Making a Birdhouse

Many woodworkers enjoy crafting bird houses and it's a good way of sharing wood working with children. This is a table with some general guidelines for building and placing houses so that birds will find them attractive. It lists birds commonly seen in North America. Here's a simple plan

BIRD
Inside of House
Depth of House
Size of Entrance
Entrance Above Floor
Height Above Ground
DIMENSIONS IN INCHES
FEET
House Wren
4 x 4
6 to 8
7/8
1 to 6
6 to 10
Carolina Wren
4 x 4
6 to 8
1
1 to 6
6 to 10
Chickadee
4 x 4
8 to 10
1-1/8
1 to 6
6 to 15
Downy Woodpecker
4 x 4
8 to 10
1-1/4
6 to 8
6 to 15
Nuthatch
4 x 4
8 to 10
1-1/4
6 to 8
12 to 20
Titmouse
4 x 4
8 to 10
1-1/4
6 to 18
6 to 15
Bluebird
5 x 5
8
1-1/2
6
5 to 10
Tree Swallow
5 x 5
6
1-1/2
1 to 5
10 to 15
Violet-Green Swallow
5 x 5
6
1-1/2
1 to 5
10 to 15
Crested Flycatcher
6 x 6
8 to 10
2
6 to 8
8 to 20
Hairy Woodpecker
6 x 6
12 to 15
1-1/2
9 to 12
12 to 20
House Finch
6 x 6
6
2
4
8 to 12
Purple Martin
6 x 6
6
2-1/2
1
15 to 20
Redheaded Woodpecker
6 x 6
12 to 15
2
9 to 12
12 to 20
Saw-Whet Owl
6 x 6
10 to 12
2-1/2
8 to 10
12 to 20
Flicker
7 x 7
16 to 18
2
14 to 16
6 to 20
Screech Owl
8 x 8
12 to 15
3
9 to 12
10 to 30
Sparrow Hawk
8 x 8
12 to 15
3
9 to 12
10 to 30
Barn Owl
10 x 18
15 to 18
6
4
12 to 18
Wood Duck
10-1/2 x 10-1/2
24
3
20
10 to 25

SHELF NESTS
Barn Swallow
6 x 6
6
8 to 12
Phoebe
6 x 6
6
8 to 12
Robin
6 x 8
8
6 to 15