The Best Outside Birdhouses
Adding a birdhouse to your backyard beautifies your space and provides a safe and comfortable home for your flying neighbors. You can choose your birdhouse for outside based on the bird type you'd like to attract, the style you want to add to your garden, or the upkeep commitment you're willing to put in long-term. You can also kickstart your search by scrolling through our favorite birdhouses for outside on the list below.
What to Look For
When we were looking for the best birdhouses for outside, we focused on three main aspects: Is it safe? Is it naturally attractive to birds? Is it also a pretty addition to your garden or backyard? Right away, we found ourselves leaning toward the Cartman Cedar box for its simple, long-lasting design. We also liked the GlitzHome birdhouse for its stylish exterior and bird-friendly interior. You can learn more about both of these pieces and our other picks on the list below.
Cartman Cedar Box BirdHouses
These birdhouses are handmade from non-rotting cedar wood, so you can trust them to last through many seasons. They can be hung on a pole in your yard or nailed to a tree for a more natural bird home. The bottom has a raised mesh layer to prevent critters from sitting in water if rain or snow happens to drip inside. We also appreciated the back side’s strong magnetic door for cleanout sessions as needed. Plus, the vent on top keeps birds breathing fresh air at all times.
Pros:
- The 1.5-inch entry is ideal for smaller backyard birds
- Calm, welcoming design
- Can be painted or left plain
- Kerf helps baby birds exit when they learn to fly
- Reasonable price point for two birdhouses
Cons:
- Wood lasts for years but not forever
GlitzHome Decorative Birdhouse
This birdhouse is comfortable for critters and serves as a beautiful addition to your garden. It comes in many styles, from floral decorations to tiny barns. It features a hook on top for easy hanging, so you can choose to display it with rope from a tree branch or on its own metal stand. Moreover, the entry hole is just over 1 inch in diameter, making it comfortable and safe for the smallest birds.
Pros:
- Hand-painted
- Long-lasting materials
- Textured metal top for rain diversion
- Back opens for cleaning purposes
- No perch to prevent predator birds from coming near
Cons:
- Needs to be cleaned out after each bird season
Zaer Ltd Multi-Birdhouse
Room for everyone
This castle birdhouse has enough room to simultaneously house four bird families. It comes on a pole with ground stakes to hold it in place, so you don’t have to worry about finding a place to hang it. This design provides extra stability for the birds as well. The copper material is designed to last year-round, looking nice in your garden throughout any season.
Pros:
- Comes well-packaged to prevent damage
- Easy assembly— just two pieces to twist together
- Various styles to choose from
- Heavy enough to withstand strong winds
- The 1.5 inch openings for small bird speciesÂ
Cons:
- Higher price point
Dawhud Direct Hand-Painted Birdhouse
Built to last
This birdhouse is designed to last many years, thanks to its durable and waterproof resin material. The outside is hand-painted for beautification purposes. It looks like a little acorn and comes with a string, making it easy to hang from a tree branch or shepherd’s hook. Tiny cottages, mushrooms, and pine cone designs are also available to choose from. No assembly is required, and the cleanout plug on the bottom makes the house easy to refresh for each new season.
Pros:
- Cute design makes for a great gift
- Serves as a nice garden decoration
- Protective design for small birds
- Lightweight
- Reasonably priced
Cons:
- Smaller than most outdoor birdhouses
Westcharm Elegant Freestanding Birdhouse
This product makes housing your backyard birds a breeze, as its self-standing design requires almost no set-up effort. Simply place the product on level ground and wait for your first bird family to move in. Three stakes are included for added stability. The entire piece is made of long-lasting polyresin material with an antique bronze finish, giving you the style that metal provides without the potential for rust. The 360-degree perch allows the piece to be used as a bird feeder if you prefer.
Pros:
- Tapered top to keep birds dry when they fly inside
- Can fit small and medium-sized birds
- The middle pole can be filled with rocks or sand for extra weight
- Adds style to any garden
- Easy-to-clean material
Cons:
- Shorter than most birdhouses with poles
Frequently Asked Questions
What features do birdhouses need in order to be considered safe?
Birdhouses do require a few specific features to be safe. First, they need an adequately-sized opening hole and indoor space for the breed you are targeting. Next, they typically should not have a perch since predator birds can target eggs and nestlings. And lastly, the houses need to have the ability to be cleaned out between seasons. Other features that are nice to look for include waterproof and windproof designs.
How can I attract birds to my birdhouse?
Hang the birdhouse in a location where you already see birds spending time. Tree branches may be more effective than posts near your home since they feel more natural to birds, for example. You can also provide food and water in or near the house for a period of time to initially attract birds to enter.
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