Chickadee House: Best Nest Boxes, Sizes and Placement

A good chickadee house is a closed wooden box with a 1 1/8-inch entrance hole, a floor about 4 to 5 1/2 inches square and roughly 8 inches of depth, mounted 5 to 15 feet up (NestWatch). That hole size also keeps House Sparrows out. Add an inch of wood shavings for Black-capped Chickadees, which like to dig.

The best boxes also have vents under the roof, drainage in the floor, a door you can open, and no perch. Based on manufacturer specs, the Coveside Chickadee House is the most complete wooden pick, and the Kettle Moraine Recycled Nuthatch and Titmouse Nest Box is the best low-maintenance box if you also want titmice and nuthatches.

Quick picks

• Best overall: Coveside Chickadee House. Pine, 1 1/8-inch hole, vents, drainage and a lift-up side panel.
• Best low-maintenance box: Kettle Moraine Recycled Nuthatch and Titmouse Nest Box. Recycled HDPE, 1 1/4-inch copper-guarded hole, swing-open front.
• Best wooden box for titmice and nuthatches: Coveside Nuthatch House. 3/4-inch pine, 1 1/4-inch hole.
• Best compact poly house: JCs Wildlife Wren, Chickadee, and Warbler Chateau Birdhouse. 1 1/8-inch hole, removable floor.
• Best cedar budget pick: Nature’s Way CWH1 Cedar Wren House. 1 1/8-inch hole, clean-out door, vents.
• Best woodcrete box: Schwegler 1B Nest Box. Chew-resistant wood-concrete, 32 mm hole option.

How these boxes were compared

None of these boxes were installed or monitored for this guide. It is based on published specifications and plans. The comparison covers manufacturer specifications for entrance size, floor size, wall material, ventilation, drainage, cleaning access and predator protection, taken from each maker’s product page. Those features were checked against the species nest box plans published by Cornell Lab’s NestWatch, and against repeated patterns in verified owner feedback, such as panels that stick, boxes that warp or houses that wrens fill with sticks. Houses with perches or no cleaning access were excluded.

What size chickadee house do chickadees need?

NestWatch recommends a 1 1/8-inch entrance hole, an interior about 5 1/2 by 5 1/2 inches and about 8 inches deep for both Black-capped and Carolina Chickadees. Many plans use a smaller 4 by 4-inch floor. Keep the hole exactly 1 1/8 inches: tests reported by Sialis found a 1 1/4-inch hole still lets House Sparrows in.

In practice, chickadees need a 1 1/8-inch (29 mm) entrance hole and a box about 8 inches deep inside. Many well-reviewed commercial boxes use the 4 x 4-inch floor, which chickadees also accept.

The hole matters most. At 1 1/8 inches, the opening admits chickadees and House Wrens but is too small for House Sparrows, a non-native species that kills adult chickadees and takes over boxes. Go up to 1 1/4 inches and you add Tufted Titmice and White-breasted Nuthatches, but sparrows can squeeze in too. For the full species list, see our birdhouse hole size chart.

Chickadee house sizing chart

Floor and depth within an inch are fine. Match the hole exactly.

Coveside Chickadee House: best overall

What it is: A made-in-the-USA pine box built specifically for chickadees, with a 1 1/8-inch entrance, a downward-sloping roof, ventilation slots at the sides of the top panel, drainage gaps at the base corners and a single side panel that lifts open.

Who it suits: Anyone with chickadees at the feeder and a mature tree, post or wall to mount a box on.

Key specs: 1 1/8-inch hole; 8 1/8 in L x 5 3/4 in W x 12 1/2 in H; pine; metal hanger and predrilled hole for mounting.

Strengths: The box follows the functional checklist point by point: correct hole, no perch, vents, drainage and a rough-hewn interior that Coveside says helps fledglings climb out. The tall shape keeps the nest well below a probing paw.

Drawbacks: Pine is softer than cedar and will eventually weather, and a squirrel or woodpecker can enlarge the hole.

Skip it if: You want titmice or nuthatches. Choose its 1 1/4-inch sibling below instead.

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Kettle Moraine Recycled Nuthatch and Titmouse Nest Box: best low-maintenance box

What it is: A nest box made from HDPE plastic lumber from recycled milk jugs, made in the Midwest, with a 1 1/4-inch entrance protected by a copper portal, a 4 x 4-inch floor, a wide overhanging roof with vents in the eaves and a front panel that swings open.

Who it suits: Yards that host a mix of titmice, nuthatches, chickadees and Downy Woodpeckers, and owners who want a box that will not rot or need re-staining.

Key specs: 1 1/4-inch hole with copper guard; 4 x 4-inch interior floor; 11 in tall x 7 in wide x 8 in deep; fledgling ladder inside the front panel.

Strengths: The copper portal stops squirrels and woodpeckers from chewing the hole larger, which is the most common way a small box fails over time. HDPE will not warp or split, and it scrubs clean.

Drawbacks: A 1 1/4-inch hole admits House Sparrows. Pick a muted roof color over a bright one.

Skip it if: House Sparrows nest on your house or in the neighborhood. Use a 1 1/8-inch box instead.

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Coveside Nuthatch House: best wooden box for titmice and nuthatches

What it is: The 1 1/4-inch version of the Coveside design, in 3/4-inch pine, with ventilation slots at the top, corner drainage holes in the floor, a latched side panel and a coarse interior finish.

Who it suits: Wooded suburbs and rural yards with Tufted Titmice or White-breasted Nuthatches. Chickadees can use it too.

Key specs: 1 1/4-inch hole; 8 in L x 5 3/4 in W x 12 1/2 in H; 3/4-inch pine walls; made in the USA.

Strengths: Thick 3/4-inch walls insulate against spring cold and summer heat. The latch keeps raccoons from opening the side panel, and NestWatch notes White-breasted Nuthatches may use boxes as winter roosts.

Drawbacks: Nuthatches use nest boxes only occasionally, mostly where natural cavities are scarce, so this box may host titmice or chickadees instead.

Skip it if: Your yard has few mature trees. Titmice and nuthatches rarely nest far from them.

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JCs Wildlife Wren, Chickadee, and Warbler Chateau Birdhouse: best compact poly house

What it is: A small hanging house made from recycled poly lumber, handcrafted in the USA, with stainless steel screws, a sheathed cable hanger, climbing grooves on the front and a 1 1/8-inch hole set 4 inches above the floor.

Who it suits: Small gardens, patios and wooded yards where a compact, colorful house fits better than a tall wooden box.

Key specs: 1 1/8-inch hole; inside 5 1/2 in W x 7 in H x 4 in D; outside 6 1/2 in W x 9 in H x 6 1/4 in D.

Strengths: Poly lumber will not rot or crack, and the 1 1/8-inch hole keeps House Sparrows out.

Drawbacks: The interior is shallow at 4 inches front to back, smaller than NestWatch plans, and wrens are likely to claim it before chickadees. Cleaning means removing the bottom panel with a Phillips screwdriver, which is slower than a hinged door.

Skip it if: You want the best chance at chickadees specifically. A deeper, fixed box is the better bet.

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Nature’s Way CWH1 Cedar Wren House: best cedar budget pick

What it is: A small cedar house with a 1 1/8-inch hole, a clean-out door and vents in the walls and floor.

Who it suits: First-time nest box hosts who want an easy-to-find, sparrow-excluding box for wrens or chickadees.

Key specs: 1 1/8-inch hole; 8 in H x 8 7/8 in W x 8 1/8 in D; about 2 lb.

Strengths: Cedar resists rot naturally, and the entrance size is correct for chickadees and wrens.

Drawbacks: The wren-style shape is shorter than a chickadee box, so the nest sits closer to the hole.

Skip it if: You want a deep box for Black-capped Chickadees or plan to mount it in full afternoon sun.

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Schwegler 1B Nest Box: best woodcrete box

What it is: A German wood-concrete nest box that is heavy, stable and resistant to woodpeckers and squirrels, sold with a 26 mm, 32 mm or oval entrance.

Who it suits: Wooded yards where squirrels or woodpeckers chew wooden boxes, and European readers with tits in the garden.

Key specs: Entrance 26 mm, 32 mm or 29 x 55 mm oval; outside 17 x 26 x 18 cm (6.7 x 10.2 x 7.1 in); about 3.6 kg (7.9 lb).

Strengths: Woodcrete holds heat and humidity steadier than thin wood and is hard for predators to chew. For North American chickadees, titmice and nuthatches, the 32 mm (1 1/4 in) version is the one to order. The 26 mm hole is sized for small European tits and is smaller than NestWatch’s 1 1/8-inch chickadee spec.

Drawbacks: At nearly 8 lb it needs a solid tree or wall and strong fixings. The 32 mm hole admits House Sparrows.

Skip it if: You want something light and easy to find at US stores.

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Chickadee house comparison table

Which chickadee house should you buy? A decision table

Buy a 1 1/8-inch box if House Sparrows live nearby, because it is the only hole size that admits chickadees and keeps sparrows out. Choose a 1 1/4-inch box only where sparrows are absent and you also want titmice or nuthatches. Then match the material to your site: chew-proof portals for squirrels, thick walls for sun.

What features should a good chickadee house have?

A good chickadee house has a 1 1/8-inch hole set about 6 inches above the floor, thick walls, vents under the roof, drainage holes in the floor, a panel that opens for cleaning, a rough interior for fledglings and no perch. These points follow the species nest box plans published by Cornell Lab’s NestWatch.

Use this buyer’s checklist before you buy:

1. Hole: exactly 1 1/8 inches for chickadees only, or 1 1/4 inches to add titmice and nuthatches.
2. Depth: the hole sits roughly 6 inches or more above the floor, so a predator’s paw cannot reach the nest.
3. Walls: about 3/4 inch thick wood, thick poly lumber or woodcrete.
4. Vents: gaps or slots just under the roof to let hot air out.
5. Drainage: holes or recessed corners in the floor.
6. Access: a side, front or floor panel that opens without tools, or with one screw.
7. Interior: grooves or rough wood below the hole so fledglings can climb out.
8. No perch: chickadees do not need one, but sparrows and predators use it.

Which wood is best for a chickadee house?

Cedar and thick pine, about 3/4 inch, are the best woods for a chickadee house. Both insulate well and are safe untreated; cedar resists rot longer. Recycled poly lumber and woodcrete are good non-wood alternatives because they will not rot or split.

Never use pressure-treated lumber, stain or paint inside. Outside, keep any finish light and away from the hole. If you want to make one yourself, our guide to building a birdhouse walks through cutting and assembly.

Should you put wood shavings in a chickadee house?

For Black-capped Chickadees, yes. NestWatch advises about 1 inch of wood shavings on the floor, because chickadees prefer cavities they excavate themselves and will dig out the shavings before building. Carolina Chickadees do little excavating, so NestWatch says shavings are not needed for them, although they do no harm.

NestWatch gives the same 1-inch advice for White-breasted Nuthatches, so a 1 1/4-inch box aimed at nuthatches should get shavings too. Use plain pine or aspen shavings, not aromatic cedar or treated sawdust. On top of the shavings, chickadees build a nest with a moss foundation and a soft lining of fur or plant down, according to All About Birds.

Where should you put a chickadee house, and how high?

Mount it 5 to 15 feet up for Black-capped Chickadees, or 4 to 15 feet for Carolina Chickadees, on a pole, post or tree in woodland or a leafy yard. Face the hole away from prevailing wind. Cornell suggests placing nest sites at least 60 feet into woods to discourage House Wrens.

For the larger species that share these boxes, NestWatch lists up to 20 feet for White-breasted Nuthatches.

Placement is where most chickadee boxes fail. Chickadees nest in woods, open woodland and towns with trees, so a box on a fence in the middle of a lawn often sits empty or goes to wrens or bluebirds. Use a trunk, a post under the canopy or a pole at the woodland edge, give partial shade in hot climates, and fix the box so it does not swing.

On a pole, add a baffle below the box to stop raccoons, cats and snakes. On a tree, a hole guard or portal helps against squirrels. For step-by-step mounting options, see how to mount a birdhouse on a pole, tree or wall.

When should you put up a chickadee house?

Put it up before the nesting season starts. NestWatch lists April to June as the main nesting period for Black-capped Chickadees and April to July for Carolina Chickadees. Chickadees raise one brood a year: the female lays 1 to 13 eggs, incubation takes 12 to 13 days and the young leave after 12 to 16 days.

In practice, that means putting a chickadee house up by late winter, ideally in fall or January and February. Chickadees pair up and begin checking cavities in late winter, and nest building often starts in March and April across much of the US. A box up in fall may also serve as a winter roost. Our guide on when to put up birdhouses has regional timing.

How do you keep a chickadee house clean?

Clean a chickadee house once a year, after the young fledge or in late fall. Remove the old nest, scrape out droppings, rinse with water, and let it dry with the door open before closing it up. Once the chicks leave the box they still need a few days of practice; see when baby birds learn to fly.

Chickadees usually raise a single brood a year and build a new moss-and-fur nest each spring. Old nests can harbor mites, so clear them and add fresh shavings. Wear gloves. Our full routine is in when and how to clean out a birdhouse.

Which birds use a chickadee house besides chickadees?

A 1 1/8-inch box is used by Black-capped, Carolina, Mountain and Boreal Chickadees and by House Wrens, which are often the first to move in. A 1 1/4-inch box adds Tufted and other titmice, White-breasted and Red-breasted Nuthatches and, occasionally, Downy Woodpeckers and Prothonotary Warblers.

House Wrens deserve special mention. Males are fiercely territorial, stuff every nearby box with twigs, and may destroy eggs or nestlings of other cavity nesters, per NestWatch. You cannot legally remove an active House Wren nest, since they are a native, protected species. The practical fix is placement: put chickadee boxes deeper in the woods and keep them well away from shrubby edges that wrens favor. NestWatch suggests keeping other species’ boxes at least 100 feet from wren boxes.

For more on attracting the birds themselves, see our species guides to the Black-capped Chickadee and the Carolina Chickadee.

What makes a chickadee house worth buying?

A chickadee house is worth buying when it has the features that keep a brood safe: a 1 1/8-inch hole, walls about 3/4 inch thick, vents under the roof, drainage in the floor and a door that opens for cleaning. A decorative gift-shop birdhouse often skips several of these, which is why plain boxes usually do better.

Material decides how long a box lasts. Pine is light and insulates well but weathers over the years, cedar resists rot longer, and recycled HDPE, poly lumber and woodcrete will not rot, warp or split.

Building your own from one cedar or pine board is the most economical route. Poly lumber and woodcrete cost more upfront but last many seasons without refinishing.

What are the alternatives to a chickadee house?

The best alternatives are a titmouse or nuthatch box with a 1 1/4-inch hole, a roost box for winter, or leaving dead trees and snags standing. Chickadees naturally nest in rotting wood and old woodpecker holes, and both members of a pair help excavate, per All About Birds.

A nest tube is a cheap, simple option: Cornell’s All About Birds describes a tube filled with wood shavings that chickadees can dig out, placed 60 feet or more into the woods so House Wrens are less likely to find it. A winter roost box helps on cold nights but is not for nesting, and open lawns suit a bluebird box better. See our roundup of the best birdhouses for boxes sized for other species.

Common chickadee house mistakes

• Hole too big. A 1 1/2-inch hole invites House Sparrows and bluebirds, not chickadees.
• A perch under the hole. It helps predators and sparrows, not chickadees.
• Mounting in open lawn. Chickadees want trees within easy reach.
• Dark paint and full sun. The box can overheat nestlings by early summer.
• Putting it up in June. Most chickadees have already nested.

Sources

• Black-capped Chickadee nest box plan, NestWatch, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
• Carolina Chickadee nest box plan, NestWatch
• Tufted Titmouse nest box plan, NestWatch
• White-breasted Nuthatch nest box plan, NestWatch
• House Wren nest box plan, NestWatch
• Coveside Chickadee House, Coveside Conservation Products
• Recycled Nuthatch and Titmouse Nest Box, Kettle Moraine Woodworking
• Wren, Chickadee, and Warbler Chateau Birdhouse, JCs Wildlife
• Black-capped Chickadee life history, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
• Hole size tests for House Sparrows, Sialis
• Chickadee nest tubes, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology