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Birds That Nest in Boxes

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Birds and Animals that Use Bird Houses

Many birds and animals build nests in natural cavities and they will also nest in man made nest boxes. The most popular bird that uses birdhouses is the Bluebird. But several others will readily use a bird house. They include Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, Wrens, Swallows, Prothonotary Warblers, Woodpeckers, Nuthatches, Great Crested Flycatchers, Owls and Wood Ducks.

Some animals like flying squirrels, tree squirrels, bats, bumblebees, tree frogs and others will also make homes in nest boxes. We have included photographs of the various cavity nesting birds and animals, as well as information about each. We hope you enjoy your visit here.

Many Birds and Animals Will Use Nest Boxes.

Nest Box Quiz

How nature savy are you? Do you like to watch birds and other wildlife? Do you have a birdhouse? If the answer is yes to these questions then you are probably ready to take the quiz. Good luck and may a bluebird be on your shoulder.

Bluebirds and Swallows

Many different species of cavity nesting birds and animals (depending on where you live) will take advantage of the prime nesting sites that well built nest boxes and birdhouses provide. The size of the hole and the dimensions of the box determines which bird or creature will use it. Below is a list of most of the birds and other creatures in Louisiana that nest in man made bird houses.


Bluebird Pair Early Spring print
Bluebird Pair Early Spring by naturegirl7



Cavity Nesting Birds of North America
Click on the links to go to other lenses about some of the cavity nesting birds and other animals that use nest boxes on a bluebird trail.
  • Eastern Bluebird - medium sized thrush with a bright blue back, reddish brown throat and breast with a white belly. Females are more blue gray.
  • Mountain Bluebird - 7.25" long, male is solid blue, female is gray with pale blue wing and tail feathers. Breed in the Western part of North America.

    • Western Bluebird Poster print
    Western Bluebird Poster by naturalphotos

  • Western Bluebird - 7" long, look very similar to Eastern Bluebird, except male has red extending to its back. Breed in the Western U.S. and just into Canada.
  • Purple Martin - 8" long, male is uniformly bluish-black, female is bluish gray above and dingy gray-brown below. Breed mostly in Eastern North America, with some pockets in the west.
  • Tree Swallow - 5.75" long, male has a blue-green back and white breast, female is gray-brown above and white below. Nests all over North America, except the lower southern states.
  • Barn Swallow - 6.75" long, male and female have dark blue-black uppersides, male has more white underside, where female's is orange. Nests all over North America except extreme northern Canada.

    • Violet-green Swallow Poster print
    Violet-green Swallow Poster by naturalphotos

  • Violet-green Swallow - 5.25" long, males have multi-colored uppersides with emerald green backs, females are a drab greenish gray upper with white underside. Nests in the western United States.

More About Bluebirds

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The Bluebird Monitors Guide

The Bluebird Monitor's Guide to Bluebirds and Other Small Cavity Nesters


One of the best books about bluebirds and other cavity nesting birds that I have read. If you want to put up some birdhouses, you need to read this book.

Chickadees and Titmice

  • Black-capped Chickadee - 5.25" long, male and female are identical. Permanent resident in Northern North America.
  • Carolina Chickadee - 4.75" long, male and female are identical. Permanent resident in the Southeastern United States.
  • Tufted Titmouse - 6.5" long, male and female are identical. Permanent resident of the Eastern United States.

    • More About Carolina Chickadees

    Bird Song Identifier

    Bird Songs: 250 North American Birds in Song (See all Outdoors & Nature Books)


    An excellent birdsong identification guide and cd from one of the tops in the field.

    Wrens

    Carolina Wren Poster print
    Carolina Wren Poster by naturegirl7



  • Carolina Wren - 5.5" long, male and female are identical. Permanent resident of the Eastern United States.
  • House Wren - 4.75" long, male and female are identical. Nests in most of North America except the lower southern states.

    • More About Carolina Wrens

    Prothonotary Warblers and Flycatchers

    Great Crested Flycatcher fledging 2

  • Prothonotary Warbler - 5.5" long, male is golden yellow with blue-gray wings, female is similar, but more dull. Nests in the Eastern United States and Southern Canada.
  • Great Crested Flycatcher - 8.75" long, male and female are identical. Nests in the Eastern United States and southeastern Canada.
  • Ash-throated Flycatcher - 8.5" long, male and female are identical. Nests in the Western United States.

    • More About Prothonotary Warblers

    Woodpeckers, Flickers and Nuthatches

  • Northern Flicker - 12.5" long, male and female are almost identical except male has a moustache. Nest all over North America.

  • Red-bellied Woodpecker - 9.25" long, male and female alike, except female has no red on top of head. Uses nest boxes infrequently, mostly as winter roosts.
  • Brown-headed Nuthatch - 4.5" long, male and female nearly identical. A southern bird that will nest in boxes and often has a third family member that helps.
  • Red-breasted Nuthatch - 4.5" long, male and female almost identical. It nests in the northern forests and winters in the milder regions of the central and eastern U.S.
  • White-breasted Nuthatch - 5.75" long, male and female alike. It is a permanent resident in most of the U.S. except the south.

    • More About Woodpeckers and Nuthatches

    Audubon Birdcam

    Wingscapes WSCA02 BirdCam 2.0 with Flash

    We often use automatic cameras to catch feeder or birdhouse action. The Wingscape Audubon Bird Cam is a great camera to mount outside a birdhouse to catch the comings and goings of the parents, and the young when they fledge. It now has a flash and takes 8 MP images. I love mine.
    (See more Bird Feeder Accessories)

    Wood Ducks and Owls

    Wood Duck Postcard postcard
    Wood Duck Postcard by naturalphotos

  • Wood Duck - 18.5" long, male is very colorful with green, rusty red and gold. Female is brown with white around the eye. They readily nest in large houses placed near water.
  • Bufflehead Duck - 13.5" long, male and female similar. Breeds in Canada.
  • Goldeneye Duck - 18.5" long, female is more brown. Breeds in Canada.
  • Hooded Merganser - 18" long, male is striking black and white and rust, female is shades of brown. Nests in Southern Canada and Northeastern U.S.

    • Kestrel Postcard postcard
    Kestrel Postcard by naturalphotos

  • American Kestrel - 9" long, male has gray wings and is more colorful. Nests in most of North America except extreme southern LA and TX.

    • barredowlsm_0047

  • Screech Owl - Both Eastern and Western are 8.5" long, male and female and Eastern and Western are almost identical with the Eastern being a little more brown. Ranges overlap some. They are permanent residents in almost the entire contiguous U.S.
  • Northern Saw-whet Owl - 8" long, male and female similar. Breeds in Canada and extreme northern U.S.
  • Barn Owl - 16" long, male and female identical. Permanent resident in much of North America.

    • A Few of the Birds Living in Our Habitat

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    NABB Audubon Bluebird House

    Woodlink NABB Audubon Cedar Bluebird House


    Audubon NABB approved houses are made with the correct dimensions for bluebirds and other small cavity nesting birds. They also have a door for monitoring and cleaning.
    (See all Birdhouses & Accessories)

    Some of the Animals That Use Nestboxes

    Other Animals That Live in Boxes

    Besides birds, several other animals in our habitat like to nest in man made boxes and birdhouses. The most common is the flying squirrel. Since we have many of our houses in wooded habitat, we frequently encounter this small squirrel.

    Queen Bumblebees often use one of the boxes to make a nest in fall. She winters over in this nest with her honey pots. In spring she lays a few eggs that hatch into workers which go out to collect nectar and to build the population up.

    Gray Tree frogs seem to really like rough wood boxes and other man made buildings. We find one in a birdhouse almost every year.

    Flying Squirrel Magnet magnet Save Our Bees Wildflower T-Shirt shirt
    Flying Squirrels and Save Our Bees Wildflower by naturegirl7


    Flying Squirrels
    Other Squirrels
    Mice
    Rats
    Bats
    Bumblebees
    Wasps
    Honeybees
    Tree Frogs

    More About Cavity Nesting Animals

    Some Cool Birds and Animals Stuff

    Bluebirds on CafePress

    Just Click on the CafePress banner to search.

    CafePress.com-Custom Gifts-468x60 banner

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    Barn Owl Caring for Young Nest Cam

    powered by Youtube

    Owls on eBay

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    Prothonotary Warbler Male Bathing

    Prothonotary Bath III print
    Prothonotary Bath III by naturegirl7

    We are blessed with several pairs of this lovely, golden yellow bird. Numbers have decreased in many areas due to habitat destruction, but here in southeastern Louisiana, they come back each year to nest in the nest boxes that we put up as well as in natural cavities in the wetland areas.

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    Green Tree Frog in Birdhouse Mounting Pipe

    Green Tree Frog in Pipe print
    Green Tree Frog in Pipe by naturegirl7

    Green Tree frogs seem to prefer the pipe that the bird house is mounted on. We often find them sleeping in pipes or clinging to plant stems. We are happy to see them, wherever they choose to live.

    Please leave a remark before you take wing.

    • imolaK Jul 29, 2011 @ 2:03 am | delete
      Interesting lens about nesting birds. Your photos are very nice. Blessed!
    • jentaylorsc Jul 23, 2011 @ 10:36 pm | delete
      This is a fun and informative page on bird nesting houses. I didn't do so great on the quiz. lol However, now I know a lot more about different birds and the nest boxes they prefer.
    • naturegirl7 Jul 25, 2011 @ 9:34 am | delete
      I'm glad you learned more about the different birds that nest in boxes. Thanks for stopping by.
    • vallain Jul 22, 2011 @ 11:02 am | delete
      we have chickadees in our birdhouse. I think we need to add more houses so they won't fight over who gets it.
    • naturegirl7 Jul 25, 2011 @ 9:14 am | delete
      Yes, if you have more than one pair of Chickadees, you should have 2-3 houses, spaced on different sides of the house out of view of the others.
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    Links to More About Birds Nesting in Boxes

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    Pictures of Birds - Woodpeckers in Southeastern Louisiana

    Woodpeckers nest in natural and man made cavities. more...0 points

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    Bird Pictures - Carolina Wren Babies and Nests

    Carolina Wrens nest often near the house. Here are more...0 points

    3

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    Pictures of Birds - Prothonotary Warbler Nesting

    Beautiful golden Prothonotary Warblers live and br more...0 points

    About Naturegirl7 - Nest Box Trail Monitor

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    naturegirl7

    My husband and I have always loved nature and the outdoors. We currently maintain a 9 acre private wildlife preserve.

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