Nesting Habitat and Birdhouse Requirements

Species Nesting Habitat Box
Height
Hole Size
Eastern Bluebird open field or lawn; orchards; open, rural country with scattered trees and low or sparse ground cover; Mountain and Western bluebirds will also use deciduous and coniferous forest edges; entrance hole should face open field, preferring east, north, south, and then west facing directions 3-6 feet 1 1/2" diameter
Western Bluebird 1 1/2" diameter
Mountain Bluebird 1 9/16" diameter
American Kestrel pastures, fields, meadows, or orchards with mowed or grazed vegetation; place boxes on lone trees in fields, on trees along edges of woodlots, and on farm buildings 10-30 feet 3" diameter
Wood Duck forested wetlands or near marshes, swamps, and beaver ponds; place boxes in deciduous trees, 30-100 feet from the nearest water, spaced 600 feet apart 6-30 feet 4" wide, 3" high
Eastern Screech Owl forests, parks, woodland clearings, forest edges, wooded stream edges, under a tree limb. Add 2"-3" of wood shavings 10-30 feet 3" round north facing;
Western Screech Owl lower elevations, forests, parks, woodland clearings, forest edges, deserts, wooded stream edges, under a tree limb. Add 2"-3" of wood shavings 10-30 feet 3" round; north facing
Great Crested Flycatcher deciduous or mixed deciduous-coniferous forests, forest edges, woodlots, orchards, parks, on post or tree at forest edge 3-20 feet 1 1/4" round
Northern Flicker pastures, groves, woodlots, orchards, fields, meadows, woodland clearings, forest edges, urban parks, on pole or tree at forest edge or along fence rows bordering crop fields; box should be completely filled with wood chips or shavings 6-30 feet 2 1/2" round; southeast facing
Tree Swallow open fields near water, expansive open areas, marshes, meadows, wooded swamps; on a post in open areas near tree or fence, 30-100 feet apart 5-15 feet 1 3/8" round east facing
Violet-green Swallow open or broken deciduous or mixed deciduous-coniferous forests, wooded canyons, edges of dense forest 9-15 feet 1 3/8" round
Purple Martin broad open areas (meadows, fields, farmland, swamps, ponds, lakes, rivers) with unobstructed space for foraging on flying insects; there should be no trees or buildings within 40 feet of the martin pole in any direction; houses should be painted white 10-15 feet 2 1/8" round
Tufted Titmouse deciduous forest, thick timber stands, woodland clearings, forest edges, woodlots, riparian and mesquite habitats; spaced one box per 8 acres, hole should face away from prevailing wind 5-15 feet 1 1/4" round
Black-capped Chickadee forests, woodlots, and yards with mature hardwood trees, forest edges, meadows, area should receive 40-60% sunlight, spaced one box per 10 acres, hole should face away from prevailing wind; 1" shaving can be placed in box 5-15 feet 1 1/8" round
Carolina Chickadee forests, woodlots, and yards with mature hardwood trees, forest edges, meadows, area should receive 40-60% sunlight, hole should face away from prevailing wind; 1" shaving can be placed in box 5-15 feet 1 1/8" round
Mountain Chickadee coniferous forests, forest edges, woodland clearings; hole should face away from prevailing wind; 1" shaving can be placed in box 5-15 feet 1 1/8" round
Chestnut-backed Chickadee coniferous forests, mixed deciduous-coniferous forests, forest edges, woodlands, thickets, burned areas, often near streams; hole should face away from prevailing wind; 1" shaving can be placed in box 5-15 feet 1 1/8" round
White-breasted Nuthatch deciduous woodlands, mature forests, woodlots, near open areas, forest edges, orchards, often near water; hole should face away from prevailing wind; 1" shaving can be placed in box 5-20 feet 1 3/8" round
Red-breasted Nuthatch mixed coniferous-deciduous forests, shrub lands, swamps, farmlands, suburban parks; hole should face away from prevailing wind; 1" shaving can be placed in box 5-15 feet 1 1/4" round
House Wren variety of habitats, farmland, openings, open forests, forest edges, shrub lands, suburban gardens, parks, backyards; near trees or tall shrubs 5-10 feet 1 1/4" round
Carolina Wren forests with thick underbrush, forest edges, woodland clearings, open forests, shrub lands, suburban gardens, parks, backyards; near trees or tall shrubs 5-10 feet 1 1/2" round
Prothonotary Warbler lowland hardwood forests subject to flooding, stagnant water, swamps, ponds, marshes, streams, flooded river valleys, wet bottomlands; box should be over or near water  Milk Carton Nest Box Plan 2-12 feet 1 1/4" round
Hooded Merganser quiet, shallow, clear water pools surrounded by or near the edge of deciduous woods: small forest pools, ponds, swamps; add 3" of wood shavings; add ladder under inside of entrance hole for young to climb out 6-25 feet 3" high by 4" wide horizontal oval
Ash-throated Flycatcher chaparral, mesquite thickets, oak scrub, dry plains spotted with trees or cacti, deserts, and open deciduous and riparian woodlands 3-20 feet 1 3/4" round
Brown-headed Nuthatch open stands of pine-hardwood forests, clearings scattered with dead trees, forest edges, burned areas, cypress swamps 5-20 feet 1 1/4" round