Nest boxes · Manitoba

Birdhouses for Manitoba

17 cavity-nesting birds breed in Manitoba. The first starts nesting in February, so the box season opens in January.

Local conditions

Growing zones: Canada 1a–3b
Winter: Very cold winters to −30°F.
Summer: Warm summers with a short, intense nesting season.
Box nesters: 17 (7 year-round residents)
Hole sizes needed: 14 distinct

Continental, from prairie in the southwest to boreal forest and Hudson Bay tundra in the north.

Box calendar for Manitoba

Bird	Status	Hole	Height	Up by	Nesting	Clean out
Barred Owl	Year-round resident	7–8 in	12–20 ft	January	February–May	June
Hooded Merganser	Summer breeder	4 × 3 in oval	6–20 ft	February	March–May	June
American Kestrel	Summer breeder	3 in	10–30 ft	March	April–June	July
Wood Duck	Summer breeder	4 × 3 in oval	6–20 ft	March	April–June	July
Northern Saw-whet Owl	Year-round resident	2 1/2 in	10–20 ft	March	April–June	July
Eastern Bluebird Southern Manitoba.	Summer breeder	1 1/2 in round (1 9/16 in for Mountain/Western overlap)	4–6 ft on a baffled pole	April	May–August	September
Black-capped Chickadee	Year-round resident	1 1/8 in round	5–15 ft	April	May–July	August
Downy Woodpecker	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
White-breasted Nuthatch	Year-round resident	1 1/4 in round	5–20 ft	April	May–June	July
Northern Flicker	Summer breeder	2 1/2 in	6–20 ft	April	May–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	May	June–July	August
House Wren	Summer breeder	1 to 1 1/8 in round	5–10 ft near shrubs	May	June–August	September
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
Great Crested Flycatcher	Summer breeder	1 3/4 in	8–20 ft	May	June–July	August
Mountain Bluebird	Summer breeder	1 9/16 in	5–10 ft	May	June–July	August

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

Barred Owl in Manitoba Hooded Merganser in Manitoba American Kestrel in Manitoba Wood Duck in Manitoba Northern Saw-whet Owl in Manitoba Eastern Bluebird in Manitoba Black-capped Chickadee in Manitoba Downy Woodpecker in Manitoba Hairy Woodpecker in Manitoba White-breasted Nuthatch in Manitoba Northern Flicker in Manitoba Purple Martin in Manitoba House Wren in Manitoba Red-breasted Nuthatch in Manitoba Tree Swallow in Manitoba Great Crested Flycatcher in Manitoba Mountain Bluebird in Manitoba

Frequently asked

When should I put up a birdhouse in Manitoba?

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

Which birds use nest boxes in Manitoba?

Barred Owl, Hooded Merganser, American Kestrel, Wood Duck, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Eastern Bluebird, Black-capped Chickadee, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch, Northern Flicker, Purple Martin, House Wren, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Tree Swallow, Great Crested Flycatcher, Mountain Bluebird.

What hole size should a Manitoba birdhouse have?

It depends on the bird: the 17 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.