Following are specifications and remarks on the housing requirements of the birds by species. For related forms not included in the table see text.

Table I
Diameter of interior (inches) Depth from entrance (inches) Diameter of entrance (inches) Distance from ground to entrance (feet)
House Wren 4¼-5½ 7-9 1 8-18
Black-capped Chickadee 3¼-4 7-9 1⅛ 8-15
White-breasted Nuthatch, Tufted Titmouse 3¾-4½ 8-10 12-25
Tree Swallow 4-5½ 6-8 1⅜ 8-30
Eastern Bluebird 4-5 8-10 1⅝ 8-20
Crested Flycatcher 5½-6½ 9-12 2⅛ 15-40
Flicker 6½-7½ 12-16 10-35
Purple Martin 6-7½ 6-8 2⅛-2½ 12-14
Wood Duck, Hooded Merganser 12-15 4 10-20
Sparrow Hawk 6½-7 14-16 3 20-50
Saw-whet Owl 6-7½ 14-16 2⅞ 15-45
Screech Owl 7-8 14-16 15-30
Nesting Box
Common House Finch 4½-6 Open 10-30
Nesting Shelves
Width (inches) Length (inches) Height from ground (feet)
Robin 5-6 8 or more 8-30
Phoebe 3½-4½ 7 or more 8-20

Plate III. A Simple and Effective Box Bird House

For House Wrens, Bluebirds, and Tree Swallows, especially. For these the house may be of weathered fence-boards or even, if need be, of new lumber stained some dull tint. For chickadees, nuthatches, and Tufted Titmice, rough “slab” material is preferable. Dimensions given are for the House Wren. For other species, see [Table I].

TOP (INSIDE): 7¼IN. × 7¼IN. EDGE: ¾IN. × 9IN. SIDE: × 4¼IN. FRONT (INSIDE): × 5¾IN. {HOLE DIAMETER}: ¾IN. BACK (OUTSIDE): 7IN. × 5¾IN. BOTTOM: 4¼IN. × 4¼IN. CONSTRUCTION THE FASTENING ON FRONT OF LID THE HINGE ON BACK OF LID

The House Wren

Nesting in all sorts of nooks and crannies, the House Wren is easily satisfied. Moreover, this is often the only desirable species which can be induced to build in so civilized and restricted a place as a small city lot. Slab construction may be employed or old weathered boards used, but new lumber seems nearly or quite as welcome to the wren.