Nesting Facts

CHICKADEES; Black Capped, Carolina, Mountain and Chestnut Backed all prefer the same housing and habitat,wooded areas that recieve 40% - 60% sunlight, yards with mature hardwoods, forests, forest edges and meadows all fare well. The entrance portal should face away from prevailing wind and the house should be placed 5' to 15' feet above the ground. Nesting Box dimensions should be within the following range, floor 4" x 4", height 8" to 10", entrance height 6" to 8", entrance diameter 1 1/8".You can help them get started with their nests by placing 1" of clean dry wood shavings in the house, however they can find plenty of their own stuff. Preferred nesting materials include moss, fine plant material, animal fur and human hair. Chickadees usually lay 6-8 eggs once a year. They are incubated for 12-14 days and the nestling period is about 16 days.

Tufted Titmice lay 5-6 eggs once a year in the north and twice a year in the south. The nesting period is 15 to 16 days and incubation takes place in 12 to 14 days. Eggs are smooth, non-glossy white or cream colored speckled with red, purple or brown markings. They like houses with 4"x 4" floors, overall height of 10" to 12" and an entrance portal 1 1/4" in diameter placed 6" to 10" above the base. Houses should be set 5-15 feet above the ground in deciduous forest, thick timber stands and woodland clearings with the entrance facing away from prevailing winds. Titmice build their nest of leaves, moss, dried grass and bark strips. Lining materials can be feathers, fur, wool, cotton, hair and sometime even snake skin.

White-Breasted Nuthatches prefer a wooded yard, they like their nest boxes to be wll anchored to tree trunks, 5' to 6' off the ground. Woodlots, mature forests near open areas, orchards and forest edges near water. Th 1 3/8" entrance opening should face away from prevailing winds. Nesting materials include; strips of bark and lumps of soil, the innercup is composed of finer material such as grass and fine roots then lined with fur, hair, wool and feathers. They lay 5 - 10 eggs once a year with an incubation period of 12 days and a nestling period of 14 to 17 days. House floor should be 4" by 4", 8" to 10" in height, with an entrance height of 6" to 8"

Red-Breasted Nuthatches like to live in mixed hardwood and softwood forests, shrub lands, swamps and even suburban parks. The 1 1/4" entrance should face away from prevailing winds. You can start them off with 1" of shavings placed in the box to which they will add grass, rootlets, moss, shredded bark, fur and hair. Their eggs 4 to 7 of them are pinkish white, speckled with brown, reddish brown and lavender. Box dimensions; 4" by 4" floor,8" to 10" high, with the entrance 6" to 8" up. Place the birdhouse 5 to 15 feet above the ground

Downy Woodpeckers like houses with a floor 4"x 4" an overall height of 8" to 10" and an entrance portal 1 1/4" in diameter placed 6" to 8" up. The interior should be left rough and a couple of inches of sawdust will help them get started with nest building. Houses should be placed on a tree trunk in direct sunlight 5 to 15 feet above the ground.

Black Capped Chickadee