Nest Box Trails are designed for cavity nesting birds and are often focused on 1 of the 3 species of bluebirds (Mountain Bluebird photo by Paul Konrad).
Successful nesting pairs of Eastern Bluebirds can raise 2 broods to fledging each year, which may number 8 to 10 fledglings total.
North America hosts a total of 88 species of cavity nesting birds, including Black-capped Chickadees, Carolina Chickadees, and 4 other species of chickadees. Nest box trails can benefit a variety of birds in need of a safe artificial cavity to nest in.
|
Every project has steps, every good project can be improved and expanded, and the best projects among birders benefit the most birds – especially during a critical period in their annual cycle – during the nesting season. For cavity nesting birds, including our 3 species of bluebirds and many more, the most important part of spring is finding a nesting site, which means finding a natural cavity in a tree or a woodpecker-constructed cavity. That task is hard enough, but to complicate things, a potential nesting cavity must be in or adjacent to the right habitat for a given species.
The problem over the past century or so has been a lack of natural cavities and woodpecker excavations, which is a direct limiting factor for populations of cavity nesting birds. Add to that an intense competition for the limited nesting cavities by non-native House Sparrows and European Starlings, and it becomes a serious point of conservation concern. But that’s where birders are coming to the rescue, and the addition of every bird house and nest box makes a difference.
As a follow-up to our recent article, “Selecting the Right Nest Boxes” in the February 21 issue, we want to take you a step beyond 1 or 2 nest boxes, just in case you’re interested in taking a look into the next level of participation. It’s not for everyone, but sometimes a dedicated individual or a group of birders from a birding club or Audubon chapter take on a bigger project – a Nest Box Trail. Originated by people most interested in the plight of bluebird populations and an interest in seeing more bluebirds in their area, Bluebird Trails were born.
There are 3 species of bluebirds in North America –Western Bluebirds, Eastern Bluebirds, and Mountain Bluebirds. Bluebirds may be the most popular cavity nesting birds among birders, but they require a few special considerations if you are trying to attract them to your property or a natural area. Bluebirds are not typically urban backyard birds; instead, they tend to be found on the edges of towns or in suburban areas where properties are more than an acre in size, at some golf courses and city parks, and in rural areas.
Open rural landscapes are most attractive to bluebirds where there are grasslands or meadows and few trees. With this in mind, many “bluebird landlords” organize with property owners, land managers, or government entities to position nest boxes at nature centers, wildlife refuges, city parks, golf courses, railroad or highway right of ways, or interested farmers or ranchers to get permission to install their nest boxes – just not too far from where they live so they can make regular nest box checks.
Nest Box Trails – A popular activity for some birders or birding clubs is to develop a nest box trail, which may be fashioned for bluebirds, but may also provide smaller or bigger nest boxes for other cavity nesting birds like chickadees, some swallows, wrens, titmice, some warblers and flycatchers, some ducks, most owls, American Kestrels, and others.
A nest box trail is a series of nest boxes that can be installed in a line or in any way that works best for you or your group. Most often, a series of nest boxes is installed in a line, circle, or squared pattern that makes it easy for monitors to walk or drive along the trail when they do their regular nest monitoring. In case you or your group are interested in developing and monitoring a nest box trail, the following important considerations will help you to get started in the right direction.
– Be sure you are willing to commit the time and the resources to install, monitor, and maintain a nest box trail. The amount of time and expense will be determined by how many nest boxes you plan to install, whether you buy them ready made or build them from reclaimed lumber, and where you position the nest box trail (how far from home).
– You can start out with a few next boxes, say 6, and see how it goes. You can always add 6 more each year after you get started and better understand what’s involved.
– Of the utmost importance is that you have patience; in some cases years of patience. It may take some time for bluebirds or other cavity nesting birds to find and utilize your nest boxes, but your patience will be duly rewarded eventually.
– Consider adopting a nearby nest box trail that a retiring “trail landlord” may be ready to pass on to a successor. You may also be able to adopt an abandoned nest box trail, which may require some initial maintenance. For whatever reason, some well-meaning people install nest boxes but don’t monitor or maintain them, or organizations find that they don’t have the staff to do it – that’s when you can help in a big way. (Check with your local or state bluebird society for details.)
– It is necessary to commit to monitoring all nest boxes. If you don’t monitor nest boxes, the birds you have invited to nest are exposed to the risk of predators, weather, insect infestations, and more. Most likely you would end up providing nesting sites for House Sparrows and European Starlings to take over, and their increased populations would further threaten the survival of the native cavity nesting birds you were trying to benefit.
– Learn as much as you can by referring to a good book or 2, such as The Bluebird Monitor’s Guide and The Bluebird Book by Don and Lillian Stokes as a resource. The more you know, the more successful the birds along your nest box trail will be, and you will be better prepared to deal with any problem that may arise. You can also reference the list of Bluebirding Basics on the Sialis website.
– Emphasize using nest boxes built especially for bluebirds, but we like to mix in some smaller nest boxes for chickadees, Prothonotary Warblers, and titmice, as well as some big nest boxes for American Kestrels and small owls including screech owls.
– All nest boxes you use should be properly designed for specific species, using the correct entrance hole size, with a side panel or roof that opens for monitoring and cleaning. You can get all the right nest box information for specific birds at NestWatch | Right Bird, Right House - NestWatch
– Avoid positioning nest boxes in areas where House Sparrows and European Starlings are active, such as proximity to farm yards or other locations where you find House Sparrows, and avoid areas where pesticides are sprayed.
– All nest boxes need appropriate predator protection, such as a baffle that will stop raccoons, squirrels, snakes, cats, and others. Another option is to place a long piece of stove pipe metal that fits all the way around a post or pole to prevent predators from accessing each nest box.
– Be aware that each species has its own habitat preferences; to learn about the right habitat for species you are interested in, see NestWatch | Mountain Bluebird - NestWatch You can select the name of birds you wish to attract in the “Select another species” box.
– Monitor the trail regularly – once or twice a week during the active nesting season – and keep records during each nest visit. Quickly, quietly, and carefully check each nest box during the afternoon; avoid monitoring during early morning, at dusk, or during wet or cold weather. Also, stop monitoring when nestlings are close to fledging. When you approach a nest box, tap on the top, open the nest box panel carefully, quickly look inside to assess the status of the nesting attempt, and close the panel again.
– It’s important to understand that not all nesting attempts are successful, so be prepared for some failed nesting attempts during nest building, incubation, and nestling stages.
– It’s helpful to use a “monitoring kit” when checking each nest box during the nesting season. Many monitors prefer some or all of the following products: A bucket, plastic bags, a spatula, a putty knife, anti-bacterial wipes, disposable gloves, and a dust mask, although each monitor will develop their own collection of helpful equipment.
– Share your monitoring records with the people or organizations that permit you install nest boxes on their property, and provide that information to birding organizations that collect this data to expand our knowledge about native cavity nesting birds, including NestWatch at NestWatch | NestWatch - Where Birds Come to Life
– After each nesting attempt is complete, clean the old nest and other material out of the nest box to prepare it for a second nesting attempt. Sanitize your hands or gloves immediately after handling a nest to keep from passing any potential illness from nest box to nest box. Dispose of the nest at a location away from the nest box trail to avoid attracting predators.
– Before the nesting season begins, make sure nest boxes are in good condition and are clean inside with predator guards in working order.
– Don’t underestimate the power of a few nest boxes and the birds that use them. Each brood of fledglings adds to the overall population and can be a stimulus for local population increases.
As you monitor your nest box trail, enjoy each bird you see, take pride in how you are providing an important benefit to native cavity nesting birds, and always remain patient – each pair of birds that fledges nestlings successfully makes that nest box worth the wait and the personal effort you make year after year.
You can reference our February 21 article, “Selecting the Right Nest Boxes” at Selecting the Right Nest Boxes | Birding Wire
Some of this article was based on an excellent article published at Sialis.org, which you can reference at How to Start a Bluebird Trail - Sialis.org - Bluebird Information and Resources
Share your backyard birding experiences and photographs with The Birding Wire at editorstbw2@gmail.com