Would you like to make your garden animal-friendly in a creative and sustainable way by making a birdhouse out of corks? Below are some ways to do this!
If you are a wine lover and enjoy collecting wine corks, you can create something animal-friendly with them yourself or with your children. The natural material is perfect for building a nesting box or birdhouse to help feathered friends. This allows you to defy boredom as well as attract and provide shelter for various species of birds in the garden. So instead of throwing away recyclable wine corks or just leaving them sitting around, you can get inspired by the following ideas.
How and why make a birdhouse out of corks?
Cork is not only popular because of its special decorative charm, but is also an excellent insulating material. This doesWine corks as craft materialsa sensible, affordable and, above all, environmentally conscious choice for such outdoor structures. In addition, no special craftsmanship or time is required to realize such a DIY project. You can do the whole thing in a few hours by following some simple steps. There are therefore different variants that you can consider depending on your preferences. To do this, first watch the video below as a simple example to get a rough idea:
However, before you get started, it's important to consider a few factors and estimate how much wine cork you have. Of course, if necessary, you can ask a friend to give you some or buy them yourself.
- First and foremost, consider the nature and needs of the different species of birds they attract so as not to expose them to danger.
- To make your feathered friends feel comfortable, you should also choose the appropriate design and make sure that the size of the entrance is suitable for them.
- Use additional reusable materials such as wood, cardboard, or paint that are not harmful to the birds.
Otherwise, you can choose one or more of the following options before spring arrives.
Make a simple birdhouse out of wine corks
Materials
- Wine corks
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks made from weather-resistant material
- Carpet knife or other sharp knife
- Wooden dowel or a sturdy branch for the perch
- Eye hook and ribbon
- Optional: acrylic paint, sealants such as clear varnish, drill and sandpaper
Step-by-step instructions
- First, choose your building materials and collect enough of them to form the structure with. If you are aiming for an interesting design, the combination of different sized wine corks could be more varied.
- The next step is to cut the corks if necessary to make them flat and easier to attach to each other. However, this is optional and only serves to simplify the construction process.
- First, depending on your preference, you can design the structure by sketching the shape of the birdhouse. You can choose a traditional rectangular design or let your creativity run wild with different shapes. Just make sure the entrance is the appropriate size for the birds when it comes to a nesting box.
- Next, you can hot glue the cut or whole wine corks together to form the individual elements of the birdhouse. Choose an adhesive that adheres well and is non-toxic to avoid harm to the birds and to ensure durability.
- After that, use the wooden dowel or branch to create the perch. You can either drill a hole or glue the rod in place.
- The next steps are optional and you can sand, paint and varnish the cottage for a better look. The blue, green and yellow colors attract many species of birds as they remind them of bird food and their natural habitat. The sealant protects the surfaces from the elements.
- Finally, when the cork birdhouse is dry and sealed, hang it in a suitable outdoor location. To do this, use eye hooks that you screw into the wine cork and tie with the ribbon.
Spice up the cork birdhouse with additional elements
You can also combine other recyclable materials with wine corks for a project like this, depending on the size and function. For example, you could also create some parts like the roof or base using plywood, cardboard, or wood panels. Here are some example materials and tools you can use:
- Champagne cork
- Moss and dried flowers
- small bird nests and other decorations
- Wooden panels or cardboard for the roof or base, which you can cover with cork
- Again hot glue gun, glue sticks, knives and different sized wine corks
Create and beautify the cork nesting box or bird feeder step by step
- First, start again by collecting and sorting out the wine corks. As in the first example, if the individual pieces are cut to the same height, it will be easier to complete the structure.
- You can first create the base by either using a wooden board or gluing 4 wine corks together 5 times each. In total you will need 20 pieces, with which you can form the basis of the house. Another option is to position the individual pieces vertically along the board and glue them together.
- Next, you can make the walls by creating the sections one at a time with wine corks glued together. Leave an entrance hole at the front; you can make it easier for the birds to enter with two more corks glued vertically and of different heights. You can use 18 wine corks for each wall and 36 in total. Before adding the roof, cut the left and right walls at an angle with the knife. At this point you can also spread some moss or other nesting material around the interior.
- For both sides of the roof, you can either cover two wooden panels with cut-out slices of cork or glue wine corks together. If you choose the second option, simply glue 3 pieces together 12 times. So there are a total of 72 wine corks for the two sides of the roof.
- Finish off the roof by gluing some wine corks along the roof line.
- Now you can continue improving the birdhouse by embellishing the outside with dried flowers, moss and other decorations. Depending on the design, wine corks can also be used to create various parts such as retaining walls or a chimney can be created from champagne corks.
- Even in this case, you can seal and paint your creation before attaching the decoration so that it lasts longer.
- A bird feeder can be easily and creatively created from a hollow cylinder covered with wine corks.
What types of birdhouses do the most common bird species prefer?
When it comes to the best possible nesting box or shelter for feathered friends, shape and dimensions also need to be taken into account. In addition, each bird species has specific needs and preferences, and you can consider these for the following garden birds:
- Bird species likeTits prefer nesting boxes, or birdhouses that are shaped like a mailbox. The optimal proportions of such a structure are 13 x 15 x 25 cm, and the ideal hole diameter would be 3-3.5 cm.
- Sparrows: These are equally small birds, but they prefer slightly wider living spaces because they live in colonies. When building such a birdhouse, try to adhere to the minimum dimensions of 50 cm long and 30 cm high. This way you ensure that a larger number of sparrows will feel comfortable in it.
- Robin: You can attract this bird species, which often nests in gardens, with an open or semi-open nesting box. The optimal dimensions of the entrance hole should be 15 x 7 cm. The minimum dimensions of the robin box should be 20 cm in width, length and height, although the shape can be a simple square with an opening at the front.
- Thrushes: Last but not least, song thrushes build bird nests themselves, which is why you can easily create your cork birdhouse in an L shape. You can also cover this, but make sure your structure has an open front.
As you can see, there are numerous ways to help wild birds forage and survive by recycling sustainable materials like cork. With a little imagination and a few additional tweaks, you can offer every feathered visitor to your garden a comfortable new home.
