March hammers out the last days of winter and gives us glimpses of spring that's to come. Alas we have made it through the cold, snowy, gray season. (Do you remember my column about weather this year? The forecast was for Indiana to be a winter weather battleground. We now know what that prediction meant!) The birds even know that change is in the air. Soon our yards' feathered friends will be returning, a harbinger of nesting.

Putting out birdhouses - in addition to feeders and birdbaths - assures winged tenants in your yard. To attract birds anew, you can make a birdhouse or purchase a commercial one. To be successful it's helpful to know basic specifications that various birds prefer.

Some key features to keep in mind:

• For wooden houses, material should be at least ¾" thick to prevent overheating inside.
• Be sure the house is not painted on the interior surface.
• There should be ventilation. This can be accomplished either with gaps between the roof and walls or small holes drilled in the sides.
• Drainage holes are critical so the nest stays dry or that it can dry again after downpours.
• Perches are not necessary; they give predators easy access to the nest. Remove perches on decorative houses.
• Clean-outs are a must for serious "landlords." Good housekeeping allows reuse of houses from year to year, keeps birds returning, and prevents diseases.

More than once I've heard "Why don't the cardinals nest in my birdhouses?" Also, "I've never had a robin in one of my bird houses." Check out the list below to see which birds actually nest in houses. Some birds like shelves, some build nests on odd places such as planters and porch lights, some nest in tree branches, and others even choose to nest inside the hollow limbs.

When looking at commercially-made birdhouse, consult the following chart to see if the birds you want will be accommodated by the accommodations in your yard.

I didn't mention Purple Martins in this column. Most of us in the Broad Ripple area don't have the habitat for Purple Martins or Bluebirds. If you have a farm, a lake cottage, or acreage in Brown County, you may have more of a chance of attracting these birds. There are also wood duck houses and houses for woodpeckers to try. Don't forget bat houses and butterfly houses.

There is even a plastic birdhouse by Tweet Tweet Home designed to be sent through the mail in an envelope and then assembled at your location! Whether building or buying a birdhouse, consider giving one as gifts to friends and family. You might be encouraging them to become bird watchers once they see a family of birds nesting in the house just outside their window. You probably didn't realize that if you have a yard, you can be a landlord too and put out that FOR RENT sign for birds and critters passing through.