The History Of Bird Houses

Today, birdhouses come in a wide array of colors, shapes, sizes and uses. Some are meant to attract rare birds so they may be studied by researchers, while others are purely decorative. Most bird houses are enclosed and dark and dry inside with a small to medium hole, the best environment for birds wishing to nest somewhere safe and quiet. The history of birdhouses is long and extends to several different areas of the world. Turkey Birdhouses were built in Turkey as far back as the pre-Ottoman Empire. They were created primarily as sanctuaries for birds to protect them from rain, wind and the harsh sun. The design of these birdhouses often paralleled the popular architecture styles of the time, making dating them easier. Birdhouses can be viewed as one of the simplest expression of compassion for wild animals, a testament to our own capabilities as a people. Birdhouses in Europe Birdhouses built in Europe were often used to collect eggs or trap birds for food. Rather than a shelter, European birdhouses were built more like natural bird nests, attracting birds to lay their eggs there and making it easier to retrieve them for food. The nests were often made out of clay, sticks, wood or old woven baskets. Native American Birdhouses Native Americans, like the people of Turkey, enjoyed and respected the animal life around them. Often made out of wood or hollowed-out gourds, birdhouses fashioned by Native Americans were created as a shelter for the birds and as a nesting ground to help them breed. They also might have helped the Native Americans by acting as a scarecrow. The gourds, hung up on long sticks, often scared away scavengers from their fields. Birdhouses Today Like gardening or hiking, birdwatching has become a popular hobby to do in nature. Birdhouses today, like their predecessors, can be made from the simplest items, or be complex works of art, and enjoyed for a long time. Building a birdhouse can be a fun craft to do with children or a relaxing hobby for your spare time. Read more: The History of Birdhouses | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/info_8246774_history-birdhouses.html#ixzz1dbVaTz6n Birdhouses today come in many different types and styles. From large and ornate to small and simple, their design is for nesting, feeding, shelter and, in some cases, purely ornamental. The history of the birdhouse begins in three different areas of the world. European Birdhouse In Europe birdhouses were first used to capture chicks and eggs. Going back to the 15th and 16th century, birdhouses in the European countries of Belgium and Holland were used to trap birds for food. The eggs and chicks would be gathered from the nests built in the house. They were built from baskets, wood and clay; clay became the preferred material for its durability. Eurasia Birdhouses Turks built birdhouses to shelter the lonely bird. In Eurasia, the Turkish culture has evidence of birdhouses from before the Ottomon period of the 1500s. Small and simple in design in the beginning, they progressed to ornate structures. The houses were built as a refuge for the lonely birds of the sky and to protect them from the elements of nature. American Birdhouse Native Americans would hollow out gourds to provide shelter to the birds. In America, Native Americans built simple birdhouses out of birch bark and hollowed out gourds. They were designed to not only shelter the birds from storms, but also to help the birds breed and multiply. The Native Americans passed this tradition on to the English and German immigrants. Read more: The History of the Birdhouse | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/facts_7526986_history-birdhouse.html#ixzz1dbUc2DFG