How to Choose the Perfect Chickadee Birdhouse

Attract Nesting Chickadees to Your Yard

Courtesy Ron Newhouse

There’s something heartwarming about hearing that familiar chick-a-dee call ringing through your backyard. Chickadees are known for their friendly demeanor and perky personalities, so it’s no surprise many birders want to encourage these beloved cavity nesters to stay awhile and raise a family of baby chickadees with a chickadee birdhouse.

Find out what the perfect nest box should look like to attract chickadees, and what features you should be on the lookout for when you consider purchasing or building one.

Meet the adorable black-capped chickadee.

Chickadee Birdhouse Plans and Dimensions

Birds & Blooms

Chickadees typically use nest boxes that are smaller than the standard size. The opening must be 1-1/8 in. in diameter (rather than the 1-¼ in. diameter hole seen on bluebird houses). The height should be about 8 in., and the width and length should be 4 to 5 1/2 in.

If you’re handy, you can build your own chickadee birdhouse. Construction project plans are available online from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Nestwatch program.

For more guidelines, check out this helpful birdhouse hole size chart.

What Should (and Shouldn’t) be in a Chickadee Birdhouse

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There are also several basic requirements for any nest box that you should make sure yours fulfills. All nest boxes should have a drainage hole in case of rain, so the young birds stay dry in bad weather, and they should have gaps between the walls and the roof in case of extreme heat.

There’s no need for your box to have a perch. Chickadees don’t require one, and perches make nests more accessible to predators. (Psst—if you catch house sparrows at your bluebird house, here’s what to do.)

It’s best if nest boxes are made of natural wood, and they should never be painted on the inside; fumes from the paint could negatively impact the birds.

Learn how to identify and attract a Carolina chickadee and a mountain chickadee.

Where (and When) Should I Hang the Birdhouse?

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Once you have the right kind of chickadee birdhouse, it’s essential to mount it at the correct height for these adorable black-and-white fliers. They typically nest between 4 and 15 feet off the ground, since they typically build homes in old stumps or tree cavities.

Try mounting the box on a tree trunk about 6 feet off the ground or above a thicket, facing away from prevailing winds. You can also provide nesting materials for the birds to use inside the house. Chickadees seem to prefer homes with soft nesting material inside over an empty nest box.

Put the birdhouse out starting at the end of March, as some chickadees begin nesting in early to mid-April.

Next, you won’t want to miss these incredibly cute chickadee pictures.

Sources

• Cornell Lab of Ornithology Project Nestwatch