Nest boxes · Oklahoma

Birdhouses for Oklahoma

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

Local conditions

Growing zones: USDA 6a–8a
Winter: Mild winters with occasional severe ice storms.
Summer: Hot summers with strong winds; water is especially valuable in the west.
Box nesters: 25 (19 year-round residents)
Hole sizes needed: 17 distinct

Humid in the forested east, semi-arid in the western plains and Panhandle.

Box calendar for Oklahoma

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
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
Black-crested Titmouse Southwestern Oklahoma.	Year-round resident	1 1/4 in	5–15 ft	February	March–June	July
Bewick's Wren	Year-round resident	1 1/4 in	5–10 ft	February	March–June	July
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
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
Juniper Titmouse Panhandle only.	Year-round resident	1 1/4 in	5–15 ft	March	April–June	July
Prothonotary Warbler	Summer breeder	1 1/8 in	3–6 ft over water	March	April–June	July
Ash-throated Flycatcher	Summer breeder	1 1/2 in	5–20 ft	March	April–July	August
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
House Wren	Summer breeder	1 to 1 1/8 in round	5–10 ft near shrubs	April	May–August	September
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 Oklahoma'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 Oklahoma?

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

Which birds use nest boxes in Oklahoma?

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

What hole size should a Oklahoma birdhouse have?

It depends on the bird: the 25 local box nesters use 17 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.