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Creating and preserving
wildlife habitat for over 25 years
 
  
 
P.O. Box 1745
  46 Pennsylvania Ave.
  Easton, MD 21601
  410-822-5100
    info@cheswildlife.org
   
 
 
NEST WATCH

Monitoring your bluebird boxes during nesting season is the single most important thing you can do for the bluebirds you want to attract! If you choose to not monitor your bluebird box, it is better for the resource to not erect a box at all. Non-native House Sparrows (English Sparrows) will readily take over bluebird boxes, even when a bluebird nest WITH EGGS is already there. In many instances, House Sparrows will poke holes in eggs, as well as suffocate or poke out the eyes of baby bluebirds. Do not let this happen in your bluebird box. Letting House Sparrows get away with aggressive tactics only allows the species to proliferate and cause more damage to native species!

Listed below are a couple nests to watch for in your bluebird boxes. We have limited the list to probable birds visiting bluebird boxes on the East Coast in the Chesapeake Bay area.

To read a fantastic article about the effects of House Sparrows on bluebirds, visit  Nothing But Trouble.

iIf you would like more information on bird nests, we recommend the Peterson Field Guide Eastern Birds Nests by Hall H. Harrison

 


 CWH is a proud member of Environmental Fund for Maryland


 

Download a Bluebird Box Monitoring form here for your use in your yard!

DESIRABLE NESTS
Eastern Bluebird

Carolina Chickadee

Tree Swallow

Tufted Titmouse

Carolina Wren


UNDESIRABLE NESTS
House Sparrow
REMOVE!!!