Do cardinals use birdhouses?
An open cup of twigs and grass, 3 to 10 feet up in dense shrubs, vines or small trees.
What should you provide instead of a birdhouse?
Plant or keep dense shrubs (dogwood, viburnum, holly, rose thickets), leave brush piles, and put out nesting material such as short natural fibre in spring. A roofed box will not be used.
| Instead of a box | Why it works |
|---|---|
| Dense shrubs and small trees | Open-cup nests need cover from predators and weather |
| Natural nesting material in spring | Short natural fibres and plant down, never dryer lint or long string |
| A reliable feeder | Keeps adults in the area through the nesting season |
| A shallow bird bath | Water within sight of cover is a year-round draw |
Feeders for cardinals
Prices move constantly; the button shows the current figure.
Nest box dimensions for other species
Eastern Bluebird · Western Bluebird · Mountain Bluebird · Tree Swallow · Violet-green Swallow · Purple Martin · House Wren · Carolina Wren · Bewick's Wren · Black-capped Chickadee · Carolina Chickadee · Tufted Titmouse · White-breasted Nuthatch · Red-breasted Nuthatch · Downy Woodpecker · Hairy Woodpecker · Red-bellied Woodpecker · Red-headed Woodpecker · Northern Flicker · Prothonotary Warbler · Great Crested Flycatcher · Ash-throated Flycatcher · Eastern Screech-Owl · American Kestrel · Barn Owl · Wood Duck · American Robin · Barn Swallow · Eastern Phoebe
Birds that do not use boxes: Blue Jays · Mourning Doves · Goldfinches · Hummingbirds · Orioles · House Finches
Get the nest box season checklist
When to put boxes up, when to clean them out, and the hole sizes for every common species, on one page.
Used only to send the checklist.Frequently asked questions
Will cardinals use a birdhouse?
No. An open cup of twigs and grass, 3 to 10 feet up in dense shrubs, vines or small trees. Enclosed boxes sold as "cardinals houses" are decorative. If one is occupied, it is usually by a wren, chickadee or house sparrow. Plant or keep dense shrubs (dogwood, viburnum, holly, rose thickets), leave brush piles, and put out nesting material such as short natural fibre in spring. A roofed box will not be used.
Where do cardinals nest?
An open cup of twigs and grass, 3 to 10 feet up in dense shrubs, vines or small trees. Nests are built by the birds themselves, usually in spring and summer, and are rarely reused. Leaving dense shrubs untrimmed during the nesting season protects them.
How can I help cardinals nest in my yard?
Plant or keep dense shrubs (dogwood, viburnum, holly, rose thickets), leave brush piles, and put out nesting material such as short natural fibre in spring. A roofed box will not be used. Avoid pruning shrubs during the nesting season, keep cats indoors, and keep a feeder and a shallow bird bath going so adults stay in the area. Native plants that carry insects are what the young are actually fed.
What do cardinals eat at feeders?
Safflower is the classic cardinal seed because grackles, starlings and many squirrels tend to leave it alone. Cardinals are heavy-bodied and cannot hang or cling well, so they need a wide ledge or tray. Short perches on a narrow tube suit them badly.
Which birds do use birdhouses?
Cavity nesters: bluebirds, tree swallows, chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, house and Carolina wrens, purple martins, some woodpeckers, great crested flycatchers, screech-owls, kestrels and wood ducks. Each needs a specific hole size and box depth, listed in the birdhouse dimensions chart. Robins and phoebes use open shelves instead of boxes.