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A birdhouse for a red-breasted woodpecker should have this general shape.birdhouse image by Chris Roselli from Fotolia.com
Lay out your materials on a surface where you can cut wood. The ideal dimensions for a red-breasted woodpecker house are 7 by 9 by 17 inches. Cut one bottom piece 6 by 6 inches, one back piece 17 by 7 1/4 inches, one front piece 14 by 7 1/4 inches, one roof 9 1/4 by 9 1/4 inches, and two sides 14 3/4 by 13 3/4 by 6 inches. The roof of the house will slope downward, hanging slightly over the entrance hole. Use the pencil and ruler to make precise measurements and mark each piece. - 2). Rasp the interior so that it is very rough for young birds to use as footholds when they need to climb out.
- 3). Drill a 1/2-inch hole on the back 2 inches down from the top and centered. Drill or cut a 2 1/2-inch hole on the front 2 inches down from the top and centered.
- 4). Hold all the pieces together to make sure that everything lines up. Begin nailing the pieces together, starting with the side to the bottom and checking for alignment as you go. Do not nail the left side or the roof yet.
- 5). Slip the left side panel into place to make sure it fits. Shave off the edges if it is too tight. Mark 1 inch down from the top of the front panel and draw a line from this point across the side panel to the back panel. Drive a small nail through the front panel partway into the left side panel at this point, and do the same in the back. This will act as the "door hinge," so make sure you can swing the left panel open at this point.
- 6). Drill a small hole through the front panel into the edge of the left side panel near the bottom. Put a lock nail or a right-angle screw in the hole to hold the door shut until you need to open it again.
- 7). Set the box upright and put a strip of caulking on the edge of the back panel where the roof will meet it. Put the roof in place and nail it into the back and front panels, but not the sides.
- 8). Mount the birdhouse on a tree 12 to 20 feet from the ground through the hole in the back. Add some wood chips and sawdust to the bottom of your birdhouse, as woodpeckers are natural diggers.
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