Building Songbird Boxes

 

Building songbird boxes is a simple, inexpensive way to attract songbirds to your property. This fact sheet discusses how to build, install, and maintain nest boxes successfully.

Why Build Songbird Boxes?

Properly constructed nest boxes can provide shelter in those areas negatively affected by urbanization and intensive management. By building boxes, you can insure the songbirds on your land a place to nest.

Before You Begin...

Bird species have different habitat needs. To be successful, you must first choose the species you want to attract and understand its food, water, and space requirements. Use the table on page 2 to find the proper dimensions of the nest box for the birds you want to attract. By simply changing dimensions and entrance hole sizes, you can furnish cool, dry, durable, easily-cleaned boxes for any of the small to medium-sized bird species in the table.


Figure 1. Nest box dimensions for assorted bird species.

Materials for Songbird Boxes

To Build:

 

To Install:

 


Figure 2. Examples of predator guards.

Helpful Construction Hints

 


Figure 3. Cut-out diagram of songbird box.

Installation and Maintenance Tips

 


Figure 4. Placement of songbird boxes.