Nest Box Maintenance & Renovations
Follow our Nest Box Building Guidelines and Essential Information for Trail Monitors to ensure you develop the best designed Mountain Bluebird nest box for your Bluebird Trail! Generally, nest boxes can go 10 years or more without the need for major renovations - but this is dependent on a number of factors including the quality of construction, nest box placement, maintenance, and environmental conditions.
It is important to make plans and preparations for nest box maintenance and renovations. There is no exact science to how many years until a nest box needs to be thoroughly serviced - generally it is left up to the discretion of the Bluebird Trail Monitors to ensure nest boxes are safe for occupancy.
Regular annual maintenance will ensure your nest boxes are ready for cavity-nesting Mountain Bluebirds. Frequent inspections are ideal from a data collection stand-point, but perhaps most importantly it helps to identify any problems that can be fixed during nesting season to avoid needless loss or suffering. Inspections also inform planning for major repairs that may be required in the off-season while providing time to maintain the immediate area around nest boxes by removing tall grasses and weeds. Remember to bring tools, personal protective equipment (PPE), and supplies to maintain your Bluebird Trail whenever you visit. If a nest box is occupied, do not do anything that may harm incubating eggs or nestlings.
You may need to maintain and renovate your next boxes more frequently if your Bluebird Trail suffers from:
horses (will chew boxes)
cows (will rub against boxes)
weasels, raccoons, snakes, ants (will raid boxes)
squirrels (en-largened hole)
mice (will nest in boxes)
areas dominated by House Sparrows (will overtake boxes)
vandalism
or other types of interference
WARNING! In Canada it is illegal to disturb, destroy, or interfere with protected migratory birds. Permits are required to clean out, empty, treat for parasites, remove nesting material, remove dead nestlings or unhatched eggs, handle an adult bird or a nestling, and modify an established nest box. All MBTCS Trail Monitors are provided with a copy of our License. Have the MBTCS License whenever visiting your Trail!
Follow the MBTCS Nest Box Renovation Guide for detailed instructions on the steps required to maximize the lifespan and effectiveness of Mountain Bluebird nest boxes.
Please remember:
Most problems can be avoided with better nest box construction, placement, and maintenance.
Read our Essential Information for Trail Monitors to minimize the frequency and need for renovations and repairs.
Major renovations should take place at the END of the season (no earlier than September 1) through the winter.
Trail Monitors must ensure nest boxes are ready BEFORE February 28 - Mountain Bluebirds return to Southern Alberta starting ~ March 1.
Do your best to keep nest boxes safe for occupancy.
Our best nest boxes are still in use today, after providing nest-cavities for Mountain Bluebirds for 4 decades!