Wildlife gardening has many rewards – one of the sweetest of which is the dulcet tones of various songbirds. Why do birds sing? They normally reserve their song for establishing territory and mating rituals, although some birds seem to sing for the sheer joy of it.

Plant a few trees in your yard to offer shade, shelter and perches for many types of birds, including this juvenile goldfinch, who’s taking a rest from harvesting pollen-filled catkins and insects.

Photo Credit: ©2002 Dolezal Publishing/Donna Krischan

When you garden to bring in the birds, offer consistent food sources (as well as a reliable water supply), and your reward will be sightings of beautiful and occasional rare species – an Eastern bluebird, perhaps, or an American goldfinch. By providing nesting sites, you ensure an even greater number of visitors. Songbirds that are likely to visit include cardinals, chickadees, finches, nuthatches, orioles, robins, sparrows, swallows, swifts, tanagers, thrushes, titmice, towhees, warblers and wrens.

Since songbirds have a widely varied diet, encourage repeat visitors with diverse plantings. Some birds are herbivores that eat seed, pollen and buds, while others are omnivores, eating all those foods, as well as insects and worms. (Of course, some are carnivores, but chances are a healthy garden will offer quite a feast on its own.) A garden of freshly turned earth planted with fruiting bushes, cosmos, roses, sunflowers, trees and a few vines should ensure a season-long concert of food. Hang up a few feeders, add a birdbath and install some birdhouses with plenty of territory between them, and you’ve created an avian paradise.

Want to grow your own birdhouse? Consider the old standby – the gourd. Gourds with sturdy walls and hollow interiors have been used for centuries as birdhouses. A pair of vines will grow a dozen or more birdhouse gourds in a single gardening season. You can find seed just about anywhere vegetable seeds are sold. Then just gather your seed, hoe, watering can, gloves and eventually your drill, then follow the easy steps shown in the pictures and described in their captions. At the end of the growing season, your backyard birds will have a lovely new home to sing about!

Gourd Birdhouse - Step 1

Growing a birdhouse begins with the gourd. To plant, use your hoe or mattock to loosen the soil, incorporate any amendments or fertilizers, and raise a mound measuring 6-8 inches tall and 18-24 inches wide.

Photo Credit: ©2002 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard

Gourd Birdhouse - Step 2

Build a watering moat by hoeing a ring of soil around the mound that’s 4-6 inches deep.

Photo Credit: ©2002 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard

Gourd Birdhouse - Step 3

Note the planting depth recommended on the seed package. Atop the mound, use your finger to poke planting holes of that depth. Put two seeds in each hole, and cover them with soil. Firm the soil around the seeds.

Photo Credit: ©2002 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard

Gourd Birdhouse - Step 4

Thoroughly water the planting. After the seeds sprout, fill the moat with water once or twice a week.

Photo Credit: ©2002 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard

Gourd Birdhouse - Step 5

The vines will grow, flower and form gourds. For straight, symmetrical gourds, support the vine above the stem and allow the gourd fruits to hang freely without resting on the soil. As the gourds mature, harvest the largest ones for birdhouses. Hang them in a warm, protected spot to dry thoroughly.

Photo Credit: ©2002 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard

Gourd Birdhouse - Step 6

Using a drill mounted with a 1½-inch bit, carefully cut a hole into the gourd. Remove all fibers and seeds. Then use a quarter-inch bit to drill a hole centered beneath the large opening.

Photo Credit: ©2002 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard

Gourd Birdhouse - Step 7

nsert a 6-inch length of quarter-inch dowel stock into the lower hole to make a perch, and attach a cup hook at the top. Once you hang it outside, your birdhouse is ready for a feathered family to move in!

Photo Credit: ©2002 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard