Nest boxes · North Carolina

Birdhouses for North Carolina

23 cavity-nesting birds breed in North Carolina. The first starts nesting in January, so the box season opens in December.

Local conditions

Growing zones: USDA 5b–8b
Winter: Black-capped Chickadees and other northern birds are confined to the highest mountains; lowlands stay mild.
Summer: Warm and humid in the Piedmont and coast; cooler at elevation.
Box nesters: 23 (19 year-round residents)
Hole sizes needed: 16 distinct

Mountains, Piedmont and coastal plain differ sharply — cool, snowy highlands to mild, humid coast.

Box calendar for North Carolina

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 Bluebird	Year-round resident	1 1/2 in round (1 9/16 in for Mountain/Western overlap)	4–6 ft on a baffled pole	February	March–August	September
Carolina Chickadee	Year-round resident	1 1/8 in round	5–15 ft	February	March–June	July
Tufted Titmouse	Year-round resident	1 1/4 in round	5–15 ft	February	March–June	July
White-breasted Nuthatch	Year-round resident	1 1/4 in round	5–20 ft	February	March–June	July
Brown-headed Nuthatch	Year-round resident	1 in	5–12 ft	February	March–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
Brown-headed Nuthatch	Year-round resident	1 in	5–12 ft	February	March–May	June
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	March	April–July	August
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
House Wren Breeds in the west and Piedmont; winters in the east.	Year-round resident	1 to 1 1/8 in round	5–10 ft near shrubs	March	April–August	September
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
Black-capped Chickadee Only on the highest peaks of the Appalachians.	Year-round resident	1 1/8 in round	5–15 ft	April	May–June	July
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 North Carolina'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 North Carolina?

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

Which birds use nest boxes in North Carolina?

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

What hole size should a North Carolina birdhouse have?

It depends on the bird: the 23 local box nesters use 16 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.