Monitoring hard-to-reach nest boxes? Try a camera pole!
July 7, 2026By Shubha Gautam, Cornell University Class of 2028
Suggested Supplies
(From upper left, clockwise): Duct tape, an endoscope, and extendable paint roller pole parts.
Do you maintain nest boxes for species that like to nest high up, like kestrels, owls, or ducks? Without a ladder, it’s difficult to check these boxes for any signs of nesting attempts. To address this problem, I’m going to show you how to make a pole with a camera at its end to see what’s going on inside these boxes. This seemingly daunting task can be deceptively easy.
Why make a nest-checking pole?
As a summer research assistant at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology focusing on NestWatch, my primary duty is to check more than 100 nest boxes we have scattered across the property. Typically, I can simply open up a box or stick an endoscope (a small camera on a long wire that lets me peek into otherwise hard-to-check boxes) into a box, but for our ten kestrel, owl, and duck boxes, I can’t do the same. Located high up on trees and telephone poles, I need a tall, stable, yet lightweight device to help me see into boxes without dragging a ladder everywhere. This guide will be helpful in showing you how to make a long, easy-to-carry pole to reach any such boxes you may have.
How do you make this device?
To make this device, you’ll need the following: a hollow, extendable paint roller pole, duct tape, and an endoscope. The paint roller and endoscope I used goes up to 11 ft. (3.4 m) and 16.4 ft. (5 m) in length, respectively. Our materials cost around $55, but the total cost will vary based on which supplies you use.
As a substitute for the paint roller pole, any sort of hollow pole should work, such as a PVC pipe (though, these may be heavier). Alternatively, instead of guiding the endoscope through a hollow pole, any stable item of the correct length—such as a meter stick—could be used, with the scope wire secured to it with tape, zip ties, or Velcro straps. You could also use a telescoping pole if portability is important, or your nest boxes are at very different heights. The endoscope I used has an adjustable light on its camera that helps us see in dark boxes. It also plugs into a cellphone, but you could use a GoPro camera or a similar device instead.
I built the pole in the following steps:
1. I picked out the hollow pole segments and assembled them. I attached pole “1” in the above image to the seven segments labeled “2.” They easily twist together, bringing the total length to 10 ft. (3 m).
Depending on the product you’re using, you may only be able to access the camera after downloading an app to your phone. You can then take photos and videos of what the scope camera sees. The media I record with my endoscope doesn’t automatically save to my Photos app, so if the model you use behaves the same way, make sure to individually save the photos and videos you want to keep.
Now you have a completed nest-checking pole! I ended up adding marks to my pole to indicate length on my pole to help me measure the height of the boxes as well.
Endoscope In Action
The author checking an American Kestrel nest box that is mounted 12 ft (3.7 m) high.
How do you use it?
Using it is the easiest part. Although cumbersome in length, the pole is light and stable when carried around. Following NestWatch protocol, tap on the side of the boxes with the pole to alert any birds inside and give them a chance to exit. Make sure the cable is attached to your phone first, then simply insert the hooked end of the endoscope into the entrance hole. You should be able to see inside and look for a nest! You can also find more tips on using an endoscope for nest-monitoring here, with or without the pole.
Let us know what works for you in the comments!