He's for the Birds!
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Richard Kill’s handmade birdhouses are popular with friends and neighbors in Miltonvale. He has built birdhouses for songbirds since 2012.
When Richard Kill started building birdhouses in 2012, he had no idea they would become such a “big deal” to his neighbors and friends.
People—as well as bird families--in Miltonvale, Kan. are very familiar with Richard’s birdhouses. They are sturdy--crafted from heavy lumber and hardware of galvanized steel. Almost all have a natural clear lacquer finish.
Years ago, while living in Norman, Okla, Richard, a Oklahoma native and his wife, Gene, found a blueprint for songbird houses. Gene was excited about building houses for birds and Richard adapted the plans and built a few for their property. His sister, Mary Anne, who lived nearby saw Richard’s creations and asked for some to put around her house as well. Soon, the retired chemical salesman, was building them for other neighbors and friends
In 2014, Gene, a retired RN, was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent surgery and received treatment. After the diagnosis, the couple decided to move closer to family. Their daughter, Jo Ellen, lives in Mobile., Ala; their son Michael, formerly with the Kansas City Police Department, had bought a farm near Miltonvale in 2013.
They decided on Miltonvale. Soon they were calling their two-story, white house with green shutters in Miltonvale “home.”
In 2016, shortly after their move to Kansas--and one week before their 60th wedding anniversary--Gene lost her battle with cancer.
After Gene’s death, Richard helped with “Killer Produce”--his son’s business--and also looked for other ways to occupy his time. He decided to begin building his birdhouses.
When he had finished several, he took them by the Miltonvale Senior Center.
“They were a big hit and many wanted one,” he said.
Richard has donated one of his birdhouses to the Sunflower Fair’s Silent Auction. Register here to attend and have a chance to win it!
Each year since then, Richard creates and finishes between 75 to 80 bird houses. Each house takes him about ten hours to build. The houses are designed for smaller songbirds-- wrens, bluebirds and nuthatches.
He starts with good lumber--usually 15 boards one inch thick. Three boards yield five bird houses. The length of the sides, back and front are eight inches. Each house has a flat roof that is 11” long, a 4” x 4” floor and a predator guard around the floor.
Richard never takes money for his popular birdhouses. These gems are gifts to people in his community and to others he meets. Anyone lucky enough to be gifted one will be enjoying it for many years.
A longer form of this article appeared in the latest edition of Keynotes. This edition is packed with information on the 2022 Sunflower Fair, legislation, Medicare and COVID-19 as well as examples of volunteers making a difference in the Flint Hills region. Are you on our mailing list? If you haven’t received Keynotes in the past but would like to, contact us and we will send you a copy!
