# Woodpecker nest boxes



## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

After making a couple dozen blue bird houses the other day I decided I'd try building something different. Since a lot of the dead trees in my woods have fallen down from storms over the last couple years I thought I'd make some woodpecker nest boxes. I looked at several plans on-line and took the parts of each one that I liked and combined them in one box. I made one for Red-Bellied Woodpeckers out of an eight foot 1" x 8" and a bigger one for Northern Flickers out of a ten foot 1" X 10". Each entry hole is 2 1/2". 

*My Chessie, Tess, is lending her body to help show the actual size of the boxes.*










*To aid in climbing, I cut many 1/8" grooves on both sides of the front wall of the boxes. This lets Woody climb up the outside or inside of the box much easier. *













































*The plexiglass makes it much harder for starlings to enter the box because they'd have to fly right into the hole since there isn't a perch, whereas the woodpeckers can land on the grooved board or tree trunk and climb right up. It also blocks ***** from getting in as well. Here they are filled with wood shavings, mounted and ready for Woody to start making his new home.*


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## MPT (Oct 7, 2004)

Nice job on the nest boxes. When do the flickers get here? I'm trying to get a box together and put it up but I'm running late. Does the nest box have to be 15' high?


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## harpo1 (Dec 6, 2007)

Very nice work ih! My mom has really gotten into bird watching the last couple years and she'd love one of those. You wouldn't mind if I infringed on your design would you??? Also, I'd never thought about the plexi-glass trick for *****.


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## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

harpo1 said:


> Very nice work ih! My mom has really gotten into bird watching the last couple years and she'd love one of those. You wouldn't mind if I infringed on your design would you??? Also, I'd never thought about the plexi-glass trick for *****.


Make as many copies as you want. The flicker boxes have 24" side walls and i think the red-bellied woodpecker box has 16" sides. The floor tiles in the picture are 12" x 12" so you should be able to figure out the rest from there. 

The next morning after I put them up I watched Starlings trying to get into them and they were unsuccessful.


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## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

MPT said:


> Nice job on the nest boxes. When do the flickers get here? I'm trying to get a box together and put it up but I'm running late. Does the nest box have to be 15' high?


I saw one in my backyard last week.

12' to 20' high works.


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## Burksee (Jan 15, 2003)

Nice work! Those look great, not bad for an electric"ian".


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## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

I'm multi-talented and the dog "helped" a lot! :lol:


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## Fabner1 (Jan 24, 2009)

ih,

How about a picture of your Bluebird houses?


O'lame Fred


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## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

Fabner1 said:


> ih,
> 
> How about a picture of your Bluebird houses?
> 
> ...


I'll post some in a few minutes.

EDIT:
Here's the link. Bluebird houses / nest boxes


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## MPT (Oct 7, 2004)

I put my flicker box in my pine tree. Do you think they'll find it or will I just get starlings?


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## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

Did you put the plexiglass on it?


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## MPT (Oct 7, 2004)

ih772 said:


> Did you put the plexiglass on it?


 No plexiglass just a box from the internet for flickers. It's stuffed with sawdust so I have my fingers crossed. It survived the storm yesterday.


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## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

If you can keep the Starlings out Flickers might nest in it.


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