This cheery spring bird with a taste for worms is a welcome backyard guest. But will a robin nest in a birdhouse?
Will a Robin Use a Birdhouse?
Updated on Feb. 24, 2025
It’s such a joyful springtime sight: American robins hopping around in bright green grass, searching intently for worms and nesting material. Given the happiness these red-breasted birds bring, it’s no wonder birders want to attract them to stick around and raise their young. But will robins use a birdhouse? Is there even such thing as a robin birdhouse? Here’s what you should know.
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Will Robins Use Birdhouses?
If you’ve put up bluebird houses, chickadee nest boxes or decorative bird houses in your yard, don’t expect a robin to move in. Unlike those birds, robins are not “cavity nesters,” meaning they don’t build nests in pre-existing holes in trees. As such, a bird house — which mimics that “hole-in-tree” environment — doesn’t appeal to them.
Birds & Blooms readers have reported seeing robins nesting on windowsills, ledges and even on woven baskets. Check out proven tips to attract nesting birds.
We asked the experts—will a hummingbird use a birdhouse?
Robin Birdhouse Alternative
While robins won’t use a traditional bird house and a robin bird house isn’t a product you should buy, there are some birdhouse-like products available for them. Robins tend to build their nests on flat surfaces, and nesting shelves replicate that setting.
Nesting shelves are a lot like bird houses with the front panel removed. There’s a large gap so birds can fly directly into the house, as they would if they had nested on a natural flat surface. Many have a roof-like awning that hangs over the shelf, so the birds don’t get wet when it rains. After all, in the trees, birds are protected by leaves!
Psst—Do robins migrate and fly south in winter? Here’s how to attract robins to your yard year-round.
Make or Buy a Nesting Shelf for Robins
If you’re looking to purchase a nesting shelf, several options are available online.
You can always make your own DIY nesting shelf, too. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Project NestWatch has plans available to make a shelf out of wood. Barn swallows and Eastern phoebes may also use these shelves for nesting.
If you’re looking to take a craftier approach, here’s how to make a nesting shelf out of a bucket.
Next, discover the differences between American and European robins.
