How to Build a Redbellied Woodpecker Birdhouse

The red-bellied woodpecker is a medium-sized bird native to the woodlands of the eastern United States. The bird actually has a very light red breast with black and white mottled feathers on its back and wings and a bright red cap that is easy to spot. These woodpeckers flit from tree to tree, digging with their hard bills into wood in search of insects for food. While the natural nesting space for red-bellied woodpeckers is a hollow tree, a homemade, box-shaped birdhouse also makes a good place to raise their young.

1 x 8 board, 7 feet long
Saw
Pencil
Hammer
Drill with 2-1/2 inch hole saw and 1/8 inch drill bit
Hook latch

Instructions

- 1
  Cut the board into one 20-inch long back board, one 14-inch long face board, two 15-inch long side boards, one 6-inch long bottom board and one 8-inch long roof board.
- 2
  Draw a center line down the length of the face board. Drill a 2-1/2 inch hole in the face board about 2 inches from one end of the board along the center line.
- 3
  Measure 1 inch from the end of each side board along one of the long edges. Make a mark on the side of each board at that point. Draw a straight line from that mark at an angle to the opposite corner on the same end of each board. Cut the side boards with the saw along that line. These angled cuts form the top edges of the side boards.
- 4
  Place the long edge of one of the side boards onto the front of the back board so that the bottom of the side board is about 2 inches from the bottom and along the outer edge of the back board. Nail the side board to the back board.
- 5
  Place the 8-inch edge of the bottom board against the side board and the 6-inch edge against the back board. Align the bottom board to the bottom edge of the side board. Nail the back board and side board to the bottom board.
- 6
  Place the other side board on the face of the back board opposite the first side board. Align the bottom of the side board to the edge of the bottom board. Nail the back board to the side board and the side board to the bottom board.
- 7
  Position the face board with the 2-1/2 inch hole at the top to the edges of the side boards. Align the bottom of the face board to the edge of the bottom board. Nail the face board to the side and bottom boards.
- 8
  Place the roof board on top of the side and face boards. Align the back edge of the roof board to the back board and center the roof.
- 9
  Position the open hinge in the center of the back board and on top of the roof board. Screw the hinge to the back board and roof board. Screw the latch of the hook latch to the outer edge of the roof board. Screw the eye screw of the latch to the side board to latch the roof closed.
- 10
  Drill 1/8 inch mounting holes along the center line of the back board about one inch from either end.

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