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Back in 2022, Ellen Van Dusen posed a simple question to herself: What if a birdhouse looked like a bird? The designer had been commissioned to create an avian structure for a multidisciplinary exhibition and program series at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Van Dusen’s father, an architect and woodworker, collaborated with her on the first iteration, which became a cedar form painted to resemble a downy woodpecker.
After the exhibit, and over the next few years, Van Dusen refined the original birdhouse into a functional design calibrated to the real nesting habits of a wide variety of birds. The result is a commercial-grade object—in two colorways—that balances charm with ecological consideration. While expressive, both versions are grounded in function: the size and entry hole are carefully designed to accommodate chickadees, titmice, wrens, nuthatches, swallows, and some woodpeckers. Crafted from durable fir wood and finished with non-toxic, weather-resistant oil-based paint and silkscreened details, the birdhouse is built to last outdoors while remaining easy to maintain.
And of course, in typical Dusen Dusen fashion, the wildly vibrant, whimsical object is bound to make you fall in love.
For bird lovers and nature enthusiasts, for children and grandparents, for your friend who just moved upstate or your city pal who dreams of life beyond pigeons, the birdhouse makes an excellent gift. It is equal parts outdoor decor and pure fun.
We spoke with Van Dusen about the process behind bringing the birdhouse to life.
Tell us about the design process and the hurdles you had to pass to get the birdhouses into production.
The original birdhouse design was for a show of artist and designer-made birdhouses at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. I enlisted my dad, a bird fan, architect, and furniture maker to make the actual structure. The original was meant to accommodate a Downy Woodpecker, who is very specific about what kind of birdhouse it will nest in. Translating the original handmade version to a production quality birdhouse was a long journey! We settled on a design that accommodates multiple kinds of birds: chickadees, nuthatches, wrens, titmice, and some woodpeckers. We made so many samples with so many different suppliers. I wear-tested an army of them in my backyard. We finally found the right manufacturer, and after a year-and-a-half of development with them specifically, we made it a reality.
How did you determine the nesting habits of birds? Did you work with an expert or just do a lot of personal research? Tell us more about what you learned and how you incorporated it.
We did a lot of research to understand what kind of structure is hospitable to birds. Different species are particular about the homes they’ll nest in, from the interior dimensions to the size and shape of the entry hole. Even small variations matter. For example, ducks prefer an oval opening, while chickadees require a precise 1 1/8″ circular entry.
What’s a surprising detail of the birdhouses that someone might not notice right off the bat?
The manufacturer we worked with suggested that we include an interior baby bird ladder so that they can easily enter and exit the birdhouse. I thought this was an exceptionally cute detail. Unless you’re inspecting the inside of a birdhouse, it’s something you’d never know.
What’s your elevator pitch for why everyone needs a birdhouse in their yard?
Birds make life better! I watch my backyard birds like a soap opera. I like to see who comes and goes, who is making the most noise, who is having babies, and who hasn’t come around in a while. Having a birdhouse allows you to have pets without really needing to do any of the work.
Have you hung one up in your own backyard yet?
Yes! I have a couple of them hung up on my fence overlooking the yard. I love seeing them through my window.
Have you witnessed any IRL bird reactions to the design yet? What did they think?
I have seen some birds standing on top of the samples, which I get a huge kick out of. And I’ve seen some twigs and things inside the birdhouses so I know they have been hanging out in there. I have yet to see exactly who, and I cannot wait to find out.
Do you have a photo of that very first birdhouse you did with your dad? What parts of that design are still part of the final product, and what aspects (if any) did you change?
The biggest change we made was the type of bird. This one was a Downy Woodpecker, and the production versions are a chickadee and a more fantastical bird, which I like to call a DusenBird. We removed the arms and branch, and changed the shape a little bit to be more accommodating to the elements.
