It’s time to thank the birds for all of the beauty they bring to springtime. They provide sweet songs and can make your back yard a pristine natural habitat full of color and life. What better say to say thanks than by giving them a home of their own? There are lots of architecturally striking birdhouses – from classic to colorful to contemporary — available online. The fanciest ones aren’t cheap, but they can make a strong and decorative statement in your yard. The most important factor among them isn’t appearance, though: They must be tough enough to provide safe shelter in any type of weather. Given that, the birdhouse has come a long way from a box with a hole in it atop a pole. This amazing Wrension Bird House ($185, pictured) looks more like a mansion and provides a luxurious home “for common cavity dwellers.” The classic white Flat Birdhouse by Lazy Hill will look great on a pedestal, and comes with brackets ($209, on sale). Birdhouse artist Karl Goldsmith is a master builder whose love of American historic architecture is reflected in his incredible birdhouses, including this Early New England House ($900). His work has been featured in Landscape Architecture Magazine and Traditional Home. This Country Nest Garden Serenity Birdhouse ($87.95) comes with its own white picket fence and painted in weather resistant latex paint. On the other end of the style spectrum, check out these ultra-hip Egg birdhouses ($135) by J Schatz which not only come in a sexy color palette, but the egg itself is made of finished, glossy earthenware designed to withstand the roughest storm.