![]() The female alone builds the nest in approximately 5.5 days. However, his contribution to the building of the nest ends there.įor birds that mate for life, Bluebirds do not share the nesting activities equally. The male brings some nesting material to the nest to lure the female into the cavity or birdhouse. The female alone builds the nest.ĭuring the establishment of the territory and mating periods, the male performs a nest-building display. In the states of Michigan and Minnesota, Bluebirds start building nests in March and late April. Year-round residents begin nest building during February and March, the same period migratory Bluebirds are just arriving in the northern states. When do Bluebirds build their nests?Īs a rule, Bluebirds that stay in their territories year-round, such as those in mid-eastern and southern warmer states, initiate nest building earlier than those migrating to the northern and cold regions of the Bluebirds’ range. Nowadays, more nesting sites are available, but cavities of any type are always in demand.īluebirds compete for nesting sites with other secondary cavity nesters such as chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, wrens, great crested flycatchers, tree swallows, European starlings, and House Sparrows. ![]() Plenty of nest boxes are available to nesting bluebirds, partly explaining why there are not many records of bluebirds nesting outside cavities. However, nesting on the ground or trees has not been reported in recent years.Ī substantial percentage of Eastern Bluebirds nowadays nest in birdhouses. There have been reports of bluebirds nesting in gutters that appear to be enclosures. ![]() Bluebird rarely nest outside a cavity.īluebird nesting in a gutter. Sprunt (1946a) reports a bluebird nest on an oak limb in Clemson, South Carolina, and another in the longleaf pine ( Pinus palustris) forests of Alabama. On very rare occasions, Bluebirds have nested outside a cavity.Ī literature review reveals that bluebirds, on rare occasions, have built a cup-shaped nest on a bank on the ground and in a fork formed by thick branches.Īllaire (1976) reported a nest on the ground on surface-mined lands in Kentucky. Field studies found that some pairs nested in a nest box and switched to a natural cavity, and vice versa, in a single nesting season. When it comes to preference over artificial or natural cavities, Bluebirds have no particular preference. When nesting in natural cavities, Bluebirds use cavities excavated by woodpeckers 77% of the time. Bluebirds, and most cacity nesting speceis, are secondary cavity nesters. They are secondary users of either natural cavities or those made by others. Secondary Cavity Nesters are those that are unable to make their cavities.Some birds, such as Titmice and Chickadees can make their own cavities or expand existing holes in soft or rotten wood. A typical example is woodpeckers and Flickers. Primary Cavity Nesters are those that are capable of making their cavity.There are two types of cavity-nesting birds: Where do Eastern Bluebirds nest?īluebirds are obligate cavity nesters, which means that they only build nests inside a cavity, a chamber, or a structure that resembles a sheltered chamber.Ĭavity-nester: A bird that exclusively or nearly exclusively nests in natural or artificial cavities.Ī cavity is defined as a chamber with an entrance that shelters the nest, eggs, and brood.Ĭavities can be natural, such as those excavated by woodpeckers, formed by broken off branches of trees, or artificial, such as birdhouses, also known as nesting boxes. This article goes through some basic information about bluebird eggs and nests to help you make informed decisions. Naturally, many bird enthusiasts want to help when they perceive a problem. These questions also apply to nests outside birdhouses. Among folks who keep bluebird houses (nest boxes), one commonly asked question is what to do with unhatched eggs when the rest have already hatched or what to do with unattended eggs in a nest.
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