How to Build a Yellow Canary Bird House

The canary, native to the Canary Islands, is a small bird in the finch family. In the wild, canaries often have a brownish-green coat, which resembles that of a sparrow. However, some captive mutations have been bred to exhibit a yellow coat, creating the yellow canary. Whether you are looking to attract wild yellow canaries in your yard or provide a home for your pet, building your own bird house can be a fun project.

Things You'll Need

  • Sheet of plywood (3/4 inch)
  • Pencil
  • Measuring tape
  • Carpenter square
  • Jigsaw
  • Hammer
  • 3-penny nails
  • Wood glue
  • Waterproof glue
  • Sandpaper
  • Safety glasses
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Instructions

    • 1

      Draw out the dimensions of your bird house onto the sheet of plywood using a pencil. The outlines for each side of the house should be exact. Measure the front and back of the house at 6 1/2 inches by 8 5/8 inches. Measure the two sides at 5 inches by 6 1/2 inches. Measure the floor 6 1/2 inches by 6 1/2 inches. Measure floor attachment rails 6 inches by 1/2 inch. Measure one side of the roof 6 1/2 inches by 9 1/2 inches and the other side of the roof 6 inches by 9 1/2 inches.

    • 2

      Identify the front and back sides of the bird house as two rectangles measuring 6 1/2 inches by 8 5/8 inches. The sides measuring 6 1/2 inches are your top and bottom. The sides measuring 8 5/8 inches are the sides of the house. You will have to modify these two pieces later to define your roof slope.

    • 3

      Draw a dot or some kind of indicator on the 8 5/8-inch sides of the rectangle using a pencil. The dots should be 5 1/4 inches from the bottom. Also, place a dot at the top of the rectangle at the center point of the 6 1/2-inch side. Draw a line from each dot along the sides of the rectangle to the dot at the top-center. This triangle will shape your roof slope.

    • 4

      Cut out the sides of the house using a jigsaw. Cut a 1 1/2-inch diameter hole in the front of the bird house to act as an entrance. Cut a 1/4-inch hole below the entrance hole to fit a perch, which will be added later.

    • 5

      Lay your pieces on a worktable. Align the pieces to make sure all were cut to the proper dimensions. Look for obvious oversights. Construct the house by securing the pieces together using a hammer and nails. Inspect the bird house for holes after it is built. Fill the cracks where the sides of the house connect using wood glue.

    • 6

      Mount the floor attachments to the inside front and back wall of the house using a hammer and nails. The floor attachments should be parallel to the front and back wall to provide support for the bottom floor. Secure the floor to the floor attachments. Fill any cracks using wood glue.

    • 7

      Attach the roof halves to the front, back and side walls of the bird house. The roof halves should be situated into a triangular shape with the side measuring 6 1/2 inches overlapping the side measuring 6 inches. Fill the crack between the roof peak with waterproof glue.

    • 8

      Finish each side of the house using sandpaper. Insert a 1/4-inch dowel into the perch hole in the front of the bird house.