Bluebird Trail: Monitoring Your Nest Box

How to monitor your nest box

To monitor your nest box, peek into the box at regular intervals to see what is happening inside. Monitoring helps you keep undesirable residents (mice, squirrels, House Sparrows) out. You can also keep track of how the nesting process is going. Diagram showing the life cycle of Eastern Bluebirds, including the following text — Eggs to hatchlings, 11-19 days of incubation; Hatchlings to fledgling, 17-21 of care in the nest; Flighted fledgling bluebirds remain in family groups throughout the winter; Young are ready to breed their first spring. The nest boxes on this trail are monitored twice per week by teams of volunteers. The data they collect include information on the nest building process, the number of eggs laid, and how many young survive. The data is added to the NestWatch database to help scientists monitor bird populations nationwide.

Nest box data can be viewed in the Sanctuary’s Resource Center. For more information
about nest box monitoring, visit nestwatch.org.

Nest box placement

In general, place your nest box in the habitat for the desired species and in an area you can enjoy and check easily. Position the entrance hole of the box away from the prevailing winds (south-west) and toward a shrub, grass or branch that fledglings can land on when they leave the nest.

Bluebird-sized boxes can be placed in pairs, up to 10 feet apart, because native birds of different species will nest side-by-side (for example, Tree Swallows and Eastern Bluebirds).

Tree Swallow

Habitat: Open fields, meadows, marshes
Placement: On a post about 5′ above the ground in an open area near a tree or fence
Recommended size: 5″ x 5″ x 9″
Size of opening: 1.5″ round

Black-capped Chickadee

Habitat: Any habitat with trees and woody shrubs, including forests and backyards
Placement: 5′ off the ground in an area that receives about 50% sun
Recommended size: 4″ x 4″ x 8″
Size of opening: 1.25″ round