The Ultimate Guide to the Best Birdhouse for Chickadees

Of all the feathered visitors that grace our backyards, there’s something truly special about the chickadee. These tiny, acrobatic birds are bundles of energy and curiosity, known for their bold personalities and familiar chick-a-dee-dee-dee call. They are a common sight at feeders, but getting one to actually move into your yard is a next-level backyard birding achievement.

Providing a best birdhouse for a chickadees isn’t just a treat for you; it’s a vital service for them. As natural nesting cavities in old trees disappear, a well-placed, correctly-sized birdhouse offers a safe, dry place for them to raise their young. In return, they’ll work tirelessly, clearing your garden of countless caterpillars and insects to feed their brood.

But here’s the secret: chickadees are incredibly picky.

You can’t just hang up any decorative birdhouse and expect them to move in. They have a strict must-have list for their real estate. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know, from the non-negotiable features to look for, to our top five chickadee-approved houses available on Amazon right now.

What Chickadees Demand in a Home: A Buyer’s Guide

Before you buy, you must understand what a chickadee is looking for. If a birdhouse fails any of these key checks, they will simply pass it by. Unlike some birds, they will not compromise on safety and dimensions.

1. The Entrance Hole: The Single Most Important Feature

This is the deal-breaker. The entrance hole for a chickadee (including Black-capped, Carolina, and Mountain chickadees) must be exactly 1 1/8 inches (2.86 cm) in diameter.

• Why? This size is large enough for a chickadee to enter, but too small for most predators and aggressive competitors like House Sparrows and starlings. It’s their first line of defense.

• What to avoid: Any house with a 1 1/4″, 1 1/2″, or larger hole is not suitable for chickadees, it’s a House Sparrow invitation. If you have a house with a larger hole, you can add a birdhouse entry protector to resize it and keep predators out.

2. Interior Dimensions (Floor Space)

Chickadees are tiny, but their brood is not! A female can lay 6–9 eggs, so the nestlings need enough floor space to grow comfortably.

• Ideal floor: 4×4 inches (10×10 cm); a 5×5 inch floor is also acceptable.
• What to avoid: Floors that are too small (like 3×3 inches) can crush weak nestlings, while floors that are too large make it difficult for the female to keep the nest warm.

3. Safe, Unfinished Materials

The best birdhouse wood is always natural and untreated.

• Best: Cedar, Redwood, or Pine, Cedar and Redwood are naturally rot-resistant and durable.
• Good: Natural birdhouse gourds, which are time-tested and loved by chickadees.
• What to avoid: Plastic or metal houses that can overheat in the sun, and pressure-treated wood that contains toxic chemicals.

4. The No Perch Rule

This is a common mistake in decorative birdhouses. Chickadees do not need a perch, their small, strong feet can cling to the entrance hole or rough siding.

• Why: A perch provides easy access for predators like jays, wrens, squirrels, and weasels. A house without a perch is much safer.

5. Essential Quality of Life Features

These features separate a high-quality house from a cheap, ineffective one:

• Ventilation: Small gaps or holes at the top of side walls allow hot air to escape and prevent nestlings from overheating.
• Drainage: Drill small holes in the corners of the floor to allow rain to drain out.
• Easy Cleanout: The house should open via a side panel, hinged roof, or front panel for annual cleaning.

Pro Tip: While gathering your birdhouse mounting tools, consider securing your shed or garage. Keeping a spare key in a hidden key hider near your garden can save you if you ever get locked out.

5 Best Birdhouse for Chickadees (Amazon)

We’ve scoured Amazon for birdhouses that meet all of the strict requirements above. Here are our top 5 picks that are built specifically for chickadees and other small, desirable songbirds.

(Note: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn from qualifying purchases. All prices and availability are subject to change.)

Nature’s Way Bird Products CWH3 Chickadee House

This is our top pick because it checks every single box with high-quality construction. It’s made from insect- and rot-resistant cedar, has the crucial 1 1/8″ hole, and features a hinged roof held down with a simple pin for incredibly easy cleanout. It also includes air vents and drainage holes.

What sets it apart are the thoughtful details: the interior wall has a fledgling ladder (grooves) to help the babies climb out, and the cedar is thick and insulating. It’s a premium, durable house that will last for many seasons.

Pros:

• Correct 1 1/8″ entrance hole
• Premium rot-resistant cedar
• Hinged roof for easy cleaning
• Includes ventilation & drainage
• Fledgling ladder on interior

Cons:

• Higher price point than simple pine models

Coveside-10026 Chickadee House

If you’re looking for a classic, no-fuss birdhouse that’s built to ornithological standards, Coveside is a fantastic choice. Made in the USA from sustainable Eastern White Pine, this house is all about function. It has the 1 1/8″ hole, a 4×4 floor, and a side panel that opens for easy cleaning.

It’s not as feature-rich as the Nature’s Way, but it provides everything a chickadee needs at a great price. The pine will weather naturally to a beautiful gray, or you can paint the outside with a bird-safe paint.

Pros:

• Perfect 1 1/8″ hole
• Correct 4×4 floor
• Side-opening cleanout door
• Made from sustainable pine
• Great price point

Cons:

• Pine is not as rot-resistant as cedar (but still lasts years)
• Simpler design

S&K Manufacturing Pioneer Gourd Birdhouse

Don’t underestimate the power of a gourd! Many cavity-nesting birds, including chickadees and wrens, are naturally drawn to gourds. This 8-inch, 100% natural gourd is a simple and effective option. This specific model has a round 1 1/8″ hole, making it perfect for chickadees.

It’s lightweight, easy to hang from a branch using one of the best birdhouse hooks, and the slick, curved exterior makes it very difficult for predators to access. This is as eco-friendly as it gets. You can also grow your own gourds and dry them for a fun DIY project.

Pros:

• Correct 1 1/8″ entrance hole
• Very attractive to chickadees
• Lightweight and easy to hang
• Predator-resistant shape

Cons:

• Cleanout is more difficult (must untwist cap or pull nest out)
• May swing in very high winds

Green Feathers Wooden Bird House

If your goal is to get an unparalleled view of the nesting process, this house from Green Feathers is the ultimate choice. It’s built from sturdy FSC-certified cedar and is specifically designed to fit a wireless birdhouse camera. It features a 32mm (1 1/4″) hole, but it includes metal hole protectors to reduce it to 28mm (1 1/8″), making it perfect for chickadees.

It also has a plastic window on the side to let in light for the camera (which doesn’t bother the birds) and a side cleanout door. This is the best choice for the dedicated birdwatcher who wants to see it all, from nest building to fledging.

Pros:

• Designed specifically for a birdhouse camera
• Includes hole reducers (28mm / 1 1/8″ for chickadees)
• Side window for better camera image quality
• Made from thick, FSC-certified wood

Cons:

• Premium price (camera not included)
• Larger than a typical chickadee house

Heartland HomeGrown Chickadee Bird House Kit

Want a fun, fast project with the kids? This DIY kit from Heartland is a fantastic option. It comes with pre-cut, unfinished cedar pieces that are ready for assembly. Most importantly, it’s designed with the correct 1 1/8″ hole and 4×4 floor for chickadees. It assembles easily with just a screwdriver.

This is a great way to get the family involved and teach them about birds. You can leave the cedar natural or paint the outside with colors that birds like (natural, earthy tones). For more on timing, check out how long it takes to build a birdhouse.

Pros:

• Fun and easy family project
• Correct 1 1/8″ hole and dimensions
• Made from natural, rot-resistant cedar
• Includes all necessary hardware

Cons:

• Requires assembly (which is the point!)

How to Install & Attract: Your 3-Step Success Plan

Buying the perfect house is step one. Now, you have to be a good landlord to get your chickadee tenants.

Step 1: The Perfect Location

Placement is everything. A great house in a bad spot will stay empty. Our guide on where to hang a birdhouse has full details, but for chickadees, follow these rules:

• Height: Hang the house anywhere from 5 to 15 feet off the ground. Chickadees aren’t terribly picky about height, but this range keeps it safe from ground predators.
• Direction: This is crucial. In the U.S., you should always face the entrance hole East or North-East. This prevents the hot afternoon sun from baking the house and shields it from the prevailing winds and rain. Learn more about what direction a birdhouse should face.
• Mounting: The safest way to mount a birdhouse is on one of the best birdhouse poles with a predator baffle. This stops squirrels, raccoons, and cats. Mounting on a tree or fence is less ideal as it gives predators an easy climbing path.
• Habitat: Place the house in a quiet corner of your yard, either on the edge of a wooded area or with a clear flight path to nearby trees or shrubs. They like having cover 10-20 feet away.

Step 2: Create a 5-Star Resort

The best way to get birds to nest is to show them your yard has all the amenities.

• Food: Chickadees love black oil sunflower seeds and suet. A feeder stocked with the best bird seed will attract them to your yard, and they will then discover your birdhouse. A window bird feeder is a great way to see them up close.
• Water: A clean, shallow bird bath provides essential water for drinking and bathing.
• Nesting Material: This is a common question: what to put inside a birdhouse? The answer is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. The birds must build their own nest from scratch. Adding material will cause them to abandon the site.

Step 3: The Chickadee Nesting Cycle (What to Expect)

Once you’ve done everything right, the waiting game begins.

1. House-Hunting (Early Spring): Male and female pairs will begin inspecting sites. You’ll see them poke their heads in and out. This is a good sign!
2. Nest Building (Mid-Spring): The female does all the work. She’ll build a soft, cup-shaped nest from moss, bark fibers, and soft animal fur.
3. Laying & Incubation (Late Spring): She’ll lay 1 egg per day for 6-9 days. Incubation starts after the last egg is laid and lasts about 12-14 days.
4. Nestling Phase (Early Summer): The real show begins! Both parents will work from dawn till dusk, making hundreds of trips to the nest with caterpillars and insects. This is nature’s pest control at its finest. This lasts about 16-21 days.
5. Fledging (Mid-Summer): The young birds will leave the nest. They’ll stick around the yard for a few weeks as the parents teach them to forage.
6. Roosting (Fall & Winter): Do birds use birdhouses in winter? Yes! Chickadees are famous for this. A single birdhouse can provide a warm, safe roosting spot for a whole flock of chickadees huddling together on a cold night. This is why you should leave the house up all year.

Expanding Your Birding Hobby

Once you’ve successfully housed a chickadee, you might get the bug. You can expand your backyard habitat to include other desirable birds, like wrens. Learn how to attract wrens to a birdhouse (they like a slightly smaller 1″ hole!). Or, if you want the ultimate view, you can set up a dedicated birdhouse with a camera. Check out our birdhouse reviews for more options.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What kind of birds use birdhouses?

Only cavity-nesting birds will use a birdhouse. This includes birds like bluebirds, wrens, chickadees, titmice, tree swallows, and nuthatches. The list of birds that use birdhouses is specific, and each requires a different hole size.

How do I get birds to use my birdhouse?

The top 3 reasons are: 1) Correct hole size, 2) Correct placement (facing East, in a good habitat), and 3) A clean interior. Patience is also key! It can sometimes take a season for them to find it. See our full guide on how to get birds to use a birdhouse.

Will cardinals use a birdhouse?

No, cardinals will not use a birdhouse. They are not cavity nesters and prefer to build their cup-shaped nests in dense shrubs, vines, and thickets.

Will hummingbirds nest in a birdhouse?

No, hummingbirds will not nest in a birdhouse either. They build tiny, intricate, cup-shaped nests on tree branches, often covered in lichen for camouflage.

Do birds sleep in birdhouses?

Yes! Birds sleep in birdhouses, especially in the fall and winter. It’s called roosting. They huddle together inside for warmth and protection from predators and bad weather. This is a major reason to keep your birdhouses clean and available year-round.

Do birds sleep in the same place every night?

It varies! During nesting season, the female will sleep on the nest every night. Outside of nesting, many birds have a home rangewith several preferred, safe roosting spots (like a dense evergreen or a birdhouse) and they may rotate. You can learn more about if birds sleep in the same place every night.

When do birds wake up?

Most songbirds, like chickadees, wake up just before sunrise. Their day is dictated by light. They are most active in the early morning and late afternoon. We have a fascinating article on a bird’s 24-hour clock if you want to learn more.

Where can I learn more about birding?

We’re so glad you asked! You can start with our birdwatching road trip guide for ideas on how to take your hobby on the road. Enjoy the journey!