Eastern Phoebe nesting shelf
Published dimensions, a cut list for 1×12 (11 1/4 in.), and the placement rules that decide whether the brood survives. This is an open-fronted shelf rather than a box: no entrance hole at all, and a roof to keep rain off the nest.
Eastern Phoebe
- Entrance Open frontshelf, not a box — no hole
- Floor 6 × 6 in.152 × 152 mm
- Roof height 6 in.152 mm
- Mounting height 8–12 ft2.4–3.7 m
Habitat and placement: Under bridges, culverts, porch roofs, and barn eaves, usually near water. Phoebes nest on ledges by nature and take to a shelf readily.
Spacing between boxes: One shelf per structure; pairs defend a stretch of stream or a single building.
Predator guard: Placement does the work: high, tight under an overhang, away from anything a cat or raccoon can climb.
When to install: February through March. Phoebes are among the earliest returning flycatchers and often reuse last year's mud-and-moss nest.
Notes: Open front, partially open sides, roof overhead — same shelf as the robin, one size smaller. Leave the old nest in place if it is intact; phoebes frequently build directly on top of it.
Dimensions from: Published nesting-shelf plans (Chippewa Nature Center; NPCA)
No perch. Ever. A perch gives predators and House Sparrows a grip — cavity nesters do not need one.
Cut list
Every board you need, sized so the assembled box matches the published interior above. Pick your stock — the list updates.
1×12 (11 1/4 in.) · about 5 linear feet including waste
| Qty | Piece | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Floor | 6 × 6 in. | Trim about 1/4 in. off each corner for drainage. |
| 2 | Side | 6 × 8 1/4 in. | Bevel the top edge: 6 3/4 in. at the front rising to 8 1/4 in. at the back. |
| 1 | Back | 7 1/2 × 16 1/4 in. | Runs 4 in. above and 4 in. below the box for mounting screws. |
| 1 | Roof | 10 1/2 × 9 1/2 in. | Overhangs 3 in. at the front and 1 in. each side; butts against the back board. |
Note: Open-fronted shelf: there is no front panel and no entrance hole.
Before you cut
- Untreated wood, 3/4 in. thick. Cedar, cypress, or pine. Never pressure-treated, and never paint or stain the interior.
- Score the inside face below the entrance so nestlings can climb out. Smooth plywood traps them.
- Drainage and ventilation. Trim the floor corners; leave gaps or drill holes near the top.
- Make one side or the front open so you can monitor and clean between broods.
- Baffle on a smooth metal pole. This matters more than height, orientation, or anything else on this page.
When and where to put up a nest box — timing by region, habitat matching, orientation, and predator guards that actually work.
Other species
- Eastern Bluebird 1 1/2–1 9/16 in.
- Western Bluebird 1 9/16 in.
- Mountain Bluebird 1 9/16 in.