Nest boxes · Washington

Birdhouses for Washington

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

Local conditions

Growing zones: USDA 4a–9a
Winter: Mild, wet winters on the Puget Sound; cold winters in the east.
Summer: Dry, sunny summers west of the Cascades; hot in the Columbia Basin.
Box nesters: 25 (18 year-round residents)
Hole sizes needed: 13 distinct

Marine west-coast climate west of the Cascades, semi-arid shrub-steppe to the east.

Box calendar for Washington

Bird	Status	Hole	Height	Up by	Nesting	Clean out
Barn Owl	Year-round resident	6 in	10–20 ft	December	January–December	January
Hooded Merganser	Year-round resident	4 × 3 in oval	6–20 ft	January	February–May	June
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
Western Screech-Owl	Year-round resident	3 in	10–30 ft	February	March–June	July
Northern Saw-whet Owl	Year-round resident	2 1/2 in	10–20 ft	February	March–June	July
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
Northern Flicker Red-shafted form.	Year-round resident	2 1/2 in	6–20 ft	March	April–June	July
Chestnut-backed Chickadee	Year-round resident	1 1/8 in	5–15 ft	March	April–June	July
Western Bluebird	Summer breeder	1 1/2 in	5–10 ft	March	April–July	August
Ash-throated Flycatcher	Summer breeder	1 1/2 in	5–20 ft	March	April–July	August
White-headed Woodpecker	Year-round resident	1 1/2 in	10–20 ft	March	April–July	August
Purple Martin Western subspecies, mainly in gourds near water.	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
Red-breasted Nuthatch	Year-round resident	1 1/4 in	5–15 ft	April	May–June	July
Tree Swallow	Summer breeder	1 1/2 in	5–10 ft	April	May–June	July
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
Lewis's Woodpecker	Year-round resident	2 1/2 in	12–20 ft	April	May–July	August

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

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

Which birds use nest boxes in Washington?

Barn Owl, Hooded Merganser, Bewick's Wren, American Kestrel, Wood Duck, Western Screech-Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Black-capped Chickadee, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch, Northern Flicker, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Western Bluebird, Ash-throated Flycatcher, White-headed Woodpecker, Purple Martin, House Wren, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Tree Swallow, Mountain Chickadee, Pygmy Nuthatch, Mountain Bluebird, Violet-green Swallow, Lewis's Woodpecker.

What hole size should a Washington birdhouse have?

It depends on the bird: the 25 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.