Nest boxes · Vermont

Birdhouses for Vermont

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

Local conditions

Growing zones: USDA 3b–5b
Winter: Long, snowy winters.
Summer: Short, mild summers.
Box nesters: 18 (13 year-round residents)
Hole sizes needed: 13 distinct

Humid continental, with the Green Mountains and the Champlain Valley.

Box calendar for Vermont

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
Tufted Titmouse	Year-round resident	1 1/4 in round	5–15 ft	April	May–June	July
White-breasted Nuthatch	Year-round resident	1 1/4 in round	5–20 ft	April	May–June	July
Northern Flicker	Year-round resident	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	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 Vermont'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 Vermont

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

Frequently asked

When should I put up a birdhouse in Vermont?

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

Which birds use nest boxes in Vermont?

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

What hole size should a Vermont birdhouse have?

It depends on the bird: the 18 local box nesters use 13 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.