Ornate garden bird dwelling
Enhance garden aesthetics while offering a potential nesting spot for small birds, perfect for gardeners who appreciate both function and style.
Home & Comfort
Bird & wildlife houses
5 kinds worth knowing, 7 picks, and what to check before you buy.
A house for birds or wildlife suits the person who already watches the yard: someone with a feeder by the window, a garden they fuss over, or a cottage with trees around it. The ones that get used are simple, sturdy and built for a real species. Decorative pieces tend to end up on a shelf. Before you pick a style, think about what lives near the person you're buying for. Plain bird houses for small birds such as wrens and chickadees fit almost any yard. Owl houses make more sense for someone with acreage or mature trees. Fitting the house to the local wildlife matters more than how it looks, and it tells them you noticed what they care about.
Kind 1 of 5
Bird houses and backyard wildlife shelters
A standard bird house is a small wooden box with an entrance hole, mounted on a post, fence or tree. It suits almost anyone with a yard, balcony railing or garden. Look for untreated wood, a roof that overhangs the entrance, drainage holes in the floor and a side or bottom panel that opens for cleaning out old nests. If the person you're buying for is more drawn to the whole garden than to birds alone, a bat box, insect habitat, hedgehog shelter or squirrel station can make a thoughtful alternative. Check that it suits the wildlife that actually lives in their region.
Hedgehog or small mammal shelter
Provide a safe, insulated retreat for hedgehogs and other small ground-dwelling creatures, ideal for wildlife-friendly garden owners.
Multi-chamber insect habitat
Support beneficial garden insects like solitary bees and ladybugs with this charming habitat, perfect for eco-conscious gardeners.
Outdoor squirrel feeding station
Entertain backyard wildlife with this dedicated feeder, offering a fun way for nature lovers to observe playful squirrels.
Wildlife bat roosting box
Offer a safe haven for local bat populations with this beneficial roosting box, ideal for anyone interested in natural pest control.
Kind 2 of 5
Houses built for bluebirds
Bluebird houses are designed for one group of birds that like open ground: fields, rural lots, golf-course edges and large lawns with scattered perches. They suit someone in the country or on the edge of town more than a downtown gardener. Before buying, check that the entrance hole is sized for bluebirds rather than larger birds. Also look for a front or side panel that opens for seasonal cleaning and plain, unpainted wood inside. These houses are meant to go on a post in an open area, so confirm the person has that kind of space.
Kind 3 of 5
Owl houses for bigger properties
Owl houses are much larger boxes meant for species like screech owls or barred owls. They usually go high on a mature tree or a tall pole. They suit someone with acreage, a wooded lot or a cottage property, not a small city yard. Check the box dimensions and entrance size against the owls common in their area, and think about whether they can mount it safely at height. There are also owl-shaped decorative houses. Those are garden ornaments rather than working shelters, so decide which kind the person would actually want.
Large owl roosting shelter
Attract majestic owls to a property with this spacious nesting box, an exceptional gift for those with larger rural or semi-rural gardens.
Kind 4 of 5
Compact houses for wrens and chickadees
Small-bird houses are meant for wrens, chickadees, nuthatches and similar species. They're the easiest kind to place, since they fit on a fence post, shed wall or small tree. They're a good match for suburban and city gardeners, or anyone new to watching birds. The most important detail is a small entrance hole, which keeps larger birds out. Also look for ventilation gaps near the roof and a floor that drains. Skip a perch below the hole, because small birds don't need one.
Classic wooden birdhouse
This timeless gift provides a safe nesting spot for small backyard birds, delighting nature enthusiasts and garden lovers.
Kind 5 of 5
Larger houses and multi-unit designs
Large bird houses cover two quite different things. Some are single boxes sized for bigger birds like flickers, kestrels or wood ducks. Others are multi-room houses for birds that nest in groups, such as purple martins. They suit someone with open space and the patience to set up a tall pole or a sturdy tree mount. Before buying, confirm which birds the house is designed for. Check that the rooms can be reached for cleaning, and think about the weight and how it will be mounted once it's full size.
How to choose bird & wildlife houses as a gift
- Find out which birds or animals actually visit their yard, then choose a house designed for those species rather than a general style.
- Look for untreated wood, drainage holes and a panel that opens, since a house that can be cleaned gets used year after year.
- Match the size of the house to their space: compact boxes for city yards, larger houses and owl boxes for rural lots.
- Consider adding a mounting pole or bracket if they're unlikely to have one, so the house goes up instead of waiting in the garage.
- For someone who already has several bird houses, a bat box or insect habitat adds something new without duplicating what they own.
Usually safe to skip
- Painted or glossy decorative houses sold as working shelters often have the wrong hole size and no ventilation, so birds rarely move in.
- Houses with no way to open them for cleaning tend to be abandoned after one season once old nesting material builds up.
- A large owl or martin house for someone with a small city lot usually ends up unused, because the space doesn't suit those birds.
Questions people ask about bird & wildlife houses
- When is the best time to put up a bird house?
- Late winter to early spring is ideal, before nesting season starts. That makes a Christmas gift well timed, since there are a few months to pick a spot and mount the house before birds start looking for places to nest.
- What size hole should a bird house have?
- It depends on the species. Wrens and chickadees need a small opening, bluebirds a slightly larger one, and owls much larger. Check the listing for which birds the house is built for, and match that to the birds common where the person you're buying for lives.
- Is a bird house a good gift for someone who lives in a city?
- Yes, if it's a compact house for small birds. These can go on a fence, shed or small tree in a modest yard. Skip large or owl houses for city gardeners, and check whether a balcony or shared space allows mounting anything outdoors.
Looking for one person in particular? Shop by person.
Everything else
All bird & wildlife houses picks
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