Birdhouses for Nova Scotia
13 cavity-nesting birds breed in Nova Scotia. The first starts nesting in February, so the box season opens in January.
Local conditions
- Growing zones
- Canadian zones 5a–7a (roughly USDA 4–6 equivalent)
- Winter
- Damp cold and wind chill; sheltered feeding stations and suet help small birds through storms.
- Summer
- Cool summers delay nesting compared with inland regions at similar latitude.
- Box nesters
- 13 (8 year-round residents)
- Hole sizes needed
- 11 distinct
Maritime — cool summers, snowy but ocean-moderated winters, fog and wind along the coast.
Box calendar for Nova Scotia
| Bird | Status | Hole | Height | Up by | Nesting | Clean out |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barred Owl | Year-round resident | 7–8 in | 12–20 ft | January | February–May | June |
| White-breasted Nuthatch | Year-round resident | 1 1/4 in round | 5–20 ft | March | April–June | July |
| American Kestrel | Year-round resident | 3 in | 10–30 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 Scarce and local breeder. | Summer breeder | 1 1/2 in round (1 9/16 in for Mountain/Western overlap) | 4–6 ft on a baffled pole | April | May–July | August |
| 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–July | August |
| Hairy Woodpecker | Year-round resident | 1 1/2 in round | 8–20 ft, box packed with wood shavings | 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 Uncommon breeder. | 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 |
Nesting windows are shifted from each species' mid-latitude season by Nova Scotia'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 Nova Scotia
Frequently asked
When should I put up a birdhouse in Nova Scotia?
By January for the earliest local nester, the Barred Owl, which starts nesting around February.
Which birds use nest boxes in Nova Scotia?
Barred Owl, White-breasted Nuthatch, American Kestrel, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Eastern Bluebird, Black-capped Chickadee, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Purple Martin, House Wren, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Tree Swallow.
What hole size should a Nova Scotia birdhouse have?
It depends on the bird: the 13 local box nesters use 11 different hole sizes. See the table for each species.
Sources
- NestWatch nest box plans and species requirements — Cornell Lab
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Nova Scotia
- Plant Hardiness Zones of Canada — Natural Resources Canada
- Audubon Native Plants Database
- Maritimes Breeding Bird Atlas
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.