Nest boxes · California

Birdhouses for California

26 cavity-nesting birds breed in California. The first starts nesting in January, so the box season opens in December.

Local conditions

Growing zones: USDA 5a–11a
Winter: Wet, mild winters are the green season — the busiest time at coastal feeders as sparrows and hummingbirds settle in.
Summer: Dry summers with little rain from May to October; water and summer-blooming natives matter more than extra seed.
Box nesters: 26 (22 year-round residents)
Hole sizes needed: 12 distinct

Mediterranean along the coast and Central Valley, alpine in the Sierra Nevada, and desert in the southeast.

Box calendar for California

Bird	Status	Hole	Height	Up by	Nesting	Clean out
Hooded Merganser	Year-round resident	4 × 3 in oval	6–20 ft	December	January–May	June
Oak Titmouse	Year-round resident	1 1/4 in	5–15 ft	January	February–May	June
Bewick's Wren	Year-round resident	1 1/4 in	5–10 ft	January	February–June	July
American Kestrel	Year-round resident	3 in	10–30 ft	January	February–June	July
Wood Duck	Year-round resident	4 × 3 in oval	6–20 ft	January	February–June	July
Western Screech-Owl	Year-round resident	3 in	10–30 ft	January	February–June	July
Northern Saw-whet Owl	Year-round resident	2 1/2 in	10–20 ft	January	February–June	July
Downy Woodpecker	Year-round resident	1 1/4 in round	5–20 ft, box packed with wood shavings	February	March–June	July
Hairy Woodpecker	Year-round resident	1 1/2 in round	8–20 ft, box packed with wood shavings	February	March–June	July
White-breasted Nuthatch	Year-round resident	1 1/4 in round	5–20 ft	February	March–June	July
Northern Flicker	Year-round resident	2 1/2 in	6–20 ft	February	March–June	July
Chestnut-backed Chickadee Coast ranges and northern Sierra.	Year-round resident	1 1/8 in	5–15 ft	February	March–June	July
Juniper Titmouse	Year-round resident	1 1/4 in	5–15 ft	February	March–June	July
Western Bluebird	Year-round resident	1 1/2 in	5–10 ft	February	March–July	August
Ash-throated Flycatcher	Summer breeder	1 1/2 in	5–20 ft	February	March–July	August
White-headed Woodpecker	Year-round resident	1 1/2 in	10–20 ft	February	March–July	August
Purple Martin Local and declining; mostly natural cavities.	Summer breeder	1 3/4–2 1/8 in round, or starling-resistant crescent (3 × 1 3/16 in)	10–20 ft on a telescoping pole, 40+ ft from trees	March	April–July	August
House Wren	Year-round resident	1 to 1 1/8 in round	5–10 ft near shrubs	March	April–August	September
Red-breasted Nuthatch	Year-round resident	1 1/4 in	5–15 ft	March	April–June	July
Tree Swallow	Year-round resident	1 1/2 in	5–10 ft	March	April–June	July
Mountain Chickadee	Year-round resident	1 1/8 in	5–15 ft	March	April–July	August
Pygmy Nuthatch	Year-round resident	1 1/4 in	8–20 ft	March	April–June	July
Mountain Bluebird	Summer breeder	1 9/16 in	5–10 ft	March	April–July	August
Violet-green Swallow	Summer breeder	1 1/2 in	8–15 ft	March	April–July	August
Lewis's Woodpecker	Year-round resident	2 1/2 in	12–20 ft	March	April–July	August
Barn Owl	Year-round resident	6 in	10–20 ft	November	December–December	January

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

Frequently asked

When should I put up a birdhouse in California?

By December for the earliest local nester, the Hooded Merganser, which starts nesting around January.

Which birds use nest boxes in California?

Hooded Merganser, Oak Titmouse, Bewick's Wren, American Kestrel, Wood Duck, Western Screech-Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch, Northern Flicker, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Juniper Titmouse, Western Bluebird, Ash-throated Flycatcher, White-headed Woodpecker, Purple Martin, House Wren, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Tree Swallow, Mountain Chickadee, Pygmy Nuthatch, Mountain Bluebird, Violet-green Swallow, Lewis's Woodpecker, Barn Owl.

What hole size should a California birdhouse have?

It depends on the bird: the 26 local box nesters use 12 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.