Guides to nest boxes and nesting birds: box sizes by species, free building plans, keeping out House Sparrows, cleaning boxes between seasons, and what to do if you find a baby bird.
All pages in Birdhouses and nesting
Birdhouse dimensionsEntrance hole, floor, depth and mounting height by species.Keeping House Sparrows outEntrance-hole sizes that stop sparrows and starlings, sparrow vs bluebird, swallow and wren nests, spookers, monitoring and what federal law says.Free birdhouse plansLinks to NestWatch's free plans for 16 backyard birds, where other specs disagree, and build tips from vents to baffles.When to clean out birdhousesBetween broods, fall or late winter: what NestWatch, Sialis.org, NABS and state guides say, the USFWS rules on active and inactive nests, and a safe cleaning routine.Found a baby birdNestling or fledgling, when to put it back or leave it, where Audubon, Cornell, USFWS and state agencies disagree, and how to find a licensed rehabilitator.