Setting Up a Bluebird Trail Part 3: The Perfect Nestbox

Finding the perfect home for a nesting bluebird couple isn't as hard as some might think. In my honest opinion, location is lot more important than a specific kind of bluebird house. If you think about it, bluebirds in the wild would naturally nest in whatever was available in the location they liked.

Actually, I don't think we have two bluebird houses that are the same on the entire trail! We have several different houses from Woodlink and a few homemade ones. Over the years we've discovered a few things that are important to a good bluebird house.

• Either top or side opening houses so cleaning out old nests is easy and you can quickly monitor to see who has moved in. (Personally I prefer top opening)
  
• Small front opening. This opening should be no bigger than 1.5 inches for Eastern bluebirds to keep other birds out.
• NO perch! Perches aren't needed on the house by bluebird and they attract sparrows and house wrens.
• A slanting, overhanging roof. This will keep the nest drier during rainy times and will make it harder for a predator to reach in from the top. (Cats and coons can't sit on the slant as well!)
• NO dark paint! The boxes will heat up way too fast and cook the nestlings. A natural wood color or light paint is always better.

There are many places on line to find plans to build your bluebird houses, and many more places to purchase them. Just keep these ideas in mind and you'll have no trouble finding the perfect house to attract a bluebird couple to your home!