Nest boxes · Texas

Birdhouses for Texas

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

Local conditions

Growing zones: USDA 6b–10a
Winter: Hard freezes are brief outside the Panhandle, so most feeder birds face heat and drought stress more than cold.
Summer: Afternoon highs regularly exceed 95°F — nest boxes need shade or light-colored, ventilated construction, and water matters as much as food.
Box nesters: 24 (20 year-round residents)
Hole sizes needed: 16 distinct

Humid subtropical in the east and along the Gulf, semi-arid to arid in the west; long, hot summers and short, mild winters over most of the state.

Box calendar for Texas

Bird	Status	Hole	Height	Up by	Nesting	Clean out
Brown-headed Nuthatch	Year-round resident	1 in	5–12 ft	January	February–May	June
Eastern Screech-Owl	Year-round resident	3 in	10–30 ft	January	February–May	June
Black-crested Titmouse	Year-round resident	1 1/4 in	5–15 ft	January	February–June	July
Bewick's Wren	Year-round resident	1 1/4 in	5–10 ft	January	February–June	July
American Kestrel	Year-round resident	3 in	10–30 ft	January	February–June	July
Wood Duck	Year-round resident	4 × 3 in oval	6–20 ft	January	February–June	July
Western Screech-Owl Western half.	Year-round resident	3 in	10–30 ft	January	February–June	July
Brown-headed Nuthatch	Year-round resident	1 in	5–12 ft	January	February–May	June
Eastern Bluebird Mainly the eastern two-thirds.	Year-round resident	1 1/2 in round (1 9/16 in for Mountain/Western overlap)	4–6 ft on a baffled pole	February	March–July	August
Carolina Chickadee Eastern and central Texas.	Year-round resident	1 1/8 in round	5–15 ft	February	March–June	July
Purple Martin Scouts can arrive on the coast in January.	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	February	March–July	August
Downy Woodpecker Eastern and central Texas.	Year-round resident	1 1/4 in round	5–20 ft, box packed with wood shavings	February	March–June	July
Hairy Woodpecker Eastern forests; scarce elsewhere.	Year-round resident	1 1/2 in round	8–20 ft, box packed with wood shavings	February	March–June	July
Tufted Titmouse Eastern Texas; replaced by Black-crested Titmouse in central and south Texas.	Year-round resident	1 1/4 in round	5–15 ft	February	March–June	July
White-breasted Nuthatch Eastern and central wooded areas.	Year-round resident	1 1/4 in round	5–20 ft	February	March–June	July
Carolina Wren	Year-round resident	1 1/8–1 1/2 in	5–10 ft	February	March–August	September
Red-bellied Woodpecker	Year-round resident	2 1/2 in	12–20 ft	February	March–July	August
Northern Flicker	Year-round resident	2 1/2 in	6–20 ft	February	March–June	July
Juniper Titmouse Far west Texas.	Year-round resident	1 1/4 in	5–15 ft	February	March–June	July
Prothonotary Warbler	Summer breeder	1 1/8 in	3–6 ft over water	February	March–June	July
Ash-throated Flycatcher	Summer breeder	1 1/2 in	5–20 ft	February	March–July	August
Great Crested Flycatcher	Summer breeder	1 3/4 in	8–20 ft	March	April–July	August
Barred Owl	Year-round resident	7–8 in	12–20 ft	April	May–May	June
Barn Owl	Year-round resident	6 in	10–20 ft	November	December–December	January

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

By January for the earliest local nester, the Brown-headed Nuthatch, which starts nesting around February.

Which birds use nest boxes in Texas?

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

What hole size should a Texas birdhouse have?

It depends on the bird: the 24 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.