Nest Box Design Basics—Dimensions

In the bird house business, there's no such thing as "one size fits all." You need to decide which bird you want to attract, then get or design a house for that particular bird.

How elaborate you make your bird house depends on your personal sense of aesthetics. For the most part, all the birds care about is their safety and the right dimensions: box height, depth and floor, diameter of entrance hole, and height of hole above the box floor. Refer to the following chart, keeping in mind that birds make their own choices, without regard for charts. So don't be surprised when you find tenants you never expected in a house you intended for someone else.

Nest Box Dimensions (in inches)

There are five numbers shown for each nest box. They are Box depth, Box height, Entrance height, Entrance diameter and Placement height (in feet). A dash means it is not relevant. A * means the birds use a nesting shelf platform with three sides and an open front.

American Robin *    7x8  8   -    -   6-15
Eastern and Western Bluebird    5x5    8-12     6-10    1-1/2    4-6
Mountain Bluebird    5x5    8-12    6-10     1-1/2    4-6
Chickadees    4x4    8-10    6-8     1-1/8    4-15
Titmice    4x4    10-12    6-10     1-1/4    5-15
Ash-throated Flycatcher    6x6    8-12     6-10    1-1/2    5-15
Great Crested Flycatcher    6x6    8-12     6-10    1-3/4    5-15
Phoebes *    6x6    6    -     -    8-12
Brown-headed Pygmy and Red-Breasted Nuthatch    4x4    8-10     6-8    1-1/4    5-15
White-breasted Nuthatch    4x4    8-10    6-8     1-3/8    5-15
Prothonotary Warbler    5x5    6    4-5     1-1/8    4-8
Barn Swallow *    6x6    6    -     -    8-12
Purple Martin     6x6    6    1-2     2-1/4    6-20
Tree and Violet-Green Swallow    5x5    6-8     4-6    1-1/2    5-15
Downy Woodpecker    4x4    8-10    6-8     1-1/4    5-15
Hairy Woodpecker    6x6    12-45    9-12     1-1/2    8-20
Woodpecker    7x7    16-18    14-16     2-1/2    12-20
Northern Flicker    7x7    16-18    14-16     2-1/2    6-20
Pileated Woodpecker    8x8    16-24    12-20     3x4    15-25
Red-Headed Woodpecker    6x6    12-15    9-12     2    10-20
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker    5x5    12-15     9-12    1-1/2    10-20
Bewick's and House wrens    4x4    6-8    4-6     1-1/4    5-10
Carolina Wren    4x4    6-8    4-6     1-1/2    5-10
Barn Owls    10x18    15-18    4     6    12-18
Screech Owls Kestrel    8x8    12-15    9-12     3    10-30
Osprey    48x48    platform            
Red-tailed Hawk and Great Horned Owl    24x24    platform            
Wood Ducks    l0x18    10-24    12-46     4    10-20

See also: Build a Birdhouse—Helpful birdhouse plans chart for choosing bird house dimensions (length and width, depth of cavity, entrance to floor, diameter of entrance, and height above ground)

This article was written by the DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

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