Perch Supply
Nest box specification

American Kestrel house dimensions

The American Kestrel nests in tree cavities, crevices and nest boxes in open country A box built to its measurements — and no bigger — is what makes it choose yours.

Falcons (Falconidae)American KestrelFalco sparverius

The specifications

Entrance hole
3 in
Floor (inside)
8 × 8 in
Mounting height
10–30 ft
Bird size
8.7–12.2 in, 2.8–5.8 oz
Clutch
3–7 eggs
Incubation
26–32 days
Time in nest
28–31 days
Broods
1–2 per season

Build and mounting checklist

  • Drill the entrance to exactly 3 in — oversized holes let in European Starlings and larger predators.
  • No outside perch: cavity nesters don't need one, and it helps House Sparrows and predators.
  • Unpainted interior, 3/4-inch untreated wood (cedar or pine) or poly-lumber for insulation.
  • Drainage holes in the floor corners and ventilation gaps under the roof.
  • A side or front panel that opens so you can monitor and clean the box.
  • Rough or grooved inner front wall so nestlings can climb out.
  • Pole mount with a stovepipe or cone baffle to stop snakes, raccoons and cats.

When to put up a American Kestrel box, by state

Boxes should be up and clean a month before local nesting starts. Dates shift with latitude:

PlaceUp byNestingClean out
AlabamaJanuaryFebruary–JuneJuly
ArizonaJanuaryFebruary–JuneJuly
CaliforniaJanuaryFebruary–JuneJuly
FloridaJanuaryFebruary–JuneJuly
GeorgiaJanuaryFebruary–JuneJuly
LouisianaJanuaryFebruary–JuneJuly
MississippiJanuaryFebruary–JuneJuly
South CarolinaJanuaryFebruary–JuneJuly
TexasJanuaryFebruary–JuneJuly
ArkansasFebruaryMarch–JuneJuly
ColoradoFebruaryMarch–JuneJuly
ConnecticutFebruaryMarch–JuneJuly
DelawareFebruaryMarch–JuneJuly
IdahoFebruaryMarch–JuneJuly
IllinoisFebruaryMarch–JuneJuly
IndianaFebruaryMarch–JuneJuly
IowaFebruaryMarch–JuneJuly
KansasFebruaryMarch–JuneJuly
KentuckyFebruaryMarch–JuneJuly
MarylandFebruaryMarch–JuneJuly
MassachusettsFebruaryMarch–JuneJuly
MichiganFebruaryMarch–JuneJuly
MissouriFebruaryMarch–JuneJuly
NebraskaFebruaryMarch–JuneJuly
NevadaFebruaryMarch–JuneJuly
New JerseyFebruaryMarch–JuneJuly
New MexicoFebruaryMarch–JuneJuly
New YorkFebruaryMarch–JuneJuly
North CarolinaFebruaryMarch–JuneJuly
OhioFebruaryMarch–JuneJuly
OklahomaFebruaryMarch–JuneJuly
OregonFebruaryMarch–JuneJuly
PennsylvaniaFebruaryMarch–JuneJuly
Rhode IslandFebruaryMarch–JuneJuly
South DakotaFebruaryMarch–JuneJuly
TennesseeFebruaryMarch–JuneJuly
UtahFebruaryMarch–JuneJuly
VirginiaFebruaryMarch–JuneJuly
WashingtonFebruaryMarch–JuneJuly
West VirginiaFebruaryMarch–JuneJuly
AlaskaMarchApril–JuneJuly
AlbertaMarchApril–JuneJuly
British ColumbiaMarchApril–JuneJuly
MaineMarchApril–JuneJuly
ManitobaMarchApril–JuneJuly
MinnesotaMarchApril–JuneJuly
MontanaMarchApril–JuneJuly
New BrunswickMarchApril–JuneJuly
New HampshireMarchApril–JuneJuly
Newfoundland and LabradorMarchApril–JuneJuly
North DakotaMarchApril–JuneJuly
Northwest TerritoriesMarchApril–JuneJuly
Nova ScotiaMarchApril–JuneJuly
OntarioMarchApril–JuneJuly
Prince Edward IslandMarchApril–JuneJuly
QuebecMarchApril–JuneJuly
SaskatchewanMarchApril–JuneJuly
VermontMarchApril–JuneJuly
WisconsinMarchApril–JuneJuly
WyomingMarchApril–JuneJuly
YukonMarchApril–JuneJuly

Full American Kestrel species guide →

Frequently asked

What size hole does a American Kestrel need?

3 in. A hole cut to this size admits the American Kestrel (8.7–12.2 in) while keeping out larger competitors.

How big should a American Kestrel house be inside?

A floor of 8 × 8 in. The American Kestrel lays 3–7 eggs, so the floor has to hold the full clutch plus growing nestlings.

How high should I mount a American Kestrel box?

10–30 ft. Mount on a pole with a predator baffle where possible rather than a tree or fence.

How long does a American Kestrel use the box?

Incubation takes 26–32 days and the young stay in the nest 28–31 days. Broods per year: 1–2 per season.

Sources

  1. American Kestrel — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  2. American Kestrel life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  3. American Kestrel — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
  4. NestWatch nest box plans and species requirements — Cornell Lab

Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.