Giving a little thought to the type of bird house you place in the yard will increase the chances of attracting birds to your neighborhood.

Early spring is the perfect time to install a bird house in your backyard. Following a few simple steps will have you bird watching in no time.

Step 1: Decide what type of birds you want to attract. Blue birds, wrens, chickadees, nuthatches, titmice, swallows and flycatchers will all nest in houses. Blue birds prefer open spaces, while the rest prefer wooded lots.

Step 2: Put no more than one house per tree, unless the tree is very large or the houses are for different types of birds.

Step 3: Put no more than one blue bird house per acre and keep the blue bird house at least 25 feet from other houses. Mounting a blue bird house on a post with a squirrel baffle, to protect it from predators, is by far a better choice than nailing it to a tree.

Step 4: Keep birdhouses away from the bird feeders.

Step 5: Face the opening of the birdhouse to the north or the east to avoid overheating.

Step 6: Make sure the opening size of each birdhouse is not too large or too small for the type of bird you are trying to attract. Blue bird holes should be 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Chickadees, nut hatches and titmice holes should be 1 1/8 inches in diameter. Wrens prefer a vertical slot 1 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches.

Step 7: Mount the house at the appropriate height for the type of bird you are trying to attract. Blue birds, chickadees, nut hatches and titmice houses should be mounted 5 to 6 feet off the ground. Fly catcher boxes should be 10 feet up in a tree, and wren houses can go pretty much anywhere.

Step 8: Mount your bird house on a pole, screw it to a wooden post or hang it from a tree limb with chain, rope or fishing line. Houses mounted on metal poles are less vulnerable to predators.

Step 9: Planting fruit trees and installing a water feature is a natural way to attract avian tenants. Otherwise, consider installing a bird feeder and a bird bath to accommodate the needs of your potential new neighbors.