How to Build a Nest Box for a Finch

Finch nest boxes, while they are a simple concept, must be created correctly. Too small and the finch may not fit into the box. Too big and it may not want to nest. Proper ventilation also matters. Nest boxes heat up quickly, and if you don't provide a place for the heat to escape a family of birds could become too hot and mold could grow in the box. You also want to build a box sturdy enough to last many years, so you don't need to build a new one annually. Follow all the technical aspects closely to build a box that finches in your neighborhood will use every year.

Things You'll Need

  • 6-inch-by-6-inch boards, 1 inch thick, 5
  • 8-inch-by-7-inch board, 1 inch thick
  • 18-inch-by-6-inch board, 1 inch thick
  • Wood screws, 1 1/2 inches long
  • 2-inch wood screws
  • 3-inch wood screws
  • 1/2-inch drill bit
  • 2-inch hole saw bit
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Instructions

    • 1

      Stack one of the 6-inch-by-6-inch boards on top of the 18-inch-by-6-inch board so that there are 6 inches above and below the smaller board. Screw them together from the smaller board into the larger with 1 1/2-inch wood screws. Use at least four screws and no more than eight. This creates the back of the nest box.

    • 2

      Set the floor board on the work bench. Stand up the board for the left side on the bench. Line it up with the front and back of the floor board. Screw three 2-inch wood screws from the outside in, 1/2 inch from each end and on in the middle, at the 3-inch mark. Repeat with the right side, front and back. Of the two boards you screwed together in Step 1, line the smaller of the boards up with the floor of the nest box.

    • 3

      Place the roof board on the top so that 1 inch hangs off the left, right and front. Screw a 2-inch wood screw into each corner.

    • 4

      Drill five 1/2-inch holes in the roof of the nest box, one at each corner and one in the middle. This provides a place for heat to escape and will keep the finches from overheating.

    • 5

      Drill a 2-inch hole with a hole saw in the front of the nest box. Position this hole 4 inches from the bottom of the nest box.

    • 6

      Secure the nest box to a tree or other surface with 3-inch wood screws. Drill two wood screws through the piece of wood that sticks above and below the nest box. This is the piece of wood you screwed to the back of the nest box in Step 1.