When you’re trying to attract bluebirds to your yard, your most valuable tool is a good bluebird house (or “nest box”). But, if you are new to bluebirds, you might be a bit apprehensive and wonder if it’s OK to open your bluebird house to check on your birds.
I completely understand! We’re all told when we’re younger to “leave birds alone,” and “don’t touch them or else their parents will abandon them.” So, is there any truth to that? Is it OK to open a bluebird house? Well, I’ve been attracting bluebirds for around 20 years and I can tell you the answer confidently.
As a general rule, it is OK to open a bluebird house for monitoring. Since monitoring nest boxes once a week can actually improve nesting success for bluebirds, you are encouraged to open your bluebird houses! Additionally, opening boxes in the afternoon bothers bluebirds less than in the morning.
If you’re wondering what the correct way to open your bluebird houses is, keep reading.
In this article, we’ll cover:
- Choosing the Right Nest Box for Bluebirds
- The Best Time of Day to Open Your Bluebird House
- How to Monitor Your Bluebird Houses Properly
First things first, let’s talk about how to choose the right nest box for bluebirds.
Choosing the Right Nest Box for Bluebirds
Pick an Unobtrusive Nest Box (Side-Opening Or Front-Opening)
So, it’s OK to open a bluebird house as long as you’re checking on your bluebirds. But unfortunately, the way some nest boxes open is very intrusive.
Imagine the female bluebird is sitting on her eggs. If you have to get your drill out and remove a screw in order to open the nest box, the bluebird mamma will be completely freaked out! You don’t want to make her think that she is in any kind of danger. That’s why it’s important to get a nest box that opens very easily on the side or the front.
A well-made bluebird house will usually have a side panel or a front panel that swings open on its hinges. This allows you to open the box unobtrusively and peek in at the birds. You can check on the bluebird nest, count the number of eggs, see if the female is sitting on her nest, or check if there is a sparrow nest you need to remove.
My Favorite Bluebird Nest Box
My favorite bluebird nest box is the one pictured above. You can get your own on Amazon with this link. This nest box opens up on the right side, and it actually has a convenient, removable plastic barrier that separates the nest from the door. With this barrier, you don’t have to worry about birds flying out of the side when you open it, or about accidentally shifting the nest. I highly recommend this nest box.
In general, I think wooden nest boxes that open on the top are a little bit cumbersome. It’s harder to see down into the nest box if the opening is on top. Usually I prefer a side-opening nest box like the one above. However, there is a great “sparrow-resistant” nest box that a lot of folks have success with called the Gilbertson-style nest box. Since this nest box is made of PVC pipe, which sometimes can deter House Sparrows, you actually have to remove the entire nest box body from the roof in order to look inside. Because of the benefits of this top-opening nest box, I think it’s a great option despite the lack of convenience.
You can learn more about the Gilbertson-style nest box in this article I wrote here about sparrow-resistant nest boxes.
If you want to attract bluebirds to your yard THIS YEAR, the best place to start is the Bluebird Landlord Audio Guide. In this audio guide, I’ll tell you everything you need to know about attracting bluebirds in just 59 minutes and 38 seconds.
Check out the Bluebird Landlord Audio Guide here.
Next, let’s talk about the correct way to monitor your bluebird houses throughout the breeding season.
How to Monitor Your Bluebird Houses Properly
The most important thing you can do to successfully attract bluebirds to your yard is to consistently monitor your bluebird nest box every single week.
The nest box will be the “center of the universe” for bluebirds during nesting season, so you need to keep House Sparrows away and make sure nothing else is going wrong with the nest box. So, what’s the right way to monitor your bluebird houses?
To monitor your bluebird houses properly, open each nest box in the afternoon at least once a week from spring to the end of summer. Check for good things, like a bluebird nest being built, or new bluebird eggs. Also, check for bad things like House Sparrow nests or signs of predators in the area.
If you’re wondering how to spot a House Sparrow nest and differentiate it from a bluebird nest, I really want you to read more about House Sparrows. They’re an invasive species in North America and they’re the number one reason that your bluebirds might have trouble nesting this year. Sparrows are fierce competitors for bluebird nest boxes. Learn more about sparrows in this article I wrote here.
Now, let’s talk about why the afternoon is the best time of day to open your bluebird house.
The Best Time of Day to Open Your Bluebird House
As a general rule, the best time of day to open your bluebird nest box is in the afternoon when the adult bluebirds are likely out hunting for food. Avoid the early morning hours when the female may be laying/sitting on eggs, and also the evening when adult birds may be inside the nest box.
Once the nest has been built, the female bluebird will soon start laying her eggs – usually one per day for a week during the mornings. Because the egg-laying process is something that you don’t want to disturb, stick to checking on your bluebirds only during the afternoon. This piece of advice is from bluebird expert, Bet Zimmerman (source).
That being said, even if you only monitor your nest boxes in the afternoon, you still might happen upon an adult bluebird.
If you open up your nest box to find one of the adult bluebirds in the box, gently close the nest box and let them be. Bluebirds are surprisingly understanding when humans open up their nest boxes to check on them. They don’t immediately fly away. But it’s better to leave them alone than to risk bothering them too much.
A Resource to Help You
If you want help attracting bluebirds to your back yard, I’ve put together a great resource for you! When you sign up for the Bluebird Landlord newsletter, you’ll receive an email with this handy guide:
“Get Your Back Yard Ready for Bluebirds in 5 Days or Less”
I’ll show you how to fully prepare your back yard to be ready for bluebirds this year and to keep attracting them year after year. Sign up with your email below and you’ll get the guide in your email inbox very soon.
