BIRD AND SQUIRREL HOUSES
DIRECTIONS FOR BUILDING
BIRD AND SQUIRREL HOUSES
My husband Phil began building squirrel houses last spring and hanging them from tall trees--one house to each half acre. Within hours of hanging the houses, however, he found starlings-- rather than squirrels-- moving into his "squirrel houses." Because of the popularity of these houses with the birds, Phil decided to build some nesting boxes for birds. However, he wanted the boxes to be the most desirable dimensions for those species which he hoped to attract. Finding this information on the Internet was not as easy as I had thought it would be. (We finally resorted to finding the information in a book.) So I have put it on a web page for anyone else who might be looking for the ideal measurements for a bird house. Here are the correct dimensions for various species of birds.
Tools and Tips.. Building a bird or squirrel house is an easy weekend project. Only a few basic tools are needed--a hammer, nails, a drill, a saw, a piece of lumber, and a length of wire. Remember to allow for the thickness of your lumber when cutting. The dimensions listed on the chart below are the inside dimensions for the bird boxes. Simply cut your board into pieces so that each piece will be the proper size according to the chart below. In one piece, drill a hole for the opening. Then nail the pieces together. If you have problems, ask a child to help you. When completed, the box may be attached to the side of a tree trunk or hung from a limb. To attach to the trunk, screw an eyelet to each side of the box near the top. Attach a length of wire to one eyelet, wrap it around the trunk of the tree, and attach it to the second eyelet. This allows the box to be hung securely without damage to the tree. Hang the box as nearly as practical to the recommended height.
And remember...There is no guarantee that you will get your desired tenants; however, your house will not stand empty for long. All the houses that Phil built were occupied within 24 hours! Next year, he might build some butterfly houses and maybe even a bat house.
Thank you for visiting.
| Species | Floor of Cavity (inches) | Depth of Cavity (inches) | Entrance above floor (inches) | Diameter of entrance (inches) | Height above ground (feet) |
| Bluebird | 5 X 5 | 8 | 6 | 1 ½ | 5-10 |
| Robin | 6 X 8 | 8 | one or more sides open | one or more sides open | 6-15 |
| Chickadee | 4 X 4 | 8-10 | 6-8 | 1 ¼ | 6-15 |
| Titmouse | 4 X 4 | 8-10 | 6-8 | 1 ¼ | 6-15 |
| Nuthatch | 4 X 4 | 8-10 | 6-8 | 1 ¼ | 12-20 |
| House Wren | 4 X 4 | 6-8 | 1-6 | 1- 1 ¼ | 6-10 |
| Carolina Wren | 4 X 4 | 6-8 | 1-6 | 1 ½ | 6-10 |
| Tree Swallow | 5 X 5 | 6 | 1-5 | 1 ½ | 10-15 |
| Barn Swallow | 6 X 6 | 6 | one or more sides open | one or more sides open | 8-12 |
| Purple Martin | 6 X 6 | 6 | 1 | 2 ½ | 15-20 |
| Song Sparrow | 6 X 6 | 6 | all sides open | all sides open | 1-3 |
| House Finch | 6 X 6 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 8-12 |
| Phoebe | 6 X 6 | 6 | one or more sides open | one or more sides open | 8-12 |
| Crested Flycatcher | 6 X 6 | 8-10 | 6-8 | 2 | 8-20 |
| Flicker | 7 X 7 | 16-18 | 14-16 | 2 ½ | 6-20 |
| Redheaded Woodpecker | 6 X 6 | 12-15 | 9-12 | 2 | 12-20 |
| Downy Woodpecker | 4 X 4 | 8-10 | 6-8 | 1 ¼ | 6-20 |
| Hairy Woodpecker | 6 X 6 | 12-15 | 9-12 | 1 ½ | 12-20 |
| Screech Owl | 8 X 8 | 12-15 | 9-12 | 3 | 10-30 |
| Barn Owl | 10 X 18 | 15-18 | 4 | 6 | 12-18 |
| Sparrow Hawk | 8 X 8 | 12-15 | 9-12 | 3 | 10-30 |
| Wood Duck | 10 X 18 | 10-24 | 12-16 | 4 | 10-20 |
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