What makes a good bluebird nest box?•Wood box on metal pole

•Floor space of 4” by 4”

•Entrance hole of 1½” diameter

•No perch on the front

•Floor allows drainage

•Roof allows ventilation

•Front or side opens for easy inspection and cleanout

Plans for building a bluebirdnest box can be found on the Virginia Bluebird Societyweb site www.virginiabluebirds.org

Guards keep out the predators

Noel Guard - Wire mesh around the nest box entrance prevents raccoons, cats, other mammals, and large birds from reaching inside the box.

Snake Guard - Round, metal ductwork on the pole keeps snakes and other predators from climbing up to the box.

Note: Mount the box on a metal pole, not a fence post or telephone pole.

Protect eggs & chicks from being eaten!

The Importance of Predator Guards!

MonitoringKeeping tabs on the bluebirds

People need to check on nest boxes every week during the nesting season, April through August. These monitors keep records, deal with problems, and evict house sparrows. Don’t install a box unless it will be monitored.

Myth: Monitoring will disturb bluebirds and cause them to desert the nest.

Fact: Bluebirds are tolerant of careful monitoring.

We have ways of dealing with problems …

•Rub bar soap on the box to keep away wasps

•Put heavy grease on the pole to keep out the ants.

Non-native house sparrows will take over if monitors don’t remove their nests.

They will chase away or kill the bluebirds, pecking the chicks and adults to death.

Thanks to volunteers and nest boxes, the bluebirds are back!

Monitors love witnessing the lifecycle of a

bluebird

Establishing Territory

In February, the male selects a nest site, and

sings to attract a female and warn

away other males. Each bluebird pair needs about

2 to 3.5 acres.

CourtshipIn March, the female responds to the male’s song &

territory.

Nest BuildingIn April, the female makes the final nest site selection, and takes 5 to 10 days to build the nest. She arranges grasses or pine needles and molds the cup with her breast.

Egg Laying

The female lays one

egg each morning

for 3 to 6 days.

Incubating the EggsThe female sits on the eggs to keep them warm for about two weeks. She only leaves the nest for short periods of time. She begins incubating all the eggs at the same time so the chicks will hatch and fledge together.

HatchingAll the chicks will hatch within a few hours of each other. The female will brood (warm) the featherless chicks for 8 days.

Day 1Day 5Day 6Day 7Day 8Day 9Day 12Day 13Day 15Day 16

Note:

The previous slides showing a bird in the hand were with a licensed bird bander.

Do NOT handle baby or adult birds!

Feeding

The parents feed the chicks insects up to five times per hour each day,

from dawn to dusk.

Cleaning the Nest

The parents keep the nest clean by carrying

away the fecal sacs with the chicks’ waste.