Nest boxes · Quebec

Birdhouses for Quebec

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

Local conditions

Growing zones: Canada 0a–5b
Winter: Long, cold, snowy winters.
Summer: Warm, humid summers in the south.
Box nesters: 16 (11 year-round residents)
Hole sizes needed: 12 distinct

Humid continental in the St. Lawrence valley, boreal forest to the north, tundra in Nunavik.

Box calendar for Quebec

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	Year-round resident	4 × 3 in oval	6–20 ft	February	March–May	June
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
Northern Saw-whet Owl	Year-round resident	2 1/2 in	10–20 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	Summer breeder	2 1/2 in	6–20 ft	April	May–June	July
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

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

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

Frequently asked

When should I put up a birdhouse in Quebec?

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

Which birds use nest boxes in Quebec?

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

What hole size should a Quebec birdhouse have?

It depends on the bird: the 16 local box nesters use 12 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.