Enjoy Passive Monitoring

Along with actively monitoring a nestbox by opening it and recording observations, enjoy “passive monitoring.” Did you have the opportunity to observe bluebirds but were not sure what the birds were doing? The behaviors described here occur at some point during the nesting cycle. (Many other birds display the same types of behavior.)

Nestbox selection

• Birds perching on nestbox
• Male singing on top or near nestbox
• Both birds going in and out, sometimes with nesting material

Nest Building

• Female entering nestbox frequently, usually for a few days, with nest material
• Female gathering nest material from ground in general area
• Male around but does not normally take nest material into nestbox

Egg Laying

• Not much activity around nestbox
• Sometimes mating can be observed near nestbox
• Female will enter nestbox for short time to lay one egg each day - usually in morning
• Male rarely seen near or entering the nestbox

Incubating

• Female in nestbox quite a lot (how much depends on weather)
• Female sometimes pokes head out
• Female may leave nest to feed or mate may bring her food
• Male is not seen much, but is usually nearby
• Female will spend night in nestbox

Hatching and first few days

• Female in nestbox a lot brooding the very young chicks
• Male seen around and at nestbox
• Both parents go right inside the nestbox to feed tiny chicks with small insects

Older chicks

• Parents visit nestbox frequently with larger insects
• Often don't go all the way into the nestbox to feed
• Parents remove little white blobs (fecal sacs)

Fledging time approaching

• Nestlings will usually be seen looking out for a day or two

Fledging

• Parents fly to and from nestbox, calling from perches nearby
• Nestlings look out for long periods
• Eventually chicks make great leap and take maiden flight to nearby tree or other object

Fledgling phase

• Parents carry food to fledglings that are hidden in trees for about two weeks

"Alarm" behavior check nestbox to determine cause of alarm

• Excitement around nestbox; erratic movements by parent(s)
• Birds going to nestbox but not entering
• Parents nowhere to be seen

Texas Bluebird Society, prepared using information from Jane Hope