Birdhouse colors?

[Ufatz]

MAde a small batch of bird houses this winter in a variety of colors. Now am noticing that light blue seems to work, yellow not so popular, red with white roof sorta unpopular and the grey with white roof more likable.

Never really gave much thought to colors. What do you folks think and what are your observations. I'd hate like heck to have all that work and all that nice wood just stuck out there on a tree or post without a renter.

I get the sense yellow was not a good idea.

[Ufatz]

Well folks, I am really surprised there are no comments about this. Apparently it either makes no difference, nobody has even noticed any preference or everybody already knows all the answers and is disappointed that I don't.

I'll move along and maybe find another birding forum and ask the same question. I truly AM interested.

[eyeguy 54]

Just saw the thread. Missed it earlier. This guy knows nothing about bird houses. I just feed them. Don't most of them just make a nest? Cept bluebirds and wrens. And woodducks... Share some stuff and pics cuz I'd like to put up a house or 2 that works.

[Dotch]

I saw this too but forgot about it. My bad. Have painted wren houses I built or grew (gourds) over the years different colors such as white, green, and turquoise but the house wrens haven't appeared to be real fussy about color. All they really seem to care about is seeing how many houses they can stuff full of little sticks. The location has sometimes been an issue. There are some houses they just won't use until I've moved them.

My present batch of bluebird, wren and wood duck houses were purchased or were gifts. They're built from cedar and are just natural wood with no stain or finish. I still have some gourds left too and I don't paint them anymore. The wrens use them one season and I toss 'em as they're tough to clean out. That and the squirrels, chipmunks and deer mice tend to enlarge the holes making it tempting for house sparrows to use the gourd. Luckily gourds are a renewable resource.

[Gatores]

I just bought some bird houses nice to know what color to paint them. I do have 2 bird feeders, one that is a country blue, the other looks like a log cabin-brown with green roof. The blue one seems to get more company.

[Ufatz]

Okay gang. As I said, have never given it much thought until now. At this stage it appears all the new ones I have put up are Occupado...so I guess color is not a big deal. Location however, is more important I have concluded. But I think I AM going to stay with natural (cedar) on houses or light pastels.

And I never have figured out the "fill it with little sticks" thing. But I have watched a little male Wren build one place after another for his little mate and she apparently rejects them and he keeps on trying something new.

We live on a lake and surrounded by woods and have always had hundreds of birds within a quarter-mile of us and ducks, geese and loons nesting out front. Quite a place.

Thanks.

[DRH1175]

I honestly have had the best luck with natural colors, nothing too bright. If they are cedar I leave them alone or maybe seal the outsides with Thompson water seal. Otherwise light brown has been my favorite paint color. My mom has hers painted a white color and it seems to work.