Even The Most Basic Bird House Required Ventilation

February 17th, 2009 by Johnson

One of the best ways to help birds who are having their natural environments disappear due to human encroachment is to build bird houses for them to nest in. But what makes a good birdhouse?

In a way, the question is unanswerable. A good bird house is different for each type of bird. A good bird house for a wren is not necessarily a good birdhouse for a robin and vice versa. A good birdhouse is built for the species of bird that you want to inhabit it. But there is one main trait that every good bird house should possess – even one as simple as a pop bottle bird house..

Of all the features that a good bird house can have, one of the most important is ventilation – both top and bottom. Every bird house should have holes at or close to the top of it in order to allow hot air an easy escape during hot weather. Without ventilation, birds can suffer from heat stress in birds as the interior temperature of the bird house rises to unbearable degrees. The lack of ventilation is particularly intense when the roof of the bird house is badly insulated, a leading cause of overheating. Birds do not have sweat glands and can only get rid of excessive heat by panting. In hot and humid temperatures, however, it can be hard for them to pant enough to lower their body temperature sufficiently. Ventilation helps to keep the interior temperature stable by creating cross breezes in the bird house.

Floor ventilation is just as important as roof ventilation. Even the simplest of bird houses has at least one hole in it – the entry/exit hole. Thus in a heavy rain downpour even a well built one can have water blown into it. Holes or ventilation in the bottom of the bird house keeps water from building up and lets excess water drain. These holes prevent water from accumulating at the bottom of the bird house which can lead to dampness, mold and fungus build-up. A good drainage system will also prevent baby birds from drowning during a heavy rain.

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