Do birdhouses need ventilation holes
Whilst we open windows around the home to allow air to pass though, birdhouses are no different in that ventilation must circulate in what would become a hot box.
Birdhouses do need ventilation if building a box, with several well placed drilled out holes on the base doing the job. In conjunction with the entry hole, opening under the roof - all this creates proper air flow. Birdhouses remain hot, with only vent holes keeping it cooler - and with vents becoming drainage.
What you can do to create more comfortable living conditions inside a birdhouse all year round, is facing the birdhouse out of the sun whilst avoiding westerly winds.
Shade is vital for sustaining a cooler, more bearable birdhouse whilst a little direct sun won't hurt the birds.
Where you place the birdhouse will have a big say if the birdhouse gets too hot or cold, but as a rule for everyone; a bit of shade helped by a tree or a structure in the yard would be the safest spot to locate any birdhouse.
Failing all that, ventilation holes can save the season as fresh air can freely circulate around inside of the box - making it more bearable for the occupants.
Don't underestimate ventilation holes, with more holes cut out the better for birds.
Birdhouses continue to be a good idea for birds but what you do right or wrong can be a matter of life or death - so do be responsible by making sure vent holes are included.
Ventilation is circulated via the entry hole, several pre-drilled cut holes in the base, with opening slits beneath the roof overhang. All this helps to create ideal living conditions, as you proceed to make sure these vents don't get blocked up.
And as a bonus, ventilation holes become drainage for any dampness getting in the box, which would be allowed to escape.
With air and damp passing through the bird house vent holes, its important to make sure all vent holes have been painted or treated to prevent any rot setting in on the base. If the store-bought bird house ventilation holes haven't been treated, then don't sweat it.
Birdhouses DO need ventilation
Much like any other habitat for animals, birdhouses must be built with ventilation holes as its risks birds getting too hot as they nest in spring through summertime.
Even in winter as birds use birdhouses to roost, ventilation is vital for keeping what can be a wooden box that can get quite hot, due to it being well insulated.
How ventilation benefits your birdhouse occupants is to keep them cool, preferably at room temperature.
As you can imagine, in the dead of summer, or even in warmer weather the inside of a well constructed box can still get hot.
Regardless, these warmer conditions within a birdhouse remain sustainable for wild birds to cope with.
What you need to avoid is the box overheating, to which no ventilation allowed to pass through the birdhouse can cause this very real health issue.
Rather than one vent hole, a birdhouse must be littered in them, beginning with the main entrance hole.
3-point vent hole option
What you don't know about birdhouses is the main entry hole for birds to enter and exit can provide plenty of air.
However, a single drilled out hole cannot create proper air circulation, as an additional hole or more must be present in the box, wherever that may be.
As birds nest on the base of any birdhouse, the pre-drilled ventilation holes would be located at the bottom, so air can pass down or up through the box.
If the additional ventilation hole was in the roof for example, then air flow is avoided in the section of the birdhouse where its needed, in the living area below the entry hole.
Here is where a three-point ventilation hole system must be a built into the bird house, to allow proper air flow.
Beginning with the entry hole, several holes must be drilled out on the base.
In a addition to these well placed ventilation holes, slits would normally be open to the elements, hidden underneath the overhang of the roof on the left and right side. No rain or dampness can enter here as moisture would run off the roof as normal.
Default drilled out holes on base
What is a sign of a well-built birdhouse, and thus an important birdhouse requirement are these ventilation holes drilled out on the base.
Instead of rounded half-inch holes drilled out, the manufacturer may prefer to make sure there's square cut out holes on each corner, which is just as effective.
Default drilled out holes on the base of the birdhouse is all that's needed, so can be left.
If you want to be extra safe you can drill out several more holes as you see fit.
To notice any dampness unable to escape on the base, then a hole drilled out in this area by you can create a floor unable to flood - if indeed there was a flaw in the original construction.
Holes for ventilation on the base must be available from the outset, if not then you can guarantee other issues may be present, to which you'll find put in due course.
Allow air to ventilate
Regardless of the size of the birdhouse, ventilation holes are sure to allow fresh air to pass around the box, to benefit the nesting birds and their young.
To allow air to flow freely around the box all holes used for vents must remain open.
Trouble is as wild birds begin to create their nest internally, the nesting material can proceed to block vents.
You won't notice if this happens, as it goes unnoticed for most people; but it wouldn't hurt to spot any signs of possible flooding within the box, as damp wood near the bottom is seen via the outside.
Birdhouse entry holes won't be blocked at all while its in use but it helps to keep overgrown ivy or plants cut back.
Similarly, ivy or plants can grow up through the birdhouse via any open holes, such as those located on the base or under the roof overhang. To which you'd have to stop this long before it can enter the box.
Your job as an outside observer is to make sure nesting birds are well protected, with vent holes remaining clear.
Too NOT use air vents
Birdhouses are guaranteed to by bought with vent holes located on the base; if to make it yourself, then several ventilation holes must be drilled out.
But what if you didn't bother to create any ventilation holes? Or the birdhouse you are using currently isn't fitted with any well placed vent holes... well there could be trouble ahead.
First thing, for a birdhouse that becomes too hot, the adult birds are not able to withstand the heat, so will simply leave the nest whilst abandoning their young.
So you see, ventilation holes are needed or else breeding birds won't stick around.
You can rely on the entry hole alone with smaller entrance holes benefiting less; whilst bigger entry holes benefit a bit more, which can depend on what bird species you are targeting to nest in your birdhouse.
Where the entry hole is placed in the center spot would correspond to the slits near the roof, but again the air flow is in the wrong place, and therefore allowed to circulate higher up rather lower down inside the box where birds benefit most.
No need to go without ventilation holes in your own birdhouse, as you or someone else with a power drill can drill out a few well placed holes on the base for you.
Bonus vent holes as drainage
Whilst ventilation holes must be present on all birdhouses intended to be used by wild birds, remember these vent holes are used as drainage.
Birdhouses do need drainage to prevent the buildup of dampness within the birdhouse rising - while rain water is guarantee to enter the box once in a while - so would need a way to drain.
Drainage holes become ventilation holes when drilled out on the box base, whilst a few birdhouse builds can cut out channels into the base interior to be sure water flows to these holes, to prevent water resting internally.
You can never have too many holes on the base, and while they act as vents or drainage, any blocked up holes due to natural nesting material can be avoided with more holes than you really need.
Ventilation holes are a priority in birdhouses, its just sheer luck these same holes become bonus drainage holes.
What truly makes a good birdhouse is the presence of at least four vent plus drainage holes are located on the base - with any other opening useful for creating better air flow.
To summarize
As most common backyard birds begin to nest in a well insulated birdhouse come spring, ventilation is needed as the internal temperature can rise dangerously.
And while a birdhouse remains quite barmy in warmer months, vent holes can at least keep the temperature to living conditions.
Birds don't mind a hot bird house, but it must not be so hot it can kill the young, or cause the parents to abandon the birdhouse.
To allow fresh air to pass around the inside the birdhouse, and while the entry hole plays a vital role - holes must be drilled out on the base.
Bear in mind these same holes act as drainage to allow any potential trapped water, to otherwise escape.
Well constructed birdhouses would have holes in the base, with the entry hole and what would be slits visible underneath the overhang of the roof contributing to better air flow.
Never be tempted to cover holes if you feel they can become too cold as boxes can get too hot in the winter months - so all this helps to create livable conditions inside the birdhouse - for nesting in spring or roosting in winter.
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