Blog

A new study of nest box design suggests that bluebird enthusiasts should choose round entrance holes over “slot-style” nest boxes. Find out why this design decision made a difference to Mountain Bluebirds in British Columbia.

When it comes to predators near the nest, do birds leave after just one observation? A recent study suggests that simply observing a predator at the nest box one time is not likely to cause abandonment.

How did the bizarre folklore of the “changeling” child first enter European literature? Could an avian reproductive strategy called “brood parasitism” have served as inspiration? This week, we explore the origins of this fanciful myth by examining real-life changelings (i.e., cowbirds and cuckoos).

Have you found a nest that is hard to check? Maybe a nest inspection camera is the right tool for you! Read on to learn about this technical solution to monitoring nests that are in tight spots.

When a husband-and-wife team in the real estate business set out to build a Barred Owl nest box, they hoped their listing would please the local owls that were heard calling around their new property. In time, it did, but they had to put in some sweat equity to make it happen. Read our new blog post about their journey and the lessons learned. This box will be the envy of the neighborhood!

She may not be old enough to drive yet, but 14-year-old Katelyn Shelton didn’t let that stop her from creating a nest box trail in her neighborhood. A contributor to NestWatch, Katelyn shares her enthusiasm for birds and conservation as a guest blogger.

This year we’re asking NestWatchers to accept our challenge to find one nest of a species you’ve never monitored before. For inspiration, we illustrated five beloved backyard birds that nest near people. Download and print the images as a reminder, and read on to learn how to find the nests of these “outside the box” nesters.

On a farm in Ohio, middle school students are learning about bluebirds and other cavity-nesting birds by monitoring nests for NestWatch. Kate Anderson told us how Operation Bluebird got its start, and offers a model that other land trusts and conservation organizations can use to introduce youth to birds and citizen science.

What do bluebirds and fall foliage have in common? It turns out, quite a lot! Our guest student blogger uses her artist’s eye to spot surprising similarities in nature that might otherwise go unnoticed.