Bird House Dimensions

There are different bird house dimensions for different species. To attract the species you desire you will need to construct your bird house with specific sizes for the box itself, entrance holes and the species desired height placement above ground. Using the correct bird house dimensions will also help to exclude undesirable species, i.e. house sparrows and starlings.

The table below will give you the recommended bird house plans/nest box sizes for various species:

Bird House Dimensions

SPECIES	FLOOR (IN)	HEIGHT (IN)	HOLE DIAMETER (IN)	HOLE ABOVE FLOOR (IN)	BOX ABOVE GROUND (FT)
Chickadees
Chickadees & Tits	4x4	6-10	1 1/8	4-8	6-15
Titmouse	4x4	6-12	1 1/4	4-10	6-15
Ducks
Wood Duck	10x18	10-24	4	12-16	6-20
Flycatchers
Ash-Throated	6x6	8-12	1 1/2	6-10	5-15
Great Crested	6x6	8-12	1 3/4	6-10	5-15
Falcons
American Kestrel	8x8	12-15	3	9-12	8-30
Hawks/Buteos
Red-tailed Hawk*	24x24 platform	-	-	-	at least 14
Nuthatches
Brown-headed, Pygmy & Red-breasted	4x4	8-10	1 1/4	6-8	5-15
White Breasted	4x4	8-10	1 3/8	6-8	5-15
Ospreys
Osprey*	48x48 platform	-	-	-	at least 15 over water**
Owls
Barn	10x18	15-18	6	4	12-18
Great Horned Owl*	24x24 platform	-	-	-	-
Screech	8x8	12-15	3	9-12	8-30
Phoebes
Phoebes*	6x6 nest shelf	6	-	-	8-12
Swallows
Barn*	6x6 nest shelf	6	-	-	8-12
Purple Martin	6x6	6	2 1/4	1-2	6-20
Tree & Violet Green	5x5	6-8	1 1/2	4-6	6-15
Thrushes/ Bluebirds
American Robin*	7x8 nest shelf	8	-	-	6-15
Eastern Blue Bird	5x5	6-12	1 1/2	4-10	4-10
Western Blue Bird	5x5	6-12	1 1/2	4-10	4-10
Mtn Blue Bird	5x5	6-12	1 9/16	4-10	4-10
Woodpeckers
Downy	4x4	8-10	1 1/4	6-8	5-15
Hairy	6x6	12-15	1 1/2	9-12	8-20
Lewis's	7x7	16-18	2 1/2	14-16	12-20
Flicker	7x7	16-18	2 1/2	14-16	6-20
Pileated	8x8	16-24	3x4	12-20	15-25
Red-headed	6x6	12-15	2	9-12	10-20
Yellow-bellied	5x5	12-15	1 1/2	9-12	10-20
Warblers
Prothonotory	5x5	6	1 1/8	4-5	4-8
Wrens
House	4x4	6-8	1 1/4	4-6	5-10
Carolina	4x4	6-8	1 1/2	4-6	5-10
Bewick's	4x4	6-8	1 1/4	4-6	5-10