Nest boxes · North Dakota

Birdhouses for North Dakota

15 cavity-nesting birds breed in North Dakota. The first starts nesting in February, so the box season opens in January.

Local conditions

Growing zones: USDA 3a–4b
Winter: Severe winters to −30°F; Snow Buntings and redpolls arrive from the Arctic.
Summer: Short, warm summers with a peak nesting season in June.
Box nesters: 15 (9 year-round residents)
Hole sizes needed: 13 distinct

Continental northern prairie with prairie-pothole wetlands and the Missouri River breaks.

Box calendar for North Dakota

Bird	Status	Hole	Height	Up by	Nesting	Clean out
Barn Owl	Year-round resident	6 in	10–20 ft	January	February–December	January
Eastern Screech-Owl	Year-round resident	3 in	10–30 ft	March	April–May	June
American Kestrel	Year-round resident	3 in	10–30 ft	March	April–June	July
Wood Duck	Year-round resident	4 × 3 in oval	6–20 ft	March	April–June	July
Eastern Bluebird	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	Year-round resident	2 1/2 in	6–20 ft	April	May–June	July
Purple Martin Eastern half.	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
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 North Dakota'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 North Dakota

Barn Owl in North Dakota Eastern Screech-Owl in North Dakota American Kestrel in North Dakota Wood Duck in North Dakota Eastern Bluebird in North Dakota Black-capped Chickadee in North Dakota Downy Woodpecker in North Dakota Hairy Woodpecker in North Dakota White-breasted Nuthatch in North Dakota Northern Flicker in North Dakota Purple Martin in North Dakota House Wren in North Dakota Tree Swallow in North Dakota Great Crested Flycatcher in North Dakota Mountain Bluebird in North Dakota

Frequently asked

When should I put up a birdhouse in North Dakota?

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

Which birds use nest boxes in North Dakota?

Barn Owl, Eastern Screech-Owl, American Kestrel, Wood Duck, Eastern Bluebird, Black-capped Chickadee, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch, Northern Flicker, Purple Martin, House Wren, Tree Swallow, Great Crested Flycatcher, Mountain Bluebird.

What hole size should a North Dakota birdhouse have?

It depends on the bird: the 15 local box nesters use 13 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.