Hairy Woodpecker house dimensions
The Hairy Woodpecker nests in excavates in dead or living trees with heart rot A box built to its measurements — and no bigger — is what makes it choose yours.
The specifications
- Entrance hole
- 1 1/2 in round
- Floor (inside)
- 6 × 6 in
- Mounting height
- 8–20 ft, box packed with wood shavings
- Bird size
- 7.1–10.2 in, 1.4–3.4 oz
- Clutch
- 3–6 eggs
- Incubation
- 11–15 days
- Time in nest
- 28–30 days
- Broods
- 1 per season
Build and mounting checklist
- Drill the entrance to exactly 1 1/2 in round — 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 Hairy Woodpecker box, by state
Boxes should be up and clean a month before local nesting starts. Dates shift with latitude:
| Place | Up by | Nesting | Clean out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | February | March–June | July |
| Arizona | February | March–June | July |
| California | February | March–June | July |
| Florida | February | March–June | July |
| Georgia | February | March–June | July |
| Louisiana | February | March–June | July |
| Mississippi | February | March–June | July |
| South Carolina | February | March–June | July |
| Texas | February | March–June | July |
| Arkansas | March | April–June | July |
| Colorado | March | April–June | July |
| Connecticut | March | April–June | July |
| Delaware | March | April–June | July |
| Idaho | March | April–June | July |
| Illinois | March | April–June | July |
| Indiana | March | April–June | July |
| Iowa | March | April–June | July |
| Kansas | March | April–June | July |
| Kentucky | March | April–June | July |
| Maryland | March | April–June | July |
| Massachusetts | March | April–June | July |
| Michigan | March | April–June | July |
| Minnesota | March | April–June | July |
| Missouri | March | April–June | July |
| Nebraska | March | April–June | July |
| Nevada | March | April–June | July |
| New Jersey | March | April–June | July |
| New Mexico | March | April–June | July |
| New York | March | April–June | July |
| North Carolina | March | April–June | July |
| Ohio | March | April–June | July |
| Oklahoma | March | April–June | July |
| Oregon | March | April–June | July |
| Pennsylvania | March | April–June | July |
| Rhode Island | March | April–June | July |
| South Dakota | March | April–June | July |
| Tennessee | March | April–June | July |
| Utah | March | April–June | July |
| Virginia | March | April–June | July |
| Washington | March | April–June | July |
| West Virginia | March | April–June | July |
| Alaska | April | May–June | July |
| Alberta | April | May–June | July |
| British Columbia | April | May–June | July |
| Maine | April | May–June | July |
| Manitoba | April | May–June | July |
| Montana | April | May–June | July |
| New Brunswick | April | May–June | July |
| New Hampshire | April | May–June | July |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | April | May–June | July |
| North Dakota | April | May–June | July |
| Northwest Territories | April | May–June | July |
| Nova Scotia | April | May–June | July |
| Ontario | April | May–June | July |
| Prince Edward Island | April | May–June | July |
| Quebec | April | May–June | July |
| Saskatchewan | April | May–June | July |
| Vermont | April | May–June | July |
| Wisconsin | April | May–June | July |
| Wyoming | April | May–June | July |
| Yukon | April | May–June | July |
Full Hairy Woodpecker species guide →
Frequently asked
What size hole does a Hairy Woodpecker need?
1 1/2 in round. A hole cut to this size admits the Hairy Woodpecker (7.1–10.2 in) while keeping out larger competitors.
How big should a Hairy Woodpecker house be inside?
A floor of 6 × 6 in. The Hairy Woodpecker lays 3–6 eggs, so the floor has to hold the full clutch plus growing nestlings.
How high should I mount a Hairy Woodpecker box?
8–20 ft, box packed with wood shavings. Mount on a pole with a predator baffle where possible rather than a tree or fence.
How long does a Hairy Woodpecker use the box?
Incubation takes 11–15 days and the young stay in the nest 28–30 days. Broods per year: 1 per season.
Sources
- Hairy Woodpecker — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Hairy Woodpecker life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Hairy Woodpecker — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- 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.