Bluebirds are cavity-nesting birds. That means that they build nests inside natural cavities, like holes in dead trees or in abandoned woodpecker holes. Lucky for us, that means they also build nests inside of human-made cavities known as “bluebird houses” or “nest boxes”. If you’re trying to attract bluebirds to your yard, one of the most important things you can do is to put up a bluebird house.
The above photo by vastateparksstaff is licensed under CC BY 2.0
When is the best time to put up a bluebird house?
The best time to put up a bluebird house is in the middle of February, right before male bluebirds start scouting out nesting sites in the hopes of attracting a mate.
Bluebird Nest Box Due Date
Why Mid-February is the best time to put up a bluebird house
“Early Spring” can be too late for scouting bluebirds
Many sources will tell you that “early spring” is the ideal time to set up a nest box. This vague suggestion might convey to some people that they can wait until March or early April to set up their nest box. (With how cold the weather is in the Midwest some years, I definitely consider April to be early spring!) But by waiting until late March or April to set up your bluebird house, you might miss out on the first bluebirds that are scouting out their nesting sites.
The North American Bluebird Society states that bluebirds begin building their first nests of the year in late March, and even earlier in the South where the weather is warmer (source). That means that in order to find a nest box and attract a mate to it, male bluebirds will start scouting out nesting sites even earlier than this.
A mid-February bluebird house will catch the early birds
Early nest scouting is the reason I recommend mid-February as the best time to set up a bluebird house. No matter where you live in North America, if you set up your bluebird house by mid-February, it will be ready for the first male bluebirds who are scouting for nest sites early. Then, assuming your bluebird house is in an ideal spot for bluebirds, and it is one of the first nest boxes that they find, a pair of bluebirds will be highly likely to choose your nest box over another one.
Note: If you don’t already have a bluebird house (nest box), I would suggest buying one that is high quality, and built to the proper specifications set out by the North American Bluebird Society. Click here to go to my recommended tools page where I show you the two best bluebird house designs for new bluebird landlords. The one I recommend most only costs about $25 on Amazon (see it on Amazon here), so I think it’s completely worth buying a pre-made nest box instead of making one yourself.
So, go with February! Use the week of February 15th as a goal for when you want to set up your bluebird houses.
But what if you miss the goal of February 15th?
Can I put up a bluebird house later in the season?
It is absolutely fine to put up a bluebird house later in the nesting season. Bluebirds can produce anywhere from one to four broods throughout the season, from March to July (sometimes August). So if you put up a nest box any time from March through July, it’s possible to attract a nesting pair of bluebirds, but your chances will decrease the longer you wait.
What to expect when putting up a bluebird house in March or April
If you put your box up in March or April, you might miss some of the birds who scout out their nest boxes early, but you’ll still have a great plenty of time to catch a pair of bluebirds on their first nest of the season. Just as an example, I saw my first ever pair of bluebirds in the third week of March of 2004. I was glad that I had put my bluebird house up in early March to catch them on what was likely their first nest of the year.
What to expect when putting up a bluebird house in May through June
If you put your bluebird house up in May or June, you are significantly less likely to attract a pair of birds on their first nest. But, it’s possible you’ll get a pair of younger bluebirds or a pair of birds on their second or third brood of the year.
Since it’s convenient for them, bluebirds will often nest in the same nest box for multiple broods, so catching them on their first nest of the year is always my goal. But if your box doesn’t go up until May or June, there’s still hope!
Sometimes bluebirds will switch to a new nest box for their second or third brood (perhaps chased away from their original box by house sparrows or another predator). And some younger bluebirds don’t build their first nest until later in the season compared to older birds. So, even if you put your box up during the summer, there’s a chance a pair of bluebirds will find it, and it will get used.
The bottom line is this when putting up your bluebird house: aim for February 15th, but better late than never!
Should I put up a bluebird house in the winter, just to be early?
Photo by OakleyOriginals, license: CC BY 2.0
You can easily put up your bluebird house earlier than February if you wish to do so. This won’t harm the bluebirds or hurt your chances of attracting a pair to your nesting site. However, if the ground is frozen solid during the winter or there is heavy snow on the ground, it might just be easier to wait until mid-February.
In most cases, once your nest box is put up, I recommend keeping it up all year. This way, you don’t have to worry about putting it up and taking it down again.
Is it ever too late in the year to put up a bluebird house?
If you are trying to attract bluebirds to a new nest box during the nesting season, putting up the box anytime after mid-July is probably too late. Most pairs of bluebirds will probably have fledged their second or third brood by this time of the year, and the nesting season will be coming to an end. But, any time is a good time to put up a nest box!
If you have a new bluebird house that you want to put up in July or August, go ahead and put it up and actively monitor it until the end of the summer. It will give bluebirds a chance to find the nest box, get acquainted with its location. They might even roost in it during the winter or return to the box first thing the following year!
Takeaways
I want to finish this article with a few key takeaways that I hope you find helpful.
Question: When to put up a bluebird house?
- The best time to put up a bluebird house is by February 15th (mid-February)
- This early date will give scouting bluebirds a chance to find your box first
- If you put up your box after mid-July you’ll probably have to wait until the following year to have bluebirds build a nest
- Bluebirds won’t be nesting until early spring, but you can put up your bluebird house as early as you want
- Once it’s up, feel free to leave your bluebird house up year-round
Note to new bluebird landlords
When I put up my first bluebird house 16 years ago, I didn’t know what I was doing – I just put up a nest box in the spring, and luckily, it worked! I got my first pair of bluebirds that March.
I’ve learned a lot about bluebirds over the years and I want to share that knowledge with you. If you want to attract and care for bluebirds in your own back yard, click THIS LINK to read the other articles that I’ve written on this topic.