Thursday, May 2, 2013

Decorative Bird Houses At Their Best

By Alison Wilcox


There is nothing better than the sounds of birds chirping and going in and out of very beautiful decorative bird houses? They are everywhere. Neighborhoods, where there are many houses have them.

Birdhouses did not always have a quiet beginning. Different locations and people used them for different purposes. Some cultures enjoyed the beauty of having them around, some cultures used them to provide food. Some cultures even saw them as a species that needed to be protected and preserved.

The history of these houses probably goes back even further. The Turkish were the first to design houses that were a combination of ornamental decoration and beauty. However, the Europeans saw it quit differently. In their mind it was a way to obtain food.

These bird houses were very simple in design and later became very ornate and beautiful. Just as the houses were different, so were the reasons for building them. Refuge and preservation were some of the reasons to create them.

Europe in particular, made these types of houses strictly for food. They waited until the birds laid eggs in the house, and then they would collect the eggs that were deposited inside. Their interest was not especially aesthetic as it was practical.

The people indigenous to North America saw birds as part of the environment to be respected and protected. They made houses that were designed to encourage the birds to go inside and lay their eggs. They wanted to provide a place that would help them to reproduce and grow strong.

Materials varied from wood, twigs, and leaves, to clay, hollowed out items, or things that they discarded. This attracted the birds and many times having the bird around kept other undesirable creatures away. Each species was able to help the other.

The immigrants that were neighbors of the Native Americans also learned how to cultivate a healthy respect for the preservation of the birds. This has been translated to a pastime that is experienced today, by millions of people. Not all of the houses were the same. Different birds liked different types of structures.

The single-unit type of birdhouse is the most common one. There are also swinging birdhouses. The gourd type is also still used. Not every bird uses the same type of house. For instance, bluebirds like it better, when their house is on a wooden post or tree stump, a few feet off the ground.

Wrens have an interesting way of providing for the female. They use more than one dwelling, and they leave it up to the female to decide. For them it is better to leave several of them out for her to choose. Some birds like dim of shadowed areas, while others prefer to be out in the sun.

Since, the days of providing food, to being a hobby that brings pure delight, decorative bird houses bring a wealth of history and beauty to the world. Once again, we see the harmony between man and nature.




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