A Nesting Box For A Friend

The Black-capped Chickadee is always a delight to see (and hear) at my feeder. Over the past few weeks I've noticed two or three pairs hanging out around our backyard. With nesting season just around the corner—April through June—I thought that it would be nice to provide them with a nesting box, a small token of gratitude for gracing us with their beautiful song.

Nesting Boxes by Brian White

We followed the construction plans provided by The Cornell Lab of Ornithology with the exception of a few minor changes. You can find the original plans here.

Some of the highlights include:

• Ample ventilation and drainage
• Solid pine construction
• Pivoting door for easy access and cleaning

We added the rope to the pivoting door to make it easy to pull open. We also used a small nail as a pin to keep the side closed and to prevent any potential predators from prying it open.

For those who plan to build their own nesting box, keep the following in mind when you are choosing a location:

• Choose a birch tree in a small thicket or near the edge of the woods.
• Place the hole between one and three meters above ground.
• Consider direction of the hole based on what will provide the best shelter.

Stay tuned for more pictures when we mount our nesting box in a to-be-decided location!

Cheers

Update: We've had several families move into this house over the past couple of years. We aim to build more and get some great photos in the future.