Victorian Bird Houses - The Ultimate House For Your Birds

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One of the most popular items to add to your backyard is a bird house or a bird feeder. Millions of people have one of these in their yards. Because of that, many birdlovers want to add a birdhouse that is unique or catches their visitors eye. Decorative birdhouses are a great way to do that, and many unique houses like church birdhouse and log cabins can be found, but one of the more popular styles is the Victorian architecture.

Now, it should be noted that there is not one specific style that is truly Victorian, but there are a number of styles that were popular in the US around the time of Queen Victoria's reign in the last 60 years of the 1800's. Different styles became popular in the the Northeast (for example, the Stick-Eastlake with its steeply pitched roofs and wood shingles) to the Southern and Western states (Queen Anne with its wide balconies and wrap around style) to Italianate style which was popular in many places, including New Orleans and San Francisco, which featured bay windows and oddly placed chimneys.

Even though the styles of these home varied significantly, the one common theme was that they represented a lifestyle, sort of the 1800's version of the rich and famous. Conspicuous consumption and excess was the theme, and that was was what you spent your money on.

So these birdhouses of today allow us to recapture just a little of the grandeur of the era, by putting a little piece of it in our homes. Since most of us can't afford or even want to live in one of these homes, it's a small luxury we can afford to put one in the yard.

Just like the homes of the era, there are a wide variety of Victorian birdhouses to be found. You can find simple cottages, or multiple story houses, with intricate roofs and replica balconies and porches.

Many are hand crafted, but these days many of the decorative birdhouses are fashioned from resin material that is actually molded, which allows very intricate designs to be built at an affordable cost. There are also many miniature ceramic birdhouses as well, and you can even find some that come with a pedestal.

Bird Feeders and Bird Houses - How to Properly Care and Maintain Them For Backyard Birding Fun

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Outdoor bird feeders and birdhouses are extremely popular with bird watchers and birding enthusiasts. For many there is nothing more exciting than getting up in the morning and watching birds nesting and feeding in the backyard. Children and adults alike are able to learn a great deal about birds by watching them each day. What many bird enthusiasts do not realize is the fact that owning a bird feeder and bird house requires more effort than just stocking it with seed. In order to keep the birds safe and healthy, homeowners must do what they can to properly set up and maintain these items.

The first step in protecting birds is placing birdfeeders and birdhouses in a safe location. Place bird feeders in a very open location that gives birds a chance to see, and react to, any predators like house cats. They can also be hung from poles making them virtually inaccessible. When hanging a bird house always place them in a high location away from any potential perch that can be used by predators like cats. Even if you do not own house cats it is important that you follow this advice since neighboring cats can easily get into your back yard and attempt to attack what they consider to be easy prey.

In some situations hawks will be attracted to your bird house or, more than likely, your bird feeder. If you notice a hawk coming near your bird feeder several times a week take it down for a few days and keep a look out for the hawk. Once the hawk has come, not seen a buffet, and left, put it back out. The hawk will leave your yard alone once it believes its free meal ticket has been called in.

The second step you can take to ensure the safety and health of the birds your feeders and houses attract is to keep everything clean. This is one thing that many people forget and overlook. While most people are used to cleaning indoor bird cages they do not think to clean outdoor bird houses. A bird house, after time, can attract and develop parasites which could cause sickness and disease to spread among the birds nesting in it. You should clean your bird house at least once a year or twice a year to be perfectly safe.

Bird feeders need to be cleaned much more often because of the number of birds coming and going on a daily basis. Remove any seeds from the ground around your birdfeeders and bird houses to discourage birds from attempting to eat it. Also empty and clean the bird feeders once or twice each month while constantly replacing the seed with fresh, dry, bird seed to keep the birds from eating moldy seed which can make them sick.

Outdoor birdfeeders and birdhouses can be fun for the entire family. They give you a chance to observe many different types of birds without having to leave your yard. In order to enjoy this special treat for a long time it is important that you and your family work hard to maintain a clean, safe, environment for your birds.