Are you searching a perfect house for your little Purple Martins? If you are interested in testing your creativity skills and want to add a personal touch to your pet's house, you can try your hand at making a birdhouse.
A little bit of creativity and a gourd is all that you require.
Yes, you read it right! Firstly, select a gourd that has a long wide neck with a round or spherical base.
Place it in a cool dry place.
Let it to dry.
This will take many weeks because gourds are very fleshy and retain moisture.
Check whether it has dried by shaking the gourd back and forth once a week.
If you find it to be lighter in weight then your gourd is almost ready.
Wait until you can hear the rumbling of seeds.
If you feel the seeds hitting against the gourd's wall, the drying process is complete.
Now, make a hole, which is large enough to place a grapefruit spoon inside.
Insert the spoon inside; remove the seeds, and flesh, if any.
Scrub the outer skin of the gourd with the help of a copper dish scrubber sponge.
You can dip this sponge in a mixture of bleach and water (1:10 ratio) and continue the cleaning process.
Drill tiny holes on the neck and the base of the gourd with the help of a keyhole saw.
Coat a layer of water sealant with a paintbrush and set it aside to dry for a week.
If you want to paint it, you can apply a layer of oil-based primer.
Let it to dry for about a week.
Then paint the exterior with acrylic paints of your choice.
Next, seal it with an exterior sealant.
Now comes the interesting part.
Find a suitable place too hang your birdhouse.
Pass a strong thread or leather cord through the holes on the neck.
Bring the two pieces of the cord together and tie it into a knot.
Hang it on a tree.
Let your birds enjoy their new home!