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If you want to help birds who are having their natural environments disappear due to human encroachment, try helping to build bird houses for them to nest in. But what exactly makes for a good birdhouse?

The question is unanswerable in a sense. After all, a good bird house is different for each species of bird. What makes a good wren bird house is not necessarily what makes a good birdhouse for a robin and vice versa. A good birdhouse is built for the type of bird that you desire to inhabit it. But there is one primary trait that even the simplest bird house should have - even one as uncomplicated as a pop bottle bird house.

Of all the features that a good bird house can have, one of the most important is ventilation - both top and bottom. Every bird house should have holes at or close to the top of it in order to allow hot air an easy escape during hot weather. Without ventilation, birds can suffer from heat stress in birds as the interior temperature of the bird house rises to unbearable degrees. The lack of ventilation is particularly intense when the roof of the bird house is poorly insulated, a major cause of overheating. Birds have no sweat glands and can only get rid of excess heat by panting. In hot and humid atmosphere, however, it can be difficult for them to pant enough to lower their body temperature. Ventilation helps to keep the interior temperature stable by creating cross breezes in the bird house.

Floor ventilation is just as important as roof ventilation. Even the simplest of bird houses has at least one hole in it - the entry/exit hole. Thus in a heavy rain downpour even a well built one can have water blown into it. Holes or ventilation in the bottom of the bird house prevents water from building up and allows excess water to drain. These holes prevent water from collecting at the base of the bird house which can lead to dampness and mold and fungus build-up. Good drainage will also prevent baby birds from drowning during a heavy rain.

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