Nest boxes · South Dakota

Birdhouses for South Dakota

20 cavity-nesting birds breed in South Dakota. The first starts nesting in January, so the box season opens in December.

Local conditions

Growing zones: USDA 3b–5b
Winter: Cold, windy winters.
Summer: Warm summers with thunderstorms; the Black Hills host western mountain birds.
Box nesters: 20 (13 year-round residents)
Hole sizes needed: 16 distinct

Continental, with prairie east of the Missouri River and the forested Black Hills in the west.

Box calendar for South Dakota

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
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
Eastern Bluebird	Summer breeder	1 1/2 in round (1 9/16 in for Mountain/Western overlap)	4–6 ft on a baffled pole	March	April–August	September
Black-capped Chickadee	Year-round resident	1 1/8 in round	5–15 ft	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
White-breasted Nuthatch	Year-round resident	1 1/4 in round	5–20 ft	March	April–June	July
Red-bellied Woodpecker Southeastern corner.	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
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
Mountain Chickadee	Year-round resident	1 1/8 in	5–15 ft	April	May–July	August
Pygmy Nuthatch	Year-round resident	1 1/4 in	8–20 ft	April	May–June	July
Mountain Bluebird	Summer breeder	1 9/16 in	5–10 ft	April	May–July	August
Violet-green Swallow	Summer breeder	1 1/2 in	8–15 ft	April	May–July	August

Nesting windows are shifted from each species' mid-latitude season by South Dakota'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 South Dakota?

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

Which birds use nest boxes in South Dakota?

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

What hole size should a South Dakota birdhouse have?

It depends on the bird: the 20 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.