles that need to be washed thoroughly. Close the neck with a lid, and cut an entrance in the bottom and hang it horizontally. In winter, eating from such a feeder, the birds look for a home nearby. Tits do not forget where they were fed in the summer and willingly settle on the site.

Signal for tits

Setting tits on pests is very simple. Anoint the bark of trees with pests with unsalted melted fat. Tits are very attracted to such a smell, they will quickly flock to the treat and quickly pick up all the pests.

One of the effective ways to control pests is to attract birds to the garden. And the best way to solve this problem is considered to be the placement of bird houses on the site, in particular titmouses, since it is the titmouse (great tit and other species) that is the most useful bird in the fight against garden pests in the Moscow region, and it easily populates artificial nests.

We will tell you about how to make a titmouse with your own hands and attract useful birds to the garden in this article.

Materials for the titmouse

Fresh planed boards and boards coated with paint or impregnation are not suitable for building a titmouse. The pungent odor can scare away birds.

The best building material for creating do-it-yourself bird houses are considered to be untreated boards of a characteristic gray color that have already been laid down. Artificial nests made of such "natural" material are willingly inhabited by birds. Of course, old boards must be durable without rot, without through holes and cracks.

Construction of the titmouse

Sinichnik consists of four walls, a bottom and a roof.

The optimal height of the walls of the tit box is 280-300mm, width is 120-140mm. The height of the bird house is dictated by safety. Less deep artificial nests can be destroyed by predators (birds of prey, cats, and others).

On front wall titmouse needs to make a notch. Optimum diameter notch for tits 30-35mm. This size will provide protection from predators and increase the likelihood of settling the house with a titmouse. The distance from the roof to the upper edge of the notch should be 35-50mm.

A hole for a notch can be made with a milling cutter or a special drill, or it can be knocked out with a chisel by pre-drilling holes around the perimeter. The edges of the notch do not have to be perfect.

It does not make sense to equip the notch with a special perch, since tits, like most other birds, do not use it, but such a stand will make it easier for predators to access the nesting site.

On the inside of the front wall from the very bottom to the notch, it is necessary to create a rough surface along which it will be convenient for the birds to climb to the exit. Such roughness can be done with a drill or fill a special ladder of thin glazing beads.

Bottom must be removable, since the titmouse must be cleaned annually. It is best to make the bottom two-layer. This will additionally protect the bird house from moisture and drafts. The size of the top layer should correspond to the area of ​​the inner space of the titmouse, and the bottom layer should be the same size as the total area of ​​the artificial nest.

Roof the titmouse should be about 50mm longer than the bottom. The visor will additionally cover the notch, which the birds really like. As well as the bottom, the roof of the titmouse can, although not necessarily, be two-layer. Such a roof, if it is tightly inserted from above and does not fly off from a gust of wind, can not be screwed to the walls and left removable.

Assembly of the titmouse

After all the details are made, you can start assembling the birdhouse.

To connect the parts, it is better to use not nails, which eventually cease to securely fasten the tree, but self-tapping screws or screws. In order not to split the wooden parts when tightening the self-tapping screws, it is recommended to pre-make holes in the attachment points with a drill, the diameter of which is half the diameter of the self-tapping screw. For convenience, when assembling the titmouse, you can use a screwdriver (instead of a screwdriver).

The assembly of the titmouse begins with the attachment of two side walls to the back wall, then the front wall (with a pre-prepared notch), the bottom and the roof are installed. All parts must fit snugly against each other without large gaps and gaps. Otherwise, drafts may appear in the titmouse, or moisture will get into it. This will definitely scare away the birds.

To attach the titmouse to the support to the back wall, it is recommended to fasten a special metal loop or a strong rail that can be tied to a tree trunk.

Titmouse decor is acceptable. The main thing is not to overdo it with embellishment and not scare off future tenants. Remember, you need beauty, and birds prefer simple and discreet dwellings.

Installation of titmouse in the garden

Titmouse can be hung on the walls of buildings and structures, on poles or on trees. The fastening to the support must be strong and reliable so that the house cannot fall and does not stagger under the influence of the wind. It is very important that birds feel safe in artificial nesting. The minimum height at which a tit box is allowed is 3m.

When placing a titmouse in the garden, it should be borne in mind that the notch should face south or southeast. In houses that look to the north or west, birds most likely will not settle.

Titmouse care

During the cleaning process, you should carefully inspect the titmouse, if necessary, correct the mount to the support, tighten the screws, and in case of serious damage, repair or replace with a new one.

The settlement of the titmouse

Unfortunately, even correctly made and correctly installed titmouses in the garden do not always populate tits. The birdhouse may be left uninhabited or other birds may nest in it. If the settlement of the titmouse has not occurred, it is recommended to relocate it to another place. This can be done no more than once a year, outside the nesting period.

It is possible to increase the likelihood of colonization of artificial nests by installing seed and grain feeders in the garden during the winter. Accustomed to the place of feeding, the birds will willingly settle in the houses arranged by them in the spring.

conclusions

1. Installing titmouse will help attract useful tits to the garden and reduce the number of pests.

2. To create bird houses, it is better to use old raw and unpainted boards.

3. The optimal dimensions of the titmouse: height - 350-400mm, width - 130-150mm, depth 170-200mm. The diameter of the notch is 30-35mm. The distance from the roof to the notch is 30-50mm. The protrusion of the roof visor from the notch side is 50 mm.

4. On the inside of the front wall, it is necessary to make an artificial roughness or a ladder to lift the birds to the notch. The bottom of the titmouse should be removable two-layer. The roof of the titmouse can also be double-layered and laid on the walls without fixing.

5. It is better to fasten the details of the titmouse with self-tapping screws using a screwdriver.

6. Painting and decorating a birdhouse is not recommended.

7. In a small garden, 2-3 titmouses should be placed at a distance of 20-50m from each other. Tit boxes can be hung on walls, poles or trees at a height of at least 3m. The letok should face south or southeast.

8. Titmouse must be cleared of nesting residues annually in winter or late autumn.

Details for the titmouse:

Using a pencil and ruler, transfer the drawings of the details to the boards of the appropriate size. All parameters are given in centimeters. Draw a round inlet (lethole) with a compass on the front wall exactly in the middle at a height of 18 cm.

Using a jigsaw, carefully cut out the details along the contour. To cut the notch, make a through hole with a drill inside the intended circle, sufficient to insert a jigsaw file. After that, cut along the drawn contour and process the edges with sandpaper. Lay the mounting bar on its side and drill two through holes in it, large enough to pass a rope or wire through them, with which you are going to fix the finished titmouse to the tree trunk. In my opinion, nailing a birdhouse to a tree with nails is barbaric.

Assembly of the titmouse:

Before you start work, match the parts with the diagram and, without nailing it together, assemble it on the table to make it easier later. When knocking down, be careful and make sure that the unplaned surface of the boards is facing the inside of the bird house. Adult birds and chicks get out of it, clinging to the roughness with their claws, and if the inner surface is smooth, this can threaten the chicks with death. And now let's get to work.

1. Attach the fastening strip on the outside of the rear wall exactly in the middle and nail with 2 nails. The nails should protrude outward from the side of the plank, where they should be bent. 2. Nail the resulting workpiece to the side wall with 2 nails from the side of the back wall. 3. Pin the second side wall in the same way. 4. Take the bottom and use a hammer to carefully insert it between the three walls so that a flat surface is formed. Nail the bottom to the walls: one nail in the center of the bottom of the side walls and 2 nails from the side of the back wall. 5. Take the front wall, attach it to the resulting workpiece and nail it with 5 nails: 2 into the side walls and 1 into the bottom. 6. Take the lid and draw 4 lines from the inside: three at a distance of 2 cm from the edge and the fourth at a distance of 6 cm, as shown in the diagram by a dotted line. Then put a sleeve on the resulting square and nail it to the lid with 4 nails - one on each side. 7. Close the titmouse with a lid so that a visor forms over the entrance. The lid is not nailed to the titmouse, because after the nesting period in the fall it should be cleaned. But the lid must fit tightly so that neither a cat nor a crow, the main enemies of the chicks, can open it. The edges of the sleeve and the edges of the walls inside for better alignment will most likely have to be trimmed with sandpaper.

The view of the titmouse, familiar to all of us from pictures from books, also implies a six-pole perch, but the birds don’t really need it. Without it, the nest inside the titmouse will be safer, since it will not be so easy for a bird of prey to sit next to the exit, and for a cat to lean on its paw. In addition to the danger from enemies, the sixth contributes to bird fights between competitors for a convenient nesting site. If you still want to make a perch, cut out an even, strong bead, drill a non-through hole with a diameter of a matched pole just below the notch. So that it does not fall out of the hole over time due to fluctuations in temperature and humidity, before inserting the stick, put a little wood glue into the hole.

The titmouse is one of the most useful birds, because it is able to eat harmful insects in a volume equal to itself in just a day. These little birds prefer not to travel to warmer climes for the winter. How to help them survive the frosts by making a titmouse with their own hands, the dimensions of which will be comfortable for them, is described in this article.

Why do you need a titmouse?

Tits are faithful to their nesting place and do not leave it with the onset of cold weather. However, not all birds can withstand and survive severe frosts. It is especially difficult for them when sticky snow or unpleasant drizzle falls. Birds have nowhere to hide from the weather, it is becoming increasingly difficult to get food. Because they feed only on small insects, it becomes extremely difficult for them to feed themselves in winter. Therefore, it is important to help them and make a titmouse with your own hands. Dimensions, drawings can be found in available sources or, if desired, made independently.

Experts have calculated that by the arrival of spring only a third of the total number of birds remains. It is possible to increase their survival rate, and, consequently, the birth rate, with the help of houses with food made by kind people. A smart titmouse, having once tasted a delicious treat, will constantly fly to the feeder. And this, in turn, will save a fragile life and help to survive the winter.

Do-it-yourself titmouse: sizes, photos

Making a titmouse with your own hands is quite easy and simple. Usually large tits settle in hollows, so it will be great if the design of the house resembles a natural home. For this, slightly planed trimmings of wood and boards, such as pine, are suitable. By the way, the titmouse is somewhat different from its fellow birdhouse, both in diameter and in other measurements.

You need to prepare all the necessary tools that you will need to make a homemade titmouse. Dimensions are calculated in advance. You will need the following:

• hacksaw either;
• not without a hammer;
• drill, it can be manual and electric;
• a drill designed for woodworking;
• pencil, tape measure, joiner's nails;
• brush and paint (odorless).

Do-it-yourself titmouse: dimensions

To properly make a home for birds, you must adhere to the following rules:

1. The thickness of the boards should not be more than 3 cm.
2. For the roof: the visor is made slightly protruding forward above the front wall.
3. For a small titmouse, the optimal bottom size is 9 x 9 cm.
4. The height relative to the lower part of the lid is 24 cm, the diameter of the notch is no more than 2.7 cm, the range from the center of the bottom to the hole of the notch is 16 cm.
5. for large titmouse: the diameter of the notch is 3 cm, the parameters of the bottom of the titmouse are 12 x 12 cm, and the height from the bottom to the lid is 25 cm, the distance from the bottom up to the notch is 18 cm.

Assembling a house for tits

The assembly of all components of the titmouse is carried out in the following sequence:

1. Before making a titmouse, the dimensions are verified, all markings on the boards are performed.
2. The parts are cut with a hacksaw along the outlined contours, then the outer side is slightly planed, the inner side does not need to be touched.
3. The back wall is nailed to the bottom.
4. The front wall is screwed to the resulting device.
5. The side parts of the bird house are nailed.
6. A roof is put on, and the finished product is painted with a brush, after which it is allowed to dry.

In order to be able to remove the roof of the titmouse in the future and clean it from dust and dirt, it is necessary to make it removable. The technology is simple: a small piece of board is nailed to the inside of the roof with nails, corresponding to a rectangle formed by four vertical walls.
Because tits almost do not settle in an unpainted house, it is necessary to paint it. Best in the color of young greens. If desired, the titmouse is treated with a protective impregnation before painting.

How to position correctly

On trees or special poles, craftsmen place the made titmouse with their own hands. The dimensions for this can be observed as follows:

• distance to the ground - at least 4 meters;
• if it is supposed to build several titmouses, then they are installed against each other, the optimal distance is 20 or 22 meters.

Do not forget about the direction of the notch relative to all four cardinal points. A large tit chooses a nesting area directed to the west by an entrance. This is simply explained: the bird flies all day, and goes to the nest at night, focusing on the notch, which is illuminated from the western side.

Titmouse trees are best hung in the fall, while choosing a dense crown of branches. Over the long winter, the birds will gradually choose a new home, get used to it, and begin to spend nights in it more often. Subsequently, they will definitely stay there to live. If the titmouse is hung at the end of winter or in the spring, then it will most likely go to other birds that return from wintering.

How to fix the house

1. Do not nail the house to a tree, you just need to attach it with wire, rope or suitable material. Plank is the best option. A half-meter long plank of wood is carefully nailed to the end of the titmouse. She secures the house between the branches. They are hung on a tree using a constructed pole with a nail at the end, which is hooked directly behind the notch. A do-it-yourself titmouse made (dimensions allow it) can be quickly removed for transfer to another location.
2. The second method of attaching the titmouse allows you to fix it on the trunk and branches of a tree using a wire loop. It is enough to hammer the bracket into the pre-drilled holes in each side, then pass the wire through them - and you can hang it. But you should try to bend the ends of the bracket at a right angle. As such staples, a wire 3 mm thick and 1.5 cm long is quite suitable.
3. The third way is the pole. A simple stick is nailed to the back wall of the house. It is desirable to upholster it with tin so that the cats cannot climb into the bird's nest, and the chicks remain unharmed. If there is no tin at hand, then barbed wire or similar material is taken.

Arrangement of the house

After hanging inside the titmouse, dried wood dust is poured with a layer of 1 cm along the entire bottom. Peat elements are also used for this purpose.

It needs periodic maintenance. In autumn and winter, titmouses are cleaned of accumulated debris, because it is a collection of lice and ticks.

Tetrapacks, any plastic bottles are used to design the feeder. They are filled with oats, nuts, berries. Titmouse grains, bread crumbs and millet do not favor - they are tasteless and not very nutritious for them. A favorite delicacy of titmouses are sunflower seeds and hemp. A great joy for the little defenders of the garden will be a piece of bacon, but not salty, which is hung on a string. Titmouses fly up and peck it, hanging with their paws on a thread.