Nest boxes · Alaska

Birdhouses for Alaska

11 cavity-nesting birds breed in Alaska. The first starts nesting in April, so the box season opens in March.

Local conditions

Growing zones: USDA 1a–8a
Winter: Interior winters reach −40°F with under four hours of daylight; resident chickadees and redpolls depend on high-fat food.
Summer: A short, explosive summer with near-continuous daylight compresses nesting into a few weeks.
Box nesters: 11 (6 year-round residents)
Hole sizes needed: 9 distinct

Subarctic interior, temperate rainforest in the Southeast panhandle, and Arctic tundra on the North Slope.

Box calendar for Alaska

Bird	Status	Hole	Height	Up by	Nesting	Clean out
American Kestrel	Summer breeder	3 in	10–30 ft	March	April–June	July
Northern Saw-whet Owl	Year-round resident	2 1/2 in	10–20 ft	March	April–June	July
Black-capped Chickadee	Year-round resident	1 1/8 in round	5–15 ft	April	May–July	August
Downy Woodpecker Southeast and interior Alaska.	Year-round resident	1 1/4 in round	5–20 ft, box packed with wood shavings	April	May–June	July
Hairy Woodpecker	Year-round resident	1 1/2 in round	8–20 ft, box packed with wood shavings	April	May–June	July
Northern Flicker	Summer breeder	2 1/2 in	6–20 ft	April	May–June	July
Chestnut-backed Chickadee	Year-round resident	1 1/8 in	5–15 ft	April	May–June	July
Red-breasted Nuthatch	Year-round resident	1 1/4 in	5–15 ft	May	June–June	July
Tree Swallow	Summer breeder	1 1/2 in	5–10 ft	May	June–June	July
Mountain Bluebird	Summer breeder	1 9/16 in	5–10 ft	May	June–July	August
Violet-green Swallow	Summer breeder	1 1/2 in	8–15 ft	May	June–July	August

Nesting windows are shifted from each species' mid-latitude season by Alaska's latitude; year-round residents may also roost in boxes over winter, so clean them out in autumn and leave them up.

Bird guides for Alaska

American Kestrel in Alaska Northern Saw-whet Owl in Alaska Black-capped Chickadee in Alaska Downy Woodpecker in Alaska Hairy Woodpecker in Alaska Northern Flicker in Alaska Chestnut-backed Chickadee in Alaska Red-breasted Nuthatch in Alaska Tree Swallow in Alaska Mountain Bluebird in Alaska Violet-green Swallow in Alaska

Frequently asked

When should I put up a birdhouse in Alaska?

By March for the earliest local nester, the American Kestrel, which starts nesting around April.

Which birds use nest boxes in Alaska?

American Kestrel, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Black-capped Chickadee, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Tree Swallow, Mountain Bluebird, Violet-green Swallow.

What hole size should a Alaska birdhouse have?

It depends on the bird: the 11 local box nesters use 9 different hole sizes. See the table for each species.

Sources

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.