Tufted Titmouse house dimensions
The Tufted Titmouse nests in natural cavities and old woodpecker holes; uses nest boxes A box built to its measurements — and no bigger — is what makes it choose yours.
The specifications
- Entrance hole
- 1 1/4 in round
- Floor (inside)
- 4 × 4 in
- Mounting height
- 5–15 ft
- Bird size
- 5.5–6.3 in, 0.6–0.9 oz
- Clutch
- 3–9 eggs
- Incubation
- 12–14 days
- Time in nest
- 15–16 days
- Broods
- 1 per season (sometimes 2)
Build and mounting checklist
- Drill the entrance to exactly 1 1/4 in round — oversized holes let in European Starlings and larger predators.
- No outside perch: cavity nesters don't need one, and it helps House Sparrows and predators.
- Unpainted interior, 3/4-inch untreated wood (cedar or pine) or poly-lumber for insulation.
- Drainage holes in the floor corners and ventilation gaps under the roof.
- A side or front panel that opens so you can monitor and clean the box.
- Rough or grooved inner front wall so nestlings can climb out.
- Pole mount with a stovepipe or cone baffle to stop snakes, raccoons and cats.
When to put up a Tufted Titmouse box, by state
Boxes should be up and clean a month before local nesting starts. Dates shift with latitude:
| Place | Up by | Nesting | Clean out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | February | March–June | July |
| Florida | February | March–June | July |
| Georgia | February | March–June | July |
| Louisiana | February | March–June | July |
| Mississippi | February | March–June | July |
| North Carolina | February | March–June | July |
| South Carolina | February | March–June | July |
| Texas | February | March–June | July |
| Arkansas | March | April–June | July |
| Connecticut | March | April–June | July |
| Delaware | March | April–June | July |
| Illinois | March | April–June | July |
| Indiana | March | April–June | July |
| Iowa | March | April–June | July |
| Kansas | March | April–June | July |
| Kentucky | March | April–June | July |
| Maryland | March | April–June | July |
| Massachusetts | March | April–June | July |
| Michigan | March | April–June | July |
| Minnesota | March | April–June | July |
| Missouri | March | April–June | July |
| Nebraska | March | April–June | July |
| New Jersey | March | April–June | July |
| New York | March | April–June | July |
| Ohio | March | April–June | July |
| Oklahoma | March | April–June | July |
| Ontario | March | April–June | July |
| Pennsylvania | March | April–June | July |
| Rhode Island | March | April–June | July |
| Tennessee | March | April–June | July |
| Virginia | March | April–June | July |
| West Virginia | March | April–June | July |
| Maine | April | May–June | July |
| New Hampshire | April | May–June | July |
| Vermont | April | May–June | July |
| Wisconsin | April | May–June | July |
Full Tufted Titmouse species guide →
Frequently asked
What size hole does a Tufted Titmouse need?
1 1/4 in round. A hole cut to this size admits the Tufted Titmouse (5.5–6.3 in) while keeping out larger competitors.
How big should a Tufted Titmouse house be inside?
A floor of 4 × 4 in. The Tufted Titmouse lays 3–9 eggs, so the floor has to hold the full clutch plus growing nestlings.
How high should I mount a Tufted Titmouse box?
5–15 ft. Mount on a pole with a predator baffle where possible rather than a tree or fence.
How long does a Tufted Titmouse use the box?
Incubation takes 12–14 days and the young stay in the nest 15–16 days. Broods per year: 1 per season (sometimes 2).
Sources
- Tufted Titmouse — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Tufted Titmouse life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Tufted Titmouse — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- NestWatch nest box plans and species requirements — Cornell Lab
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.