Get Started With Bluebirds - 11 Things to Know Before Installing a Birdhouse

When you’re getting started putting out a bluebird nest box, there’s a lot you’d never imagine you needed to know! This video talks about some of the things I encountered or wish I had known when first starting out in order to better help prepare you to successfully host bluebirds.

RESOURCES:
Bluebird Informational Coloring Book* - Learn all about hosting bluebirds while relaxing and coloring at the same time in this very detailed, educational coloring book about bluebird care: https://amzn.to/3GHjffC

The Bluebird Monitor’s Guide book* - Great resource for monitoring bluebirds. This book is packed with information you may encounter in the field: https://amzn.to/4doSklo

Bluebird Playlist: Get tips and information about bluebird care with Nest Hollow's growing playlist.    • Getting Started with Bluebirds   Landlord ...  

House Sparrow Management Playlist: Learn how to identify house sparrows, build sparrow spookers and how to safely trap as long as this is permitted by your local ordinances.    • Sparrow Management  

About Eurasian Tree Sparrow Aggression Towards Bluebirds:    • Eurasian Tree Sparrow Aggression Toward Bl...  

How to Tell the Difference Between House Sparrows and Eurasian Tree Sparrows:    • Another Introduced Sparrow to Watch Out Fo...  

NestWatch Nest Monitoring Protocol: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sourc...
Bluebird Hub: Find articles and information about bluebird care, including helpful downloads at Nest Hollow's Bluebird Hub: https://nesthollow.com/complete-hub-o...

TESTED BLUEBIRD SUPPLIES: Nest Hollow works hard to test products and make sure they work in the best interest of our native songbirds. Visit Nest Hollow's bird shop for baffles, nest boxes and more: https://nesthollow.com/birdshop/

Stovepipe Baffle: Stovepipe baffles are one of the best ways to protect your nesting bluebirds, tree swallows, chickadees, nuthatches and other native cavity nesting birds. An 8” x 24” baffle offers significant protection. You can order one here: https://nesthollow.com/product/8x24-u...
An 8” x 60” baffle is more recommended because it’s taller. You would have to make one using a bollard guard cover or duct pipe. They are not commercially available. It is always better to have some form of baffle than no baffle at all.

Nest Box: The Woodlink BB3 model nest box is one of the best commercially available boxes. It’s larger than some traditional nest boxes, which allows you to fit a Blink camera and a van ert nest box trap with no issue. Nest Hollow has a limited stock: https://nesthollow.com/product/bluebi...
Or you can find it on Amazon*: https://amzn.to/43xgkze

Pole: Erva’s pole set with an auger is a great choice. You will want to use some duct tape at the connector points to help prevent twisting. The auger allows you to easily drive the pole into the ground. These can be found on Amazon*: https://amzn.to/4jQiiQY

Blink Outdoor Cameras: Wondering what camera to put inside your nest box? Blink cameras are fantastic. Nest Hollow has install videos too. Plus, it’s what a lot of seasoned bluebirders use, and they go on sale all the time, making them even more affordable. If you do not have one yet, you will want the one with a sync module. These are available on Amazon*: https://amzn.to/3Fd4Jfn

Wasserstein Solar Panel for Blink: If you use your Blink camera in the nest box, it’s going to have a lot more activity than usual, so batteries may not last as long. They may last 1 nesting cycle at best. There are ways to make the most out of your battery, but one of the best things you can do is pair your camera with a solar panel. Installing the solar panel is really easy, and Nest Hollow has a tutorial on the channel. You can also find the solar panel on Amazon*: https://amzn.to/4kixGp3

ATTRACTING BLUEBIRDS: This download gives you information about what does, and does not attract bluebirds. https://nesthollow.com/attracting-blu...

REFERENCES:
Mountain Bluebird population information: https://abcbirds.org/bird/mountain-bl...
Eastern Bluebird population information: https://abcbirds.org/bird/eastern-blu...

*AD AND AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: As an Amazon Associate Nest Hollow earns from qualifying purchases. This does not charge you extra, and the small earnings help support the cost of this channel.

PHOTOGRAPHY:
Nearly all of the photos and video ~90% belong to Nest Hollow and its photographer. These are copyrighted as a result. Therefore footage, video, images, drawings, etc. may not be used by anyone else without expressed permission from the original photographer.