REAL houses for birds,
not decorations!
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Help preserve
natural history by planting trees from historic
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Dimensions
of nesting boxes for various species of birds,
height they should be placed above the ground,
and preferred habitat
| Species |
Floor
of Cavity |
Depth
of Cavity |
Entrance
above Floor |
Diameter
of Entrance |
Height
above Ground or Water (W) |
Preferred
Habitat Codes (3) |
| |
Inches |
Inches |
Inches |
Inches |
Feet |
|
| House Wren |
4x4 |
6-8 |
4-6 |
1-1 1/4 |
4-10 |
2,7 |
| Chickadees |
4x4 |
9 |
7 |
1 1/8 |
4-15 |
2 |
| Bewick's Wren |
4x4 |
6-8 |
4-6 |
1 1/4 |
5-10 |
2,7 |
| Titmouse |
4x4 |
9 |
7 |
1 1/4 |
5-15 |
2 |
| Downy
Woodpecker |
4x4 |
9 |
7 |
1 1/4 |
5-15 |
2 |
| Prothonotrary
Warbler |
4x4 |
6 |
4 |
1 3/8 |
4-12, 3W |
3,5 |
| Nuthatches
(1) |
4x4 |
9 |
7 |
1 3/8 |
5-15 |
2 |
| Carolina Wren |
4x4 |
6-8 |
4-6 |
*1 1/2 |
5-10 |
2,7 |
| Bluebirds |
4x4 |
8-12 |
6-10 |
*1 1/2 |
3-6 |
1 |
| Tree
Swallow |
5x5 |
6-8 |
4-6 |
*1 1/2 |
4-15 |
1 |
| Ash-throated
Flyctcher |
6x6 |
8-10 |
6-8 |
*1 1/2 |
8-20 |
1,6 |
| Hairy
Woodpecker |
6x6 |
12-15 |
9-12 |
1 5/8 |
12-20 |
2 |
| Great
Crested Flycatcher |
6x6 |
8-10 |
6-8 |
1 3/4 |
8-20 |
1,2 |
| Red-headed
Woodpecker |
6x6 |
12 |
9 |
2 |
10-20 |
2 |
| Purple
Martin |
6x6 |
6 |
1 |
2 1/4 |
10-20 |
1 |
| Flicker |
7x7 |
16-18 |
14-16 |
2 1/2 |
6-30 |
1,2 |
| Screech
Owl (also Gray Squirrel and Flying Squirrel) |
8x8 |
12-15 |
9-12 |
3 |
10-30 |
2 |
| American
Kestrel |
8x8 |
12-15 |
9-12 |
3 |
10-30 |
1,4 |
| Barn
Owl |
10x18 |
15-18 |
0-4 |
6 |
12-18 |
4 |
| Wood
Duck |
12x12 |
22 |
17 |
3x4 oval |
10-20, 6W |
3,5 |
| Phoebe |
6x6 |
6 (2) |
(2) |
8-12 |
7-8 |
|
| Barn
Swallow |
6x6 |
6 (2) |
(2) |
8-12 |
7-8 |
|
| Robin |
6x8 |
8 (2) |
(2) |
6-15 |
7 |
|
| * |
Precise
measurement required; if diameter is over 1 1/2
inches then starlings may take over the cavity. |
| (1) |
Brown-headed
and Pygmy Nuthatches (1 1/8), Red-breasted
Nuthatch (1 14), and White-breasted Nuthatch (1
3/8) will always use the same box. However, the
smaller opening sizes where appropriate may
discourage use by House Sparrows. |
| (2) |
One or
more sides open |
| (3) |
Preferred
habitat codes. The numbers in the last column
refers to the habitat types listed here: |
| |
1 |
Open areas in the
sun (not shaded permanently by trees), pastures,
fields, or golf courses. |
| |
2 |
Woodland clearings
or the edge of woods. |
| |
3 |
Above water, or if
on land, the entrance should face water. |
| |
4 |
On trunks of large
tree, or high in little-used parts of barns,
silos, water towers, or church steeples. |
| |
5 |
Moist forest
bottomlands, flooded river valleys, swamps. |
| |
6 |
Semi-arid country,
deserts, dry open woods, and wood edge. |
| |
7 |
Backyards, near
buildings. |
| |
8 |
Near water; under
bridges, barns. |
The information on
this page is from "Building Bird Houses" by
James L. Byrd, former professor of forestry, wildlife,
and fisheries, publication number SP293D from the
University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service.
|