When do bluebirds nest

Baffles on the poles made of plastic or aluminum tubing will discourage predators like snakes and raccoons. Place boxes at a height convenient for monitoring, usually 5 feet. Allow feet between boxes, as bluebirds are territorial. Select a site near open or mowed areas, but not too open—bluebirds need a high perch nearby from which to spot prey. Boxes may be erected year-round. Put up new ones by mid-winter to recruit birds. For educational brochures or to order boxes, feeders, specialty hardware or handy cardboard nest cups, contact Homes for Bluebirds, P.

Box , Bailey, N. The N. Bluebird Society has county coordinators who provide bluebird house plans, tips and reference material. To find the coordinator in your county, visit the society's Web site at www. Or call Chuck Bliss at The North American Bluebird Society also offers plans, fact sheets and other resources. Visit nabluebirdsociety. The Birdhouse Network provides field worksheets and instructions for recording and submitting your data.

Your input helps biologists expand the body of scientific information. See birds. Observe and record nesting activity, including when egg-laying begins each season, what materials the birds use for building the nest, size of the clutches and survival rate of young.

Remove any dead babies as soon as you see them but leave unhatched eggs alone. Clean out boxes between each brood, removing old nest material, blowfly larvae and other insects, and debris. Check for and fix any leaks. Bluebirds build neat, cup-shaped nests made of weed stems, grasses and sometimes pine straw. House sparrow nests are tall and messy, sometimes made of trash. Remove these nests, or better yet, locate your boxes away from places where house sparrows abound—such as close to your house or near a source of grain.

Do not disturb nests of other native species that may use the box, such as tree swallows, flycatchers, wrens, chickadees and titmice. These are protected by law and are desirable species you can still have fun observing. Unlike typical feeder species, bluebirds must be coaxed to eat from a specialty feeder. Supplements like berries and mealworms can help birds survive harsh winters when starlings have stripped shrubs and trees of fruit.

For training tips, consult any of the sources listed above, learn about bluebird boxes , or read about a North Carolinian who specializes in making his own. Share Tweet Share Pin Email. Maggie January 22, reply. Sandy January 22, reply. Susan Taylor November 07, reply. Amy March 07, reply. Keep boxes at least yards from barnyards and feed lots where House Sparrows are abundant. Avoid areas with heavy pesticide use. Bluebirds are territorial, so multiple boxes should be placed at least feet apart as a rough guide.

Vegetation and topography might make closer location possible. There should be no direct line of sight between multiple boxes.

Purchase or build a nest box designed specifically for bluebirds. Preferably, these are made of unpainted cedar, redwood, cyprus or pine. If you must paint your nest box, it should be painted ONLY on the outside, in a very light color, to avoid overheating. It should have ventilation and drainage holes, be deep enough so predators can't reach in to get to the eggs, and have a door that opens for ease of monitoring and cleaning. Nest boxes may be mounted at any time, but to attract bluebirds for their first nesting of the season, they should be in place by mid-March, depending on your geographic location.

You may see nest boxes mounted on trees, wooden fence posts or metal poles. Metal poles may be difficult for predators such as snakes and raccoons to climb. A metal mounting post need not be elaborate or expensive. Smooth, round 1" electrical conduit is inexpensive and works well; although any smooth scrap round pipe will work.

The next box should be mounted on the post so that the entrance hole is 5 feet off the ground. Being a conscientious bluebird landlord involves more than simply buying or making a nest box and mounting in in a good location.

Nest boxes should be monitored at least once a week to be sure that undesirable competitors are not sing them. They should also be monitored for blowflies, ants, and other parasites, and predator problems. Bluebirds readily tolerate humans monitoring their nest boxes. They will not abandon their young because humans have looked at or touched them.

Bluebirds do not have a good sense of smell, so your scent on their nest will not disturb them. Care should always be taken when opening a nest box, especially once the hatchlings are 12 days old, as this could cause them to fledge too early.

The nest box should be cleaned out after each brood of babies has fledged. Bluebirds will not reuse a nest. They will typically produce three broods of three to six young by from March to August in South Carolina. It is not normally necessary to feed bluebirds; however, many people find they enjoy offering treats to their birds, both to help them through times of difficulty, and to have the opportunity to interact more closely with these gentle, trusting creatures.

They eat insects and insect larvae and berries. Another food commonly offered to bluebirds is mealworms. And you never know what amazing little songbirds will take up residence in the meantime! Please share your thoughts and experiences with us.

You Might Also Like Birdhouse Maintenance January 2, Before Buying a Birdhouse March 10, Birdhouses in March March 8, Todd Witkowski July 6, at pm I was thinking of purchasing 4 of the mango bird houses for my garden, partly for decoration, but also in hopes that they would be used. Is this a good idea, or will having multiple houses close together actually discourage birds from using them? Thanks for your help. Can I leave the exiting nests in the box if I check first for blow worms, remove hem and sanitize the box.

Great questions! The bluebirds are territorial toward their own species, but not towards other species. You can actually place pairs of houses about 20 feet apart, and then space the pairs yards apart. Tree Swallows, who also need nest boxes desperately, may take up residence in one box and bluebirds in the other — they make good neighbors for each other.