10 Best Bird Houses for Cardinals (2023)

Do you want to attract cardinals to your backyard? Cardinals are easy to attract. But you will need to make a few changes like placing cardinal bird feeders, bathing trays, and setting up secluded bird houses for them.

Cardinals prefer peaceful environments, so I recommend setting up a secluded place, nesting boxes, best bird feeders, favorite seeds, bath troughs, and clean drinking water.

In Northern America, northern cardinals seem to be everyone’s preferred visitor, unlike other birds.

Northern cardinals are beautiful birds that anyone would fall in love with, thanks to their stunning plumage.

Talking about bird houses, what bird house is the best for cardinals? I have compiled some of my favorite birdhouses that easily attract these bright red birds and other bird species. Read on to find out.

1. Backyard Boys Woodworking BBW81 Cardinal Nest Box

This Cardinal Nest from Backyard Boys Woodworking is a natural-looking nesting box that easily blends with any environment.

When I bought the nest box, many birds visited my backyard, like blue jays and cardinals.

I noticed that cardinals had turned an empty pot in the yard into a nest. It doesn’t take time before the nest gets some residents because, to me, within a month, I noticed some occupants.

One thing that makes this nest attract cardinals fast is its beautiful natural finish, so they don’t feel like they’re in an odd place.

The only problem is that this bird nest has no draining holes, so it gets flooded during rainy seasons.

However, that doesn’t cut the deal. Just position the birdhouse, so it’s slanted to drain the water through the opening.

Pros

  • Well built
  • Attractive design
  • Great size

Cons

  • You might need to set it up before using it

2. NLC House Bird Feeder Wicker Bird House For Cardinals

The NLC House Bird Feeder is an integrated bird house and a feeder made of two coconut shells.

One thing about this bird house/ bird feeder that I like is that it is warm, especially during cold weather conditions making it a go-to shelter for small birds.

You need to know that other small animals love this birdhouse, like chameleons. You have to be receptive and expect more than cardinals in the shells.

We already know how tough coconut shells are. With this bird house/feeder, durability is guaranteed.

Pros

  • Durable
  • Come in a pair
  • Prevents rainwater

Cons

  • Small size

3. Natures Way Cedar Bluebird Box House

Natures Way Cedar has maintained quality bird products for quite some time. With this Bluebird Box House in your backyard, you can attract multiple bird species without any struggles.

Made of high-quality rot-resistant cedar wood, this bird house will house your feathered friends for a long time. The birdhouse also has fledging kerfs that offer an extra grip for baby birds to climb out.

With just a glance, you’ll think that this birdhouse has no sufficient ventilation, but it has multiple air vents on the walls and floor. You don’t want to wake up and find a suffocated bird; thus, maximum airflow is essential.

The floor has an epic design with galvanized wire mesh, making it super easy to clean the bird house.

The good thing is the wire mesh is rust-resistant, so it will take ages for it to wear out.

I love bird houses that are easy to clean, and luckily this one has a clean-out door that lets you clean the house without hustles.

When it comes to attracting birds, this bird house does an incredible job. Within a week of setting the house up, I spotted two cardinals and some blue jays. That means birds love the house.

Pros

  • Attracts birds first
  • Has great ventilation
  • Easy to clean
  • Great for nesting

Cons

  • The entrance is a bit small for some birds

4. Humming Bird Houses Four Outdoor Hanging

If you love the rustic decor in your backyard, then these bird houses will add a rough touch to it.

I have had some hummingbird feeders in my backyard for quite some time, so when I got these bird houses, they instantly became home.

The package comes with three handmade bird houses purely made of hibiscus grass.

These houses have a big round bottom offering the birds enough space to move around.

I have also noticed some cardinals and wrens visiting, although they haven’t made any of the remaining two a home. I’m hopeful they’ll pick one.

Pros

  • Beautiful birdhouses
  • Cheap
  • High quality
  • It attracts all kinds of birds fast
  • Spacious

Cons

  • It can’t withstand long rainy seasons

5. See Through Upgraded Wooden Bird House and Bird Nest

This bird house is ideal for bird watchers who love to observe birds, all thanks to the transparent design of the house.

First, the packaging comes with two 100% wooden bird houses with one completely transparent side.

The houses have a small entrance that any small bird can get through without hassle.

Apart from that, the houses are thermal insulated. That means they are suitable under any weather conditions, whether summer or winter.

Now here comes the fun part. Unlike other bird houses mostly installed on poles or tree branches, you have many options with this one.

The best option I truly like because it gives me ample time to observe my feathered visitors is attaching it to a glass window.

I do this by attaching the transparent part to my patio glass window and getting the best bird view.

The bird house comes ready to install straight from the box, so you have nothing much to do, just unboxing and setting them up.

These See Through Bird Houses come with two large suction cups and a cute small perch that the visitors can mount.

Although I call it small, the perch is perfect for the birds because I haven’t noticed any problem.

Pros

  • Great bird houses with a nest inside
  • Attracts multiple birds
  • Great decor piece for any bird lover
  • Big enough for most birds

Related Read: Check bird feeders ideas for cardinals

6. Gray Bunny Deluxe Clear Window Bird House

Gray Bunny Deluxe Clear Bird House is an excellent birdhouse that can attract cardinals, sparrows, blue jays, woodpeckers, chickadee, and wrens, among other species.

The transparent birdhouse comes with four big suction cups that make it easy to install on windows and walls.

This birdhouse is also made of high-quality acrylic material making it strong enough to stand the test of time.

Now the advantage of this feeder is that it serves the same purpose as most bird feeders and can also be home to many birds.

This is the best item to purchase if you don’t want to buy a separate cardinal bird feeder and need a home for the cardinals.

The bird house has a large tray that can hold up to three cups of bird seed to feed more cardinals in days to come.

Its feeding tray is also deep with drainage holes to prevent mold growth in the feeder.

An important thing to note is that if mounted too low windows, you will attract a lot of squirrels, so the best thing is to install it on high windows.

Pros

  • Beautiful and functional design
  • Large feeding trays
  • Transparent allows a great bird viewing experience
  • Value for money
  • Attracts many bird species

Cons

  • The suction cups only work on smooth surfaces

7. Kingsyard Bird Feeder House For Outdoors

This is another birdhouse you will gift your generations, made of metal and mesh.

There’s no doubt this is a high-quality bird feeder with an attractive design to attract any bird.

This Kingyard Bird feeder has a house design and has three compartments to dispense different types of bird feeds. The bird feeder also features proper drainage holes that prevent molds.

I love this feeder because it attracts different kinds of birds. After all, you get to fill it with various types of feed. The feeder has a metal screen that lets the birds enjoy feeding on it.

The only problem I have noticed about this feeder is that it isn’t suitable for rainy seasons because the feed gets soggy, which isn’t safe for the birds. If you plan to place it under a shade, you have no problem.

Pros

  • Sturdy built
  • Attracts many bird species
  • It has three feeding compartments
  • Loved by many cardinals

Cons

  • Not suitable during the rainy season

Also read: Here are some interesting common San Antonio birds

Best Pro Tips On How To Attract Cardinals

Northern cardinals are picky; you can never know what these birds prefer.

You can install cardinal bird feeders in your backyard and set up the drinking water but still fail to get some birds.

However, it doesn’t mean you can’t attract these cute birds. The trick is setting up things the right way, and they won’t have any other choice.

A backyard with all the basic needs for the birds will always have some feathered visitors. You must provide shelter, proper food, water, and nesting sites.

This section will discuss these basic needs and how you will set them up to attract cardinals.

  • Food Sources

Northern cardinals prefer large seeds, so you have to get them safflower seeds and black oil sunflower seeds.

Sunflower and safflower seed are cardinals’ favorite meals, but you can also get them cracked corn, shreds of suet, peanut pieces, apple chunks, and fresh berries.

You need to get the best cardinal bird feeders when giving them their meals because you’re dealing with big birds.

They should have enough space for the birds to mount on. I highly recommend platform feeders and tube feeders with a larger tray.

In most cases, I have noticed a tube feeder doesn’t attract cardinals, but you can go for a platform feeder or a large hopper feeder. The trick is to avoid feeders with narrow perches because the cardinals are bigger than most birds.

When choosing cardinal bird feeders, go for a bigger, heavy feeder that doesn’t get swayed away easily. Ensure that you position the feeders away from strong winds, so they don’t sway and scare the birds.

  • Water Sources

If you set up all kinds of bird feeders and fail to provide water for your backyard birds, they’ll go to the next compound to quench their thirst.

Cardinals prefer compounds with bird baths, and they drink from the same.

Cardinals are a little bit large, so you have to set up a bird bath that is about three inches deep.

Just place the bird bath on the ground, and you will easily attract cardinals because they love playing on the ground. You can add drippers to the water so that it keeps moving.

Another vital thing to do is to change the water frequently and ensure that you clean the water vessel as you change the water.

Avoid frozen water because cardinals prefer a heated bath during winters.

  • Shelter

Cardinals prefer secluded places with thick shrubs, vines, or thick foliage. If you don’t have some trees outside, you might want to plant some cardinal-friendly trees like blueberry trees, sumac, mulberry, and tall trees.

These fruit trees serve as a shelter and provide a source of natural bird food.

Apart from that, you can install cardinal bird feeders on the shelters and ensure that your yard has grass clippings, pine needles, small twigs, and other materials.

All these I’ve mentioned are essential because the cardinals use the materials to build their nests.

Things To Avoid When Aiming To Attract Cardinals

Reflective Surfaces

If you have reflective windows or doors, it’s time you get opaque bags. Cardinals tend to attack their reflections as a sign of marking their territories and thus leaving reflective surfaces uncovered spruces an attack.

While the surfaces might not be damaged, the bird might break its beaks, and that’s not what you’re aiming for.

Predators

In most cases, the pets we keep attack these lovely birds. If you have a pet or pets, you should prevent them from accessing the feeding area of the cardinals.

Harmful Chemicals

There’s nothing as heartbreaking as waking up to find a bird dead in your backyard. I’m saying this from a bird lover. Avoid using herbicides and insecticides around the feeding area of the cardinals to prevent bird poisoning.

Best Birdhouses For Cardinals: Frequently Asked Questions

What Is The Best Bird House For Cardinal Birds?

We recommend the Backyard Boys cardinal nesting box that is large enough for any cardinal to get in.

However, you might need a bird house to convince these bright red birds that your compound is the best place to build a family.

What are the best cardinal bird feeders?

Many kinds of bird feeders on the market are good for all bird species, and some favor specific species. Below are the most common types of birds in the market:

  • Tube feeders
  • House and hopper feeders
  • Window feeders
  • Tray feeders and platform feeders
    Tube Feeders

Tube feeders are great bird feeders but not the best for cardinals. Not unless the tube feeder has an inbuilt tray or platform, you will realize it doesn’t appeal to the cardinals.

However, tube feeders are the best as far as squirrel protection is concerned. At times, squirrels eat everything from the feeders that weren’t meant for them.

Most tube feeders are squirrel proof, so you don’t have to worry about squirrels eating your bird food.

Hooper/House Feeders

Hopper feeders are great because they are hardly accessible to squirrels and hold large quantities of bird feeds. The bird feeder is great for cardinals and other larger birds and has multiple feeding ports

Window Feeders

Window feeders are the best option if you don’t have a backyard or a porch. Window feeders are mounted on windows or smooth walls. Window feeders do a great job attracting different types of birds; amazingly, even the shyest cardinals love them.

I have also spotted a house sparrow countless times on my window feeder. The good thing about a window feeder is the bird gets to sit in and enjoy their meal without distractions.

Platform Feeders

Platform feeders are the best for cardinals because they don’t like turning their bodies while eating. These cardinal bird feeders have a tray upon which the birds sit to eat.

Suet Feeders

Cardinals love suet cake, so that a suet feeder might be their favorite. Suet feeders have a wire cage where the suet cake is placed, and the birds enjoy it while hanging on the wire.

Conclusion

Everyone’s dream is to have their bird feeders crowded with cardinals. You can attract cardinals to your backyard with the proper setup and their favorite seeds. By now, I’m sure you’ve learned tips that, if you implement, you’ll get a dozen feathered visitors. You can choose one of the feeders from my favorite list above and get started.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *