Birdhouses are a vital way of supporting local wildlife. They encourage birds to nest in your yard, bringing fascinating biodiversity and beautiful birdsong to your home.
However, different birds have different needs, so you need to know your birdhouse types. There are different dimensions and materials to bear in mind for attracting owls or red cardinals, so the wrong birdhouse could be an expensive mistake.
While it's summer and we're far away from the nesting season for most birds, prices are low, and you can set up your birdhouse while the weather is good ahead of the season. I've scoured the market, and these are the best birdhouses for all of the most common cavity-nesting American birds.
Best bird houses for songbirds
The most common American songbirds - Eastern bluebirds, chickadees, wrens, and tree swallows, for example - are all suited to a classic birdhouse. All of these birds like small, roughly 6"x6" birdhouses with a 1" entry hole. As long as the entrance height is between 6-8 inches above the floor of the bird box, songbirds should use these nesting boxes.
A simple house like this is perfect for bluebirds. It has a small entry hole and the perfect amount of room inside, and it comes in four colors.
If you want your bird house to be a little more camouflaged, this simple cedar box is perfect. The lip of the roof should protect visiting birds from predators.
If you have a bigger budget, you can invest in a bird box with a camera like this. It's a great way of engaging with local nature and teaching kids about wildlife. If you're new to birding, this model has an app that can identify the birds for you as they arrive and leave the nest.
Best nesting platforms for robins
A common misconception about robins and phoebes is that they need nesting boxes. This isn't true - these birds aren't cavity nesters, and instead prefer to build their nests on small ledges, often under eaves or in gutters. You can provide them a stable home away from your house with a nesting platform like these.
I like Uncle Dunkels' products because they incorporate real bark, which not only camouflages the nesting box in the trees but makes it more attractive for the birds.
This small nesting platform is open enough for robins to use, but has extra protection through the high lip at the front.
This nesting platform gives birds great protection because the roof is waterproof, recycled poly lumber. Best of all, this is easy to clean, so you can keep the platform hygienic for birds for years to come.
Best bird houses for owls
Owls need large bird boxes with big openings, so they can bring themselves and their prey inside the box. A good owl nesting box will have rungs underneath the entrance hole, so owls have something to grip onto with their talons as they return home. Different owls need different-sized houses. Screech owls need relatively small houses with a floor area of roughly 10"x11". Barn owls, on the other hand, need large birdhouses with around 8 cubic feet of space.
This nesting box from Uncle Dunkels is great for screech owls, with a tough felted roof to keep out the weather. While it doesn't have rungs to help the owls climb in, the bark is perfect for their talons.
Barred owls prefer tall, deep nesting boxes like this. This American-made box is great value, because it also includes all the mounting hardware you need and pine shavings to encourage owls.
Barn owls need the biggest nesting boxes around. Made in the USA, this nesting box has an internal divider to deter predators like great horned owls and racoons, and ventilation holes to help regulate temperature.
Best bird houses for wood ducks
Wood ducks like tall narrow birdhouses. The key with wood duck houses is to place them near water. These houses are best mounted on poles like this birdhouse pole on Amazon. You should try to use a pole with a baffle, as this will keep predators like raccoons and cats from attacking chicks.
This is a perfect example of a good wood duck house. It's made from plain cedar and it's tall and narrow.
The poly lumber roof and anti-fraying guard on the entry hole to this nesting box are perfect for the damp conditions where wood ducks love to nest. However, the wood sides should keep the nest box cool and breathable.
Again, the bark finish on this Uncle Dunkels house is perfect for camouflaging the bird house among your trees.
Best bird houses for purple martins
Unlike the birds mentioned above, purple martins nest in colonies. If you want purple martins in your yard, you need a colony birdhouse. They usually return to successful breeding sites , so if you set up good colony nesting box you can enjoy these birds for years.
This simple wood house is perfect for purple martins. I especially like the porch rails, which are great for offering birds a perch.
For something more aesthetically pleasing - and excellent value - try this two pack of purple martin barns. American-made, they offer enough space for 32 nests.
Alternatively, try these purple martin gourds. You can place them throughout a tree for a more low-key colony.
Bird house FAQs
Do hummingbirds use bird boxes?
Hummingbirds don't use nesting boxes. Hummingbirds build their nests high off the ground and don't nest in cavities. If you see a hummingbird nest box listed on a website, you're being misled. The best way to attract a hummingbird is with a hummingbird feeder like this from Amazon.
For more help with wildlife, take a look at our guide to attracting woodpeckers, or our advice about wildlife garden mistakes.
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