Nest boxes · Kentucky

Birdhouses for Kentucky

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

Local conditions

Growing zones: USDA 6a–7b
Winter: Moderate winters with periodic snow and ice.
Summer: Hot, humid summers.
Box nesters: 19 (15 year-round residents)
Hole sizes needed: 14 distinct

Humid subtropical, from the Appalachian plateau in the east to the Bluegrass and the Mississippi lowlands in the west.

Box calendar for Kentucky

Bird	Status	Hole	Height	Up by	Nesting	Clean out
Barred Owl	Year-round resident	7–8 in	12–20 ft	December	January–May	June
Barn Owl	Year-round resident	6 in	10–20 ft	December	January–December	January
Hooded Merganser	Year-round resident	4 × 3 in oval	6–20 ft	January	February–May	June
Eastern Screech-Owl	Year-round resident	3 in	10–30 ft	February	March–May	June
American Kestrel	Year-round resident	3 in	10–30 ft	February	March–June	July
Wood Duck	Year-round resident	4 × 3 in oval	6–20 ft	February	March–June	July
Eastern Bluebird	Year-round resident	1 1/2 in round (1 9/16 in for Mountain/Western overlap)	4–6 ft on a baffled pole	March	April–August	September
Carolina Chickadee	Year-round resident	1 1/8 in round	5–15 ft	March	April–June	July
Downy Woodpecker	Year-round resident	1 1/4 in round	5–20 ft, box packed with wood shavings	March	April–June	July
Hairy Woodpecker	Year-round resident	1 1/2 in round	8–20 ft, box packed with wood shavings	March	April–June	July
Tufted Titmouse	Year-round resident	1 1/4 in round	5–15 ft	March	April–June	July
White-breasted Nuthatch	Year-round resident	1 1/4 in round	5–20 ft	March	April–June	July
Carolina Wren	Year-round resident	1 1/8–1 1/2 in	5–10 ft	March	April–August	September
Red-bellied Woodpecker	Year-round resident	2 1/2 in	12–20 ft	March	April–July	August
Northern Flicker	Year-round resident	2 1/2 in	6–20 ft	March	April–June	July
Prothonotary Warbler	Summer breeder	1 1/8 in	3–6 ft over water	March	April–June	July
Purple Martin	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	April	May–July	August
Tree Swallow	Summer breeder	1 1/2 in	5–10 ft	April	May–June	July
Great Crested Flycatcher	Summer breeder	1 3/4 in	8–20 ft	April	May–July	August

Nesting windows are shifted from each species' mid-latitude season by Kentucky'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 Kentucky

Barred Owl in Kentucky Barn Owl in Kentucky Hooded Merganser in Kentucky Eastern Screech-Owl in Kentucky American Kestrel in Kentucky Wood Duck in Kentucky Eastern Bluebird in Kentucky Carolina Chickadee in Kentucky Downy Woodpecker in Kentucky Hairy Woodpecker in Kentucky Tufted Titmouse in Kentucky White-breasted Nuthatch in Kentucky Carolina Wren in Kentucky Red-bellied Woodpecker in Kentucky Northern Flicker in Kentucky Prothonotary Warbler in Kentucky Purple Martin in Kentucky Tree Swallow in Kentucky Great Crested Flycatcher in Kentucky

Frequently asked

When should I put up a birdhouse in Kentucky?

By December for the earliest local nester, the Barred Owl, which starts nesting around January.

Which birds use nest boxes in Kentucky?

Barred Owl, Barn Owl, Hooded Merganser, Eastern Screech-Owl, American Kestrel, Wood Duck, Eastern Bluebird, Carolina Chickadee, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, Carolina Wren, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Prothonotary Warbler, Purple Martin, Tree Swallow, Great Crested Flycatcher.

What hole size should a Kentucky birdhouse have?

It depends on the bird: the 19 local box nesters use 14 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.