Kevin's birdhouse/squirrel box plans
I have made several birdhouses/squirrel boxes over the past few years. I started out with two squirrel boxes, which I originally got from this site. I ditched the idea of making a box which got attached to a support, and just made the back longer and added a hole at the top to attach to the tree, since there was some waste on the end anyway.
I decided to make an owl box, found some plans online, and built that also. After I put it up on the tree, I realized the dimensions were near identical to the squirrel box, but there was a perch instead of little steps, and the hole was bigger, and the method for attaching to the tree was slightly different. So, I found one box wobbled when only attached at the top, so the next ones I made longer on the bottom too so I could attach them to the trees on top and bottom. These worked well, although the first year we had a screech owl move into one box, and some ducks move into the other box. These two boxes we hung as far as the ladder would reach, probably on the order of 25-30 ft up. These boxes faced whatever direction was convenient for the ladder, these both happen to face West, and were in the East side of the property. The resulting ducklings jumped/fell the entire height into some longish grass below the box. Hard to beleive they were OK, but they waddled off after the mother to live somewhere else.
The following year we had squirrels move into the squirrel box, and a pileated woodpecker into the owl box. At some point, some honeybees moved into the owl box. We found that the owl box, which didn't have the convenient clean-out door on the side was a real pain to pull the bees out of, but we got them out anyway, and was good to populate our third hive of bees. I should also make note that after you assemble the birdhouse, I take a pair of pliers and bend the latch over extra (so you need pliers to open it too), because the first family of squirrels which we had figured out how to open the door.
I then made two other boxes, one for the back yard and one for next to the driveway. The back one faces North and the driveway one faces East. Nobody lived in the driveway box for a while, but a pileated woodpecker moved into the back yard one right away. He decided the hole I made was way too small and spent a ton of time making the hole bigger. He had a mate too, who helped widen the entrance as well.
I made another two boxes, both placed in the back yard. One I made for larger birds, sizing it based upon some owl box plans which made it I think about a foot square, and a good 2-1/2~3 ft tall. It was a pain to hang, had to use a pulley system in the end. I should make mention that I have considered a pulley system for hanging these boxes, since they are fairly heavy, and when the ladder is stretched up high and close the the tree, it is quite a precarious position, and not liking heights, feel a bit uncomfortable more often than not. I found that if you put the box on the ladder rung above you and go one or two rungs at a time it isn't so bad to get to the top, and carry the battery powered drill either in the other hand, or hanging from a belt loop with a bungie cord. If you wonder about having one hand to hold the bridhouse, and one for the drill, which hand holds the ladder, you quickly get the idea the whole affair is kind of interesting. Put the screws in before you go up always helps too. I have found that if you take a scrap of lumber up, and place it on the top rung, and then the birdhouse on this, it is very helpful. Screw the house into the tree, then remove the block of wood, and then when you get off the ladder, when the ladder springs up from not having the burden of you being on it, it won't wedge the ladder under the birdhouse so badly. These two boxes were hung in the back yard, one facing NorthEast, and the big one facing East. The big box was empty for a long time, and the other backyard box had squirrels, then driveway box had doves/pigeons for a short time.
So, last year we got two (maybe three) batches of honeybees in the boxes, one of the original two boxes on the East side, and one from the back side (the one which had woodpeckers in it twice now). We attempted capture of both, but neither one took to the hive, and they absconded. We scraped them out extra good, but we do have every expectation of collecting a couple of hives next time the bees are swarming. Once they move in, the wax and such impregnates into the wood, and following years the new swarms are attracted to the scent of the previous occupants.
This year, we have another screech owl move into the driveway box, and a pileated woodpecker moved into one of the two original boxes on the East side of the property. There is a woodpecker just moved into the back yard box, but I suspect the one who moved into the East side box decided he liked the backyard box better. A squirrel moved into the giant box - not sure what he does in there with all of his room - I should really consider getting cameras installed to see what these critters do all day. =)
Anyway, here are the plans I used for making most of the boxes. The first two I went to the man mall (Home Depot) and bought some nice pine boards, but since I have been overwhelmed with scrap, and have been just using odds and ends to complete the rest of the boxes. I think the birds and squirrels seem to just be happy they can be dry.
