Helpful Tips

• Place the box under a tree limb at the woodland edge, with adjacent fields or wetlands. Install the box on a tree that is at least as wide as the box.
• It is helpful if there is a branch nearby for the young to climb out on, but the branch should not obstruct the entrance hole.
• Add 2–3 inches of wood shavings to the box.
• To prevent use by squirrels, place the box on a pole with a predator guard, located far enough away from nearby trees that squirrels cannot jump to it.
• You can install a second nest box within a pair's territory as a backup in case the first nest fails. Second nests are almost always in an alternate site.
• Avoid disturbing nesting females during and shortly after egg-laying, as they may abandon the nest if disturbed early in the nesting cycle. It is best to wait at least one week, if not two, after finding a nest to check the contents.