Wooden Hummingbird House Garden Decor

Small wooden bird houses do two jobs in a garden. They give small birds somewhere sheltered out of wind and rain, and they give a bare fence, a tree trunk or a wall something to look at, which is why they end up in gardens that are otherwise fully planted.

Timber is the right material. It breathes, so condensation does not build up inside the way it does in plastic, and it weathers into the garden rather than staying conspicuously new. The small entrance suits small birds specifically and keeps larger ones out.

Worth knowing: hummingbirds do not actually nest in enclosed boxes, so treat this as a decorative shelter and a feature rather than a hummingbird nest box. Hang it in a sheltered spot out of direct midday sun and prevailing wind, at least a couple of meters up and away from places cats can reach, and clean it out at the end of the season. Never use treated timber preservatives inside a bird house.

• Solid timber that breathes and weathers naturally
• Small entrance sized for small birds
• Decorative shelter: hummingbirds do not nest in enclosed boxes
• Hang sheltered, well off the ground and out of cats' reach
• Clean out seasonally; never treat the interior with preservative