Selecting a Bird House House Placement Birds you can attract Materials Design Nesting Box Chart Protection from Predators Bird Feeders Landscaping for Birds Home Blue Bird House Wren & Chickadee House Bird House, Nest View Bat House There's no such thing as "one size fits all." Decide which bird you want to attract, then get a house for that particular bird. Look through any book or catalog and you'll see bird houses of all sizes and shapes, with perches and without, made of materials you might not have thought of. recycled paper, gourds, plastic, rubber, pottery, metal and concrete. The proper combination of quality materials and design makes a good bird house. Many of the birds that visit feeders and baths may stay and nest in nearby trees. Most of them, including cardinals, doves and orioles, don't nest in boxes. You can still help them by considering their food and shelter requirements in your landscape plans. More than two dozen North American birds nest in bird houses. Selecting a House will help you determine which birds might visit your neighborhood.