Birdhouse Guide

Tiny, energetic brown bird with a startlingly loud, bubbling song for its size. Fills any cavity it claims with sticks and aggressively defends its territory, even against birds twice its weight.

Slim, long-tailed western wren with a bold white eyebrow and a complex, musical song that males learn from their neighbors. Once common across the eastern US, now mostly a bird of the western half of the country.

Warm reddish-brown wren of the southeastern US with a striking white eyebrow and a ringing 'teakettle, teakettle' call. Pairs stay together year-round and sing duets in spring.

Diminutive black-and-white-headed songbird with a curious nature, a regular at feeders and a year-round 'chickadee-dee-dee' caller. The number of 'dee' notes scales with how alarmed the bird is.

Near-identical southern cousin of the Black-capped, distinguishable mostly by its faster song and slightly tidier black bib. Hybridizes with Black-capped along a thin contact zone in the Appalachians.

Soft-gray songbird with a jaunty crest and big black eyes, a fixture at suet feeders across the eastern US. Often hangs upside-down on twigs to investigate bark crevices for insects.

The 'upside-down bird' — habitually walks headfirst down tree trunks looking for insects other birds miss. Honks like a tiny tin horn and stashes seeds in bark cracks for winter.

Smaller, bolder cousin of the White-breasted, with a rusty belly and a black eyeline. Coats its nest-hole entrance with sticky conifer resin, possibly to deter predators or competitors.

The smallest North American woodpecker, only sparrow-sized, in crisp black-and-white plumage with a red nape patch on males. Over half its diet is insects, and it's a year-round feeder regular.

Iridescent blue-green above and snow-white below, this aerial insectivore depends almost entirely on natural tree cavities for nesting. Often the first cavity nester back from migration in early spring.

Western counterpart to the Tree Swallow, with a metallic green back and violet rump that flash in the sun. White flanks wrap up onto the rump in distinctive saddlebag patches.

The poster species for nest-box conservation: a rust-and-blue thrush whose populations rebounded thanks to monitored nest-box programs. Hunts insects from a low perch by dropping to the ground.

Darker blue and reddier on the chest than its eastern cousin, with the rust extending onto the upper back. Common in oak woodlands and burned forests where dead snags create natural cavities.

Brilliant sky-blue throughout the male's plumage, with no rust at all — sometimes mistaken for a bit of summer sky against a wire. Hovers over open ground hunting grasshoppers and crickets.

Looks like an oversize Downy Woodpecker with a much heftier, chisel-like bill. Bores into solid wood after wood-boring beetle grubs and is often heard before it's seen.

Pale, drab-looking flycatcher of the arid Southwest with a soft yellow belly and a distinctive 'ka-brrick' call. Nests in cavities and often lines its nest with bits of shed snake skin.

The largest North American swallow, with adult males in deep glossy purple-blue. In the East, almost the entire population now depends on human-supplied housing — gourds and apartment-style boxes.

Big-headed flycatcher with a lemon-yellow belly and rusty tail, secretive in the canopy. Famous for weaving shed snake skin into its nest material.

Striking woodpecker with an entirely crimson head and bold black-and-white body. One of the few woodpeckers that catches insects on the wing and caches surplus food for later.

A ground-feeding woodpecker with a polka-dotted belly and a flash of yellow or salmon-pink under the wings depending on the population. Often seen hopping on lawns probing for ants.

Tiny, cat-faced owl no larger than a robin, with a piercing yellow stare. Migrates vast distances by night despite its short wings; named for its rhythmic 'saw-sharpening' call.

North America's smallest diving duck, the male a vivid black-and-white with a huge bonnet-like head patch. Nests exclusively in old woodpecker holes, almost always those made by Northern Flickers.

Iridescent, dagger-billed mimic introduced to North America from Europe, now one of the most abundant birds on the continent. Forms massive synchronized aerial flocks — murmurations — at dusk.

A robin-sized falcon and the most colorful raptor in North America, with rust, slate-blue, and bold black markings. Hovers on rapid wingbeats while scanning for grasshoppers and voles.

Compact tufted owl that comes in two color morphs — rufous and gray — sometimes within the same brood. Despite the name, its trembling whinny sounds more like a horse than a screech.

Western counterpart to the Eastern, almost entirely gray-morph, with a distinctive 'bouncing-ball' song that accelerates toward the end. Found from deserts to suburban yards with mature trees.

One of the most familiar North American birds — a thrush with a brick-red breast that probes lawns for earthworms. Its run-and-tilt feeding posture is more about visual cues than hearing.

Plain dust-colored flycatcher that wags its tail constantly and habitually nests on house eaves, bridges, and barns. The first North American bird ever banded — by John James Audubon in 1804.

Worldwide swallow with a deeply forked tail and rich blue-and-orange plumage, almost always nesting under human-made structures now. Builds cup nests from mouthfuls of mud pellets and grass.

Pale, sandy-brown western flycatcher with a soft cinnamon belly, comfortable in arid country from deserts to the tundra edge. Often nests on rock ledges and old farm buildings.

Striking sooty-black flycatcher with a white belly, almost always near water. Builds mud-pellet nests under bridges, eaves, and rocky overhangs.

The familiar mournful 'coo-OOoo-OOoo' of yards across the continent — plump, with a long tapered tail and soft brown plumage. One of the most-hunted game birds in North America and still abundant.

Square-tailed swallow with a buffy rump and chestnut throat, builds gourd-shaped mud nests in dense colonies under bridges and cliff overhangs. The famous 'swallows of Capistrano.'

Close cousin of the Cliff Swallow with a rusty throat instead of dark, originally nesting in limestone caves. Has steadily expanded its range north and now uses bridges and culverts alongside its ancestral caverns.

Slate-gray with a black cap and rufous undertail, named for its cat-like mewing call. A consummate mimic that strings together dozens of phrases in a long rambling improv song.

Small streaky finch where the male's head and breast wash with red, orange, or yellow depending on what he ate while molting. Originally a western bird, now coast-to-coast after a 1940s pet-trade release.

North America's most familiar red bird — males blazing scarlet with a crest and black face mask. Both sexes sing, and pairs feed each other beak-to-beak during courtship.

Tiny olive-green Empidonax flycatcher of the wet Pacific Northwest forests, near-impossible to tell from its sister species by sight alone — voice is the only reliable clue.

Interior counterpart to the Pacific-slope, found from the Rockies south to Mexico. Recently split from the Pacific-slope and named for the cordillera (mountain range) where it breeds.

Often called the most beautiful duck in North America — the drake's iridescent green-and-purple head and intricate facial pattern look painted on. Nests high in tree cavities; ducklings leap to the forest floor at one day old.

Small fish-eating duck whose male sports a fan-shaped white crest he can raise or lower at will. A cavity nester that often shares wood-duck boxes and parasitically lays in others' nests.

Ghostly pale owl with a heart-shaped face and the most sensitive hearing of any tested animal — can catch prey in total darkness. Doesn't hoot; delivers a chilling, drawn-out screech.

Tiny, energetic brown bird with a startlingly loud, bubbling song for its size. Fills any cavity it claims with sticks and aggressively defends its territory, even against birds twice its weight.

Diminutive black-and-white-headed songbird with a curious nature, a regular at feeders and a year-round 'chickadee-dee-dee' caller. The number of 'dee' notes scales with how alarmed the bird is.

The 'upside-down bird' — habitually walks headfirst down tree trunks looking for insects other birds miss. Honks like a tiny tin horn and stashes seeds in bark cracks for winter.

Smaller, bolder cousin of the White-breasted, with a rusty belly and a black eyeline. Coats its nest-hole entrance with sticky conifer resin, possibly to deter predators or competitors.

The smallest North American woodpecker, only sparrow-sized, in crisp black-and-white plumage with a red nape patch on males. Over half its diet is insects, and it's a year-round feeder regular.

Iridescent blue-green above and snow-white below, this aerial insectivore depends almost entirely on natural tree cavities for nesting. Often the first cavity nester back from migration in early spring.

Western counterpart to the Tree Swallow, with a metallic green back and violet rump that flash in the sun. White flanks wrap up onto the rump in distinctive saddlebag patches.

The poster species for nest-box conservation: a rust-and-blue thrush whose populations rebounded thanks to monitored nest-box programs. Hunts insects from a low perch by dropping to the ground.

Brilliant sky-blue throughout the male's plumage, with no rust at all — sometimes mistaken for a bit of summer sky against a wire. Hovers over open ground hunting grasshoppers and crickets.

Looks like an oversize Downy Woodpecker with a much heftier, chisel-like bill. Bores into solid wood after wood-boring beetle grubs and is often heard before it's seen.

The largest North American swallow, with adult males in deep glossy purple-blue. In the East, almost the entire population now depends on human-supplied housing — gourds and apartment-style boxes.

Big-headed flycatcher with a lemon-yellow belly and rusty tail, secretive in the canopy. Famous for weaving shed snake skin into its nest material.

Striking woodpecker with an entirely crimson head and bold black-and-white body. One of the few woodpeckers that catches insects on the wing and caches surplus food for later.

A ground-feeding woodpecker with a polka-dotted belly and a flash of yellow or salmon-pink under the wings depending on the population. Often seen hopping on lawns probing for ants.

Tiny, cat-faced owl no larger than a robin, with a piercing yellow stare. Migrates vast distances by night despite its short wings; named for its rhythmic 'saw-sharpening' call.

North America's smallest diving duck, the male a vivid black-and-white with a huge bonnet-like head patch. Nests exclusively in old woodpecker holes, almost always those made by Northern Flickers.

Iridescent, dagger-billed mimic introduced to North America from Europe, now one of the most abundant birds on the continent. Forms massive synchronized aerial flocks — murmurations — at dusk.

A robin-sized falcon and the most colorful raptor in North America, with rust, slate-blue, and bold black markings. Hovers on rapid wingbeats while scanning for grasshoppers and voles.

Compact tufted owl that comes in two color morphs — rufous and gray — sometimes within the same brood. Despite the name, its trembling whinny sounds more like a horse than a screech.

Western counterpart to the Eastern, almost entirely gray-morph, with a distinctive 'bouncing-ball' song that accelerates toward the end. Found from deserts to suburban yards with mature trees.

One of the most familiar North American birds — a thrush with a brick-red breast that probes lawns for earthworms. Its run-and-tilt feeding posture is more about visual cues than hearing.

Plain dust-colored flycatcher that wags its tail constantly and habitually nests on house eaves, bridges, and barns. The first North American bird ever banded — by John James Audubon in 1804.

Worldwide swallow with a deeply forked tail and rich blue-and-orange plumage, almost always nesting under human-made structures now. Builds cup nests from mouthfuls of mud pellets and grass.

Pale, sandy-brown western flycatcher with a soft cinnamon belly, comfortable in arid country from deserts to the tundra edge. Often nests on rock ledges and old farm buildings.

The familiar mournful 'coo-OOoo-OOoo' of yards across the continent — plump, with a long tapered tail and soft brown plumage. One of the most-hunted game birds in North America and still abundant.

Square-tailed swallow with a buffy rump and chestnut throat, builds gourd-shaped mud nests in dense colonies under bridges and cliff overhangs. The famous 'swallows of Capistrano.'

Slate-gray with a black cap and rufous undertail, named for its cat-like mewing call. A consummate mimic that strings together dozens of phrases in a long rambling improv song.

Small streaky finch where the male's head and breast wash with red, orange, or yellow depending on what he ate while molting. Originally a western bird, now coast-to-coast after a 1940s pet-trade release.

North America's most familiar red bird — males blazing scarlet with a crest and black face mask. Both sexes sing, and pairs feed each other beak-to-beak during courtship.

Tiny olive-green Empidonax flycatcher of the wet Pacific Northwest forests, near-impossible to tell from its sister species by sight alone — voice is the only reliable clue.

Interior counterpart to the Pacific-slope, found from the Rockies south to Mexico. Recently split from the Pacific-slope and named for the cordillera (mountain range) where it breeds.

Often called the most beautiful duck in North America — the drake's iridescent green-and-purple head and intricate facial pattern look painted on. Nests high in tree cavities; ducklings leap to the forest floor at one day old.

Small fish-eating duck whose male sports a fan-shaped white crest he can raise or lower at will. A cavity nester that often shares wood-duck boxes and parasitically lays in others' nests.

Ghostly pale owl with a heart-shaped face and the most sensitive hearing of any tested animal — can catch prey in total darkness. Doesn't hoot; delivers a chilling, drawn-out screech.

Tiny, energetic brown bird with a startlingly loud, bubbling song for its size. Fills any cavity it claims with sticks and aggressively defends its territory, even against birds twice its weight.

Slim, long-tailed western wren with a bold white eyebrow and a complex, musical song that males learn from their neighbors. Once common across the eastern US, now mostly a bird of the western half of the country.

Warm reddish-brown wren of the southeastern US with a striking white eyebrow and a ringing 'teakettle, teakettle' call. Pairs stay together year-round and sing duets in spring.

Soft-gray songbird with a jaunty crest and big black eyes, a fixture at suet feeders across the eastern US. Often hangs upside-down on twigs to investigate bark crevices for insects.

The 'upside-down bird' — habitually walks headfirst down tree trunks looking for insects other birds miss. Honks like a tiny tin horn and stashes seeds in bark cracks for winter.

Iridescent blue-green above and snow-white below, this aerial insectivore depends almost entirely on natural tree cavities for nesting. Often the first cavity nester back from migration in early spring.

Western counterpart to the Tree Swallow, with a metallic green back and violet rump that flash in the sun. White flanks wrap up onto the rump in distinctive saddlebag patches.

The poster species for nest-box conservation: a rust-and-blue thrush whose populations rebounded thanks to monitored nest-box programs. Hunts insects from a low perch by dropping to the ground.

Darker blue and reddier on the chest than its eastern cousin, with the rust extending onto the upper back. Common in oak woodlands and burned forests where dead snags create natural cavities.

Brilliant sky-blue throughout the male's plumage, with no rust at all — sometimes mistaken for a bit of summer sky against a wire. Hovers over open ground hunting grasshoppers and crickets.

Looks like an oversize Downy Woodpecker with a much heftier, chisel-like bill. Bores into solid wood after wood-boring beetle grubs and is often heard before it's seen.

Pale, drab-looking flycatcher of the arid Southwest with a soft yellow belly and a distinctive 'ka-brrick' call. Nests in cavities and often lines its nest with bits of shed snake skin.

The largest North American swallow, with adult males in deep glossy purple-blue. In the East, almost the entire population now depends on human-supplied housing — gourds and apartment-style boxes.

Big-headed flycatcher with a lemon-yellow belly and rusty tail, secretive in the canopy. Famous for weaving shed snake skin into its nest material.

A ground-feeding woodpecker with a polka-dotted belly and a flash of yellow or salmon-pink under the wings depending on the population. Often seen hopping on lawns probing for ants.

Tiny, cat-faced owl no larger than a robin, with a piercing yellow stare. Migrates vast distances by night despite its short wings; named for its rhythmic 'saw-sharpening' call.

A robin-sized falcon and the most colorful raptor in North America, with rust, slate-blue, and bold black markings. Hovers on rapid wingbeats while scanning for grasshoppers and voles.

Compact tufted owl that comes in two color morphs — rufous and gray — sometimes within the same brood. Despite the name, its trembling whinny sounds more like a horse than a screech.

Western counterpart to the Eastern, almost entirely gray-morph, with a distinctive 'bouncing-ball' song that accelerates toward the end. Found from deserts to suburban yards with mature trees.

One of the most familiar North American birds — a thrush with a brick-red breast that probes lawns for earthworms. Its run-and-tilt feeding posture is more about visual cues than hearing.

Plain dust-colored flycatcher that wags its tail constantly and habitually nests on house eaves, bridges, and barns. The first North American bird ever banded — by John James Audubon in 1804.

Worldwide swallow with a deeply forked tail and rich blue-and-orange plumage, almost always nesting under human-made structures now. Builds cup nests from mouthfuls of mud pellets and grass.

Pale, sandy-brown western flycatcher with a soft cinnamon belly, comfortable in arid country from deserts to the tundra edge. Often nests on rock ledges and old farm buildings.

Striking sooty-black flycatcher with a white belly, almost always near water. Builds mud-pellet nests under bridges, eaves, and rocky overhangs.

The familiar mournful 'coo-OOoo-OOoo' of yards across the continent — plump, with a long tapered tail and soft brown plumage. One of the most-hunted game birds in North America and still abundant.

Square-tailed swallow with a buffy rump and chestnut throat, builds gourd-shaped mud nests in dense colonies under bridges and cliff overhangs. The famous 'swallows of Capistrano.'

Close cousin of the Cliff Swallow with a rusty throat instead of dark, originally nesting in limestone caves. Has steadily expanded its range north and now uses bridges and culverts alongside its ancestral caverns.

Slate-gray with a black cap and rufous undertail, named for its cat-like mewing call. A consummate mimic that strings together dozens of phrases in a long rambling improv song.

Small streaky finch where the male's head and breast wash with red, orange, or yellow depending on what he ate while molting. Originally a western bird, now coast-to-coast after a 1940s pet-trade release.

North America's most familiar red bird — males blazing scarlet with a crest and black face mask. Both sexes sing, and pairs feed each other beak-to-beak during courtship.

Tiny olive-green Empidonax flycatcher of the wet Pacific Northwest forests, near-impossible to tell from its sister species by sight alone — voice is the only reliable clue.

Interior counterpart to the Pacific-slope, found from the Rockies south to Mexico. Recently split from the Pacific-slope and named for the cordillera (mountain range) where it breeds.

Ghostly pale owl with a heart-shaped face and the most sensitive hearing of any tested animal — can catch prey in total darkness. Doesn't hoot; delivers a chilling, drawn-out screech.

Iridescent blue-green above and snow-white below, this aerial insectivore depends almost entirely on natural tree cavities for nesting. Often the first cavity nester back from migration in early spring.

The largest North American swallow, with adult males in deep glossy purple-blue. In the East, almost the entire population now depends on human-supplied housing — gourds and apartment-style boxes.

Big-headed flycatcher with a lemon-yellow belly and rusty tail, secretive in the canopy. Famous for weaving shed snake skin into its nest material.

A robin-sized falcon and the most colorful raptor in North America, with rust, slate-blue, and bold black markings. Hovers on rapid wingbeats while scanning for grasshoppers and voles.

Striking sooty-black flycatcher with a white belly, almost always near water. Builds mud-pellet nests under bridges, eaves, and rocky overhangs.

Square-tailed swallow with a buffy rump and chestnut throat, builds gourd-shaped mud nests in dense colonies under bridges and cliff overhangs. The famous 'swallows of Capistrano.'

Close cousin of the Cliff Swallow with a rusty throat instead of dark, originally nesting in limestone caves. Has steadily expanded its range north and now uses bridges and culverts alongside its ancestral caverns.

Slate-gray with a black cap and rufous undertail, named for its cat-like mewing call. A consummate mimic that strings together dozens of phrases in a long rambling improv song.

Tiny, energetic brown bird with a startlingly loud, bubbling song for its size. Fills any cavity it claims with sticks and aggressively defends its territory, even against birds twice its weight.

Warm reddish-brown wren of the southeastern US with a striking white eyebrow and a ringing 'teakettle, teakettle' call. Pairs stay together year-round and sing duets in spring.

Iridescent blue-green above and snow-white below, this aerial insectivore depends almost entirely on natural tree cavities for nesting. Often the first cavity nester back from migration in early spring.

Western counterpart to the Tree Swallow, with a metallic green back and violet rump that flash in the sun. White flanks wrap up onto the rump in distinctive saddlebag patches.

The poster species for nest-box conservation: a rust-and-blue thrush whose populations rebounded thanks to monitored nest-box programs. Hunts insects from a low perch by dropping to the ground.

Looks like an oversize Downy Woodpecker with a much heftier, chisel-like bill. Bores into solid wood after wood-boring beetle grubs and is often heard before it's seen.

Pale, drab-looking flycatcher of the arid Southwest with a soft yellow belly and a distinctive 'ka-brrick' call. Nests in cavities and often lines its nest with bits of shed snake skin.

The largest North American swallow, with adult males in deep glossy purple-blue. In the East, almost the entire population now depends on human-supplied housing — gourds and apartment-style boxes.

Big-headed flycatcher with a lemon-yellow belly and rusty tail, secretive in the canopy. Famous for weaving shed snake skin into its nest material.

A ground-feeding woodpecker with a polka-dotted belly and a flash of yellow or salmon-pink under the wings depending on the population. Often seen hopping on lawns probing for ants.

A robin-sized falcon and the most colorful raptor in North America, with rust, slate-blue, and bold black markings. Hovers on rapid wingbeats while scanning for grasshoppers and voles.

Striking sooty-black flycatcher with a white belly, almost always near water. Builds mud-pellet nests under bridges, eaves, and rocky overhangs.

The familiar mournful 'coo-OOoo-OOoo' of yards across the continent — plump, with a long tapered tail and soft brown plumage. One of the most-hunted game birds in North America and still abundant.

Square-tailed swallow with a buffy rump and chestnut throat, builds gourd-shaped mud nests in dense colonies under bridges and cliff overhangs. The famous 'swallows of Capistrano.'

Close cousin of the Cliff Swallow with a rusty throat instead of dark, originally nesting in limestone caves. Has steadily expanded its range north and now uses bridges and culverts alongside its ancestral caverns.

Slate-gray with a black cap and rufous undertail, named for its cat-like mewing call. A consummate mimic that strings together dozens of phrases in a long rambling improv song.

Tiny, energetic brown bird with a startlingly loud, bubbling song for its size. Fills any cavity it claims with sticks and aggressively defends its territory, even against birds twice its weight.

Warm reddish-brown wren of the southeastern US with a striking white eyebrow and a ringing 'teakettle, teakettle' call. Pairs stay together year-round and sing duets in spring.

Iridescent blue-green above and snow-white below, this aerial insectivore depends almost entirely on natural tree cavities for nesting. Often the first cavity nester back from migration in early spring.

Western counterpart to the Tree Swallow, with a metallic green back and violet rump that flash in the sun. White flanks wrap up onto the rump in distinctive saddlebag patches.

The poster species for nest-box conservation: a rust-and-blue thrush whose populations rebounded thanks to monitored nest-box programs. Hunts insects from a low perch by dropping to the ground.

Looks like an oversize Downy Woodpecker with a much heftier, chisel-like bill. Bores into solid wood after wood-boring beetle grubs and is often heard before it's seen.

Pale, drab-looking flycatcher of the arid Southwest with a soft yellow belly and a distinctive 'ka-brrick' call. Nests in cavities and often lines its nest with bits of shed snake skin.

The largest North American swallow, with adult males in deep glossy purple-blue. In the East, almost the entire population now depends on human-supplied housing — gourds and apartment-style boxes.

Big-headed flycatcher with a lemon-yellow belly and rusty tail, secretive in the canopy. Famous for weaving shed snake skin into its nest material.

A ground-feeding woodpecker with a polka-dotted belly and a flash of yellow or salmon-pink under the wings depending on the population. Often seen hopping on lawns probing for ants.

A robin-sized falcon and the most colorful raptor in North America, with rust, slate-blue, and bold black markings. Hovers on rapid wingbeats while scanning for grasshoppers and voles.

Striking sooty-black flycatcher with a white belly, almost always near water. Builds mud-pellet nests under bridges, eaves, and rocky overhangs.

The familiar mournful 'coo-OOoo-OOoo' of yards across the continent — plump, with a long tapered tail and soft brown plumage. One of the most-hunted game birds in North America and still abundant.

Square-tailed swallow with a buffy rump and chestnut throat, builds gourd-shaped mud nests in dense colonies under bridges and cliff overhangs. The famous 'swallows of Capistrano.'

Close cousin of the Cliff Swallow with a rusty throat instead of dark, originally nesting in limestone caves. Has steadily expanded its range north and now uses bridges and culverts alongside its ancestral caverns.

Slate-gray with a black cap and rufous undertail, named for its cat-like mewing call. A consummate mimic that strings together dozens of phrases in a long rambling improv song.