Last updated on April 29th, 2022 at 02:06 am
Setting up birdhouses is a great way to support birds that are threatened by deforestation in Florida and elsewhere. But which birds will actually use these birdhouses once they’re set up?
Here are 6 Florida birds that will use birdhouses:
1. Mourning Dove
Mourning Doves are relatively easy to attract, but they don’t use a typical nesting box. Rather, they prefer a birdhouse that’s a little more open rather than something enclosed.
You can even try using an empty birdbath or flower pot instead of a regular birdhouse.
To encourage the doves to use the spot for nesting, fill the bath or pot with a small amount of dirt and a few sticks, then hang it 10’ -15’ off the ground.
If a Mourning Dove decides to use the place for nesting, you’ll notice it building up a more significant nest with twigs.
You can also check this Coveside Nesting Perch on Amazon.com.
This handcrafted birdhouse has an open front to encourage doves to build a nest inside.
Just make sure that you keep the birdhouse clean and hang it an appropriate distance from the ground somewhere with a decent amount of open space.
2. Carolina Wren
The Carolina Wren typically nests in tree cavities, stumps, and overhangs, although they are creative when necessary in developed areas.
They’ve been known to nest in mailboxes, propane tank covers, and hanging flower pots.
Their nests are cup-shaped, made from tree bark, dead leaves and grasses, pine needles, straw, and other pieces of found materials.
The Carolina Wren looks for nesting locations about 3’ – 6’ off the ground, so consider placing your birdhouse at this height if you want to attract this species.
They like nesting boxes with some material in them, so try filling a birdhouse with dried grasses if you want to attract a wren.
Keeping a brush pile is another way to attract a Carolina Wren to your yard.
Additionally, you can try setting up a suet feeder, which is especially appealing to these birds during the wintertime when other food sources become scarce.
3. Tufted Titmouse
The Tufted Titmouse is among the most common birds in Florida, and they’re relatively easy to attract to your yard with feeders and birdhouses.
You can recognize these birds by their small crests, gray color, and the “sher sher sher sher” noise they make.
They also have a touch of orange on their sides and some blue on their wings.
The Tufted Titmouse nests later in the year than some of its relatives, preferring the April to July window for breeding.
They can be found in forests and open woodlands, while birdhouses and landscaped areas have increasingly made it possible for them to live in developed areas.
To attract a Tufted Titmouse to your birdhouse, attach the box to a pole 5’ – 15’ off the ground with plenty of space around it, and make sure the box is plenty deep.
The birdhouse should be at least 5 ½” tall and wide with a depth of 8” and an entrance hole 1 ¼” across.
4. Carolina Chickadee
Carolina Chickadees are common at feeders and birdhouses.
You can recognize them by their black heads with white markings, white bellies, and grey, black, and white plumage on their backs and wings.
Their sound is similar to their name, sounding like “chickadeedeedee.”
Carolina Chickadees prefer to live in oak forests, but they will live in any deciduous forest with sufficient tree cover.
They are cavity nesters, usually finding a hollow in a tree to set up their nest in.
If forested areas are hard to come by, a chickadee will gladly use a nesting box, provided that the dimensions and placement are right.
In early March, these birds set up their nests, nesting throughout the spring and early summer until about June.
If you want to set up a nesting box for a Carolina Chickadee, make sure it’s clean and in place before March.
You should also ensure that the box is between 4” and 15’ off the ground and that the entrance hole is at least 1 ⅛” across.
The Carolina Chickadee doesn’t carve out its nesting space.
Make sure that you don’t fill your nesting box with sawdust or wood chips if you’re trying to attract this species.
5. Eastern Bluebird
Eastern Bluebirds are cavity-nesters that often use the holes left behind by woodpeckers for nesting.
But they will also gladly use a nesting box or birdhouse provided that it’s set up the right way.
They tend to prefer smaller boxes on average, for example, a box that’s just 4” x 4” is just right.
However, they do like a relatively large entrance hole at 1 ¾”.
Eastern Bluebirds find nesting places as high as 50’ up in the air, but they’ll be happy to use birdhouses that are lower to the ground as well.
Just make sure that they are within proximity of wooded areas so that they can find them and feel safe using them.
Bluebirds build their nests out of grasses and pine needles, plus sometimes turkey feathers or horsehair.
They’re happy to build a nest in an empty birdhouse, so don’t worry about filling the box with sawdust or other materials.
6. Eastern Screech-Owl
The Eastern Screech-Owl uses a large birdhouse of 17 ⅜” in height and an opening that’s 3” x 4”.
You should place it high in the canopy, ideally between 10’ and 30’ off the ground. Ensure that there are no other nesting boxes within 100’ of it.
The Eastern Screech-Owl has a long breeding season lasting from late February through July.
If you want the owls to be able to use your box for nesting, be sure to have it in place by mid-February at the latest.
These owls typically live in forests and open woodlands, but they can also tolerate developed areas.
This is especially true when people supply supplemental sources of food and shelter.
To make a birdhouse more comfortable for a screech owl, add a layer of wood shavings to the box to act as bedding.
You should also add a baffle to the post holding the birdhouse if possible to deter predators.