Yellow finches are beautiful little songbirds that can add color and music to any backyard. Providing finches with a customized birdhouse designed just for them is a great way to attract more of these lively birds to your property. With a few simple tools and materials, you can easily build a charming yellow finch birdhouse that will become one of their favorite hangouts.
What Do Yellow Finches Look Like?
Yellow finches are small passerine birds that belong to the Fringillidae family. Some of the most common species in North America include:
- American Goldfinch – The males have bright yellow bodies with black wings and tail feathers. Females are more dull brownish-yellow.
- Lesser Goldfinch – Found in the southwestern U.S. Males have green backs with black wings and tails. Females are grayish-green.
- Lawrence’s Goldfinch – Native to California. Males have olive-green backs and bright yellow bellies. Females are dull gray-green.
In general, yellow finches are tiny acrobatic foragers that feed on seeds and insects. Their songs are lively, musical twitters. They are highly social and congregate in flocks.
Why Build a Birdhouse for Yellow Finches?
Providing custom birdhouses designed for specific species can help attract more of that type of bird to your yard. Here are some of the benefits of putting up yellow finch birdhouses:
- Give them safe nesting sites – Yellow finches build fragile, cup-shaped nests to hold their eggs. A sturdy birdhouse provides better protection from predators and harsh weather.
- Increase their numbers – More nesting sites means more opportunities for breeding pairs. This can boost the yellow finch population in your yard.
- Enjoy their beauty and songs – Yellow finches add lively color and cheerfully complex songs to outdoor spaces where they take up residence.
- Help bird populations thrive – Birds like the American goldfinch have suffered population declines due to habitat loss. Providing birdhouses can support conservation efforts.
A well-built yellow finch house filled with nesting pairs is a sure way to bring more of these delightful songbirds into your backyard.
Choosing a Birdhouse Design
Yellow finches have very specific needs when it comes to a manmade domicile. Here are some factors to consider when selecting or designing a finch birdhouse:
Small Entrance Hole
Yellow finches are very small birds that can fit through a hole as little as 1 1/8″ in diameter. An entrance hole this size also prevents larger species like house sparrows from taking over the birdhouse.
Thistle Seed Feeder
Incorporate a built-in thistle seed feeder into the birdhouse design. Finches prefer nyjer thistle above all other types of bird seed. Having a feeder attached will make your birdhouse even more attractive.
Good Ventilation
Yellow finches build airy, porous nests. Their birdhouses should also be well-ventilated to prevent the growth of harmful mold and bacteria.
No Perch
Avoid putting a perch beneath the entrance hole. Perches can give predators a place to sit and wait for birds to emerge. Yellow finches are perfectly able to cling to the hole without a perch.
Weather Resistance
Use weatherproof, rot-resistant materials. Look for wood that is non-toxic and free of chemical treatments. The birdhouse should be durable enough to protect the nest from wind, rain, and sun.
Keeping these key points in mind will help you select or design a birdhouse that suits a yellow finch’s needs.
Material and Tools
You don’t need fancy woodworking tools or skills to build a yellow finch nesting box. It mainly requires simple household materials, beginner tools, and a little bit of patience. Here’s what you’ll need:
Materials
- 3/4″ untreated pine wood or cedar for durability
- 1/4″ wood dowel for the thistle seed feeder perch
- Thistle seed feeder
- Wood glue
- Galvanized nails or exterior wood screws
Tools
- Hand saw or chop saw
- Electric drill with 1/8″, 1/4″, and 1 1/8″ drill bits
- Hammer
- Sandpaper
- Tape measure
- Carpenter’s square
Cedar and pine are ideal woods to use since they are naturally weather-resistant. Just make sure any wood you choose is non-treated, as chemicals can be toxic to birds. Gather these supplies before starting work on the birdhouse.
Cutting the Pieces
Start by using a chop saw or hand saw to cut your wood into the following dimensions:
- Front panel – 5″ x 6″
- Back panel – 5″ x 6″
- Side panels (x2) – 5 1/4″ x 6″
- Floor panel – 5 1/4″ x 5 1/4″
- Roof panel – 6 1/4″ x 7″
Then drill a 1 1/8″ entrance hole about 1 1/4″ down from the top of the front panel. Sand any rough edges. The front, back, and side panels will have a groove cut about 1/4″ from the top that will hold the floor panel. Use a 1/4″ drill bit to make two holes on each side panel for the thistle feeder dowel.
Cut an access door out of the back panel about 4″ wide by 3 1/2″ tall, with the bottom edge about 1/2″ up from the bottom of the panel. This door can be attached with small hinges or screws so you can easily clean out old nesting material at the end of each season.
Assemble the House
Once your pieces are cut to size, you can start assembling them together:
- Attach the front to the side panels using wood glue and nails/screws. Make sure the edges are flush.
- Add the back panel the same way.
- Glue and nail the floor panel into the grooves cut into the front, back, and sides.
- Put wood glue on the top edges of the walls and rest the roof panel on top.
- Attach hinges and latch to the access door.
- Insert dowel through the holes in the sides for the thistle feeder.
- Add feeder, fill with thistle seed, and enjoy your new yellow finch hangout!
Let the glue fully dry before mounting your birdhouse outside. Add a few coats of non-toxic stain or water sealant if desired. Then find a sheltered spot near some trees and shrubs and secure the house 5-10 feet off the ground.
Tips for Birdhouse Placement
Where you place your yellow finch birdhouse on your property can really impact how likely the birds are to use it. Here are some tips:
- Choose an area near natural food and water sources like fruit trees or gardens.
- Face the entrance towards the east so the rising sun helps warm the house.
- Place 5-10 feet high on a tree trunk or pole.
- Include overhanging branches for shelter and foliage cover.
- Avoid facing the entrance towards a prevailing wind or stormy side of the house.
- Don’t place directly above a birdbath where droppings will fall in.
Monitoring the house to see if birds move in may take some trial and error. Be patient and adjust the placement if needed until you start to see yellow finches going in and out.
Maintaining the Birdhouse
Like any type of wildlife shelter, a birdhouse requires proper seasonal care and cleaning to keep it safe and sanitary for the animals. Here are some tips for maintaining your yellow finch house:
- Fall: Clean out old nests, feathers, and droppings after birds have migrated south for winter.
- Winter: Make any needed repairs before birds return in spring.
- Spring: Refresh thistle seed in feeder. Clean entrance hole of obstructions.
- Summer: Replace thistle seed regularly. Check for pests like bird mites.
- Year Round: Clean droppings off roof. Check for damage from squirrels or predators.
Taking good care of your finch boxes will mean fewer repairs, longer lifespan, and better experiences for the birds who use it.
Conclusion
With a few basic tools and materials, you can build a customized birdhouse specially designed to attract colorful, cheerful yellow finches. Carefully built with the right sized entrance hole, ventilation, and prime placement, a yellow finch house can successfully draw more of these lively songbirds into your yard. Maintain the house properly and enjoy watching pairs happily nest each spring and summer. The fluttering, flocking finches will add beauty and bird song to your outdoor space for years to come.