Birdhouse Pros and Cons

Here's What To Consider Before Setting One Up

By Richard Worden

Birdhouses can add an aesthetic appeal to your home and bring birds into your backyard, making it a lively atmosphere. However, owning a birdhouse also means regular maintenance checks, especially when a group of hatchlings leaves the nest. So, what are the birdhouse pros and cons?

A birdhouse provides a safe home for birds to take shelter from the elements, raise their young, and stay away from predators. However, attracting birds to your birdhouse isn't easy, and it requires some effort to set up, keep it clean, and ensure birds build their nests here.

In this article, we'll discuss some birdhouse pros and cons so you can decide if it's worth having a birdhouse in your garden.

Advantages of Birdhouses

Keeping a birdhouse in your backyard may take some work, but it's worth the effort for several reasons. Here we take a look at a few advantages of having a birdhouse:

1. Lively Atmosphere

Few things are as magical as waking up to the sound of chirping birds, and keeping a birdhouse in your backyard ensures your mornings are cheerful. The activity of birds constantly moving around in your backyard makes for a livelier atmosphere.

2. Increased Pollination

Like all animals, birds are also plant propagators and will pollinate the flowers and plants in your backyard. By introducing a birdhouse into your backyard, you start to build a healthier ecosystem around your living space.

Aside from pollination, some birds aid in seed dispersal by eating and excreting the berries and seeds in your garden.

Additionally, bird scat (poop) makes an excellent fertilizer for your plants, much gentler than any of the chemical fertilizers we're used to handling nowadays. So while having bird poop on your lawn may not sound too appealing, it's the best thing for it!  

3. Pest Control

Wrens, hummingbirds, and sparrows love to feast on tiny bugs that crawl around your backyard. Many of these insects are plant pests and will destroy the health of your garden if left unchecked. By bringing birds into your backyard, you can keep a check on pests and ensure the health and survival of your garden.

4. Increases Property Value

A single birdhouse probably won't shoot up the value of your home. But having a few birdhouses in your backyard set up decoratively can improve the aesthetic appeal of your home.

Additionally, regular visits by birds also signal to potential home buyers that your home is a peaceful recluse. And that's a good bargain for anyone moving into a new home. So while birdhouses may not directly increase the economic value of your property, it improves curb appeal.

5. Natural Weed Killers

Many birds eat the tiny seeds on the garden floor that are invisible to the human eye. Unless, of course, you decide to get on all fours for a closer look. Many of these seeds tend to sprout weeds that can strangle the roots of your plants, killing them slowly over time.

Bringing birds into the picture helps resolve this threat because they keep the weeds under control.

6. Improved Aesthetic

Some birdhouses come with designs that can revolutionize the look of your garden (or turn it into something ridiculous if you're not careful). And by placing the houses adequately using a bit of exterior decor knowledge, you can significantly improve the look and feel of your backyard space.

7. Protects Birds

Of course, this is pretty obvious. But if you think about it, how many people go out of their way to set up a safe space for another living creature? It's an act of kindness, and it feels good to know that a bird felt safe enough to build its own home next to yours. It's an intangible benefit of having a birdhouse, but probably the best one.

Disadvantages of Birdhouses

We've looked at the positive side of birdhouse pros and cons, and there are quite a few! While you can't deny the benefits of adopting these feathered neighbors, there are certain drawbacks that come with having a birdhouse.

1. The Birdhouse May Stay Empty

You might have the best-looking birdhouse on the block, but it's up to the bird if they wish to move in. Some birds are picky and prefer to build nests at certain heights or only if the birdhouse faces a specific direction.

So you may set up your birdhouse to find that some birds have already built nests in other parts, leaving these tiny homes unoccupied.

2. You Can’t Put It Up Anywhere

Some birds are picky about where their nest must be built. In general, you have to adhere to specific norms when setting up a birdhouse.

• The birdhouse must be under the shade.
• The opening must face away from prevailing winds, so it doesn't get too cold.
• It needs to be set up in a spot that's easily accessible by birds but inaccessible to predators.
• The paint on the birdhouse shouldn't be too dark, or it may get hot in the afternoons.

All these restrictions mean you may be unable to set up the structure where you'd like. And in some cases, the only spots that work may be hidden from view or not where you want a birdhouse to be.

3. Most Birdhouses Host Small Birds

Unless you're getting an owl house or something that can accommodate a giant bird, most birdhouses are built with tiny openings, enough to accommodate the smallest birds. Of course, there are plenty of little birds in the world, but some of them may not visit your backyard.

The bigger problem, though, is that birdhouse holes tend to get bigger over time. The bigger gap prompts larger birds to investigate the house, which can disturb the nest and even harm the chicks. So when you set up a birdhouse, it's crucial to keep an eye on the aperture and fix it if necessary.

When You Should Get a Birdhouse 

Now you've explored the birdhouse pros and cons so you can decide whether or not it's worth getting one in your backyard. It's not such a hard decision, considering birds can significantly improve your living space. However, if you aren't sure it's worth the effort, ask yourself these questions.

• Are you willing to set up a birdhouse in a spot ideal for the birds, irrespective of your personal preferences?
• Will you clean the structure every time a set of hatchlings leaves and the nest is abandoned?
• Are you willing to set up the birdhouse as best as possible and wait patiently till birds eventually show up?

If the answer to these questions is yes, you're ready to build a birdhouse in your backyard.

Birdhouse Pros and Cons...Conclusion

We've explored only a few birdhouse pros and cons in this article, but these points will allow you to reflect on whether you should build one in your backyard. Of course, birdhouses take work and some awareness to know where to set them up. They also require a thorough cleaning a few times every year.

However, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks in this case. And if you're considering building a birdhouse in your backyard, it's best to go through with it. You won't lose anything by trying, and you can always remove it if required.

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Hi! I'm Richard Worden, the author and founder of We Know Birds.

Over 20 years ago I developed a keen interest in birds and birdwatching, and it has been my passion ever since. I am committed to spreading useful knowledge about birds to others so we might all enjoy them to the fullest.

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