Preparing For Bluebirds

By Jeff Berti
It’s still the middle of winter, but it’s the perfect time to be laying plans for bluebird production for the coming spring and summer.
You should have bluebird houses out by the first of March and February is a good time to put up boxes. The birds may not be nesting as early as March 1, but they start selecting the houses that they will soon be using. Boxes that are already in place need to be cleaned out in February and readied for the birds to use. Boxes are best placed in the open where predators cannot drop in from overhanging trees. Bluebirds are territorial so the houses should be spaced about 100 yards or more apart.
The bluebird – Missouri’s state bird – is prolific. A pair will nest two or three times during the season. It is a good idea, if possible, to clean the old nest materials out of boxes between broods and prepare them for the next feathered family. The nesting season runs from March to August, and the birds usually lay three to six eggs. The incubation period is 13 or 14 days. The young are ready to fly from the nest 15 to 18 days after hatching, and the parents stop feeding them a week to 10 days later.
Biologists generally say that bluebird numbers have been on the upturn the past 15 years. The many nest boxes that have been put in place have probably played a role in that success. A study called the Breeding Bird Survey showed high numbers of bluebirds in recent years, and the birds are common in rural areas.
Winter is a good time to build bluebird boxes. They are simple to construct, and a complete house can be built from a 1×6-inch board 5 feet long. Pine or other easily worked wood is recommended. Painting is not necessary, however, if you choose to paint your boxes use light gray or tan paint. Dark colors absorb sunlight, making nest boxes too hot for the baby birds.
Some people really get carried away with the project and build large numbers of bluebird houses. Bird enthusiast Bud Taylor of St. Louis maintains 165 bluebird houses on a ranch near St. Clair, Missouri. Taylor estimates his houses produced more than 1,200 bluebirds in 2007.
Like many people who are crazy about bluebirds, Taylor checks on the progress of the birds using his boxes and keeps records of their success. Taylor recommends houses have an entrance hole measuring exactly 1.5 inches, a leak-proof roof and drainage holes in each corner of the bottom of the house.
For a free booklet about bluebirds, which includes nest-box plans, write to Bluebirds in Missouri, Missouri Department of Conservation, PO Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180. You can also request a copy of Woodworking for Wildlife, a free booklet that contains plans for several types of bird and animal houses, including wrens, owls, purple martins, squirrels, wood ducks and bats.
Although the weather outside hasn’t been very inviting lately, spring is just around the corner. If you are forced to stay inside for the next few days, why not use the time to benefit a feathered friend and build a nest box. If you’re lucky, you’ll be rewarded with the thrill of watching a pair of bluebirds raise their family in your own back yard.