Nest Monitoring Protocol

There is always some risk of disturbing birds when monitoring their nests. By following the NestWatch protocol, which is based on the nationally recognized Breeding Biology Research and Monitoring Database (BBIRD) Field Protocol* and input from professional biologists, you will minimize this risk and ensure high quality data that are comparable with data collected by other NestWatchers. Before starting, please also read the nest monitor’s Code of Conduct.

  1. Find a nest. Putting up a nest box is an easy way to start, but please consider monitoring open cup nests as well.
  2. Record where the nest is located. In addition to recording the coordinates, it may be helpful to write a short description or take a picture of the nest site. Do not use flagging unless absolutely necessary because this can attract predators. If you must use flagging to relocate a nest, use a small strip, place it at least 30 feet (9 meters) away, and take accurate notes on how to locate the nest from the flag.
  3. Create a new NestWatch nest site by going to “My Nests” and clicking the “Add New Nest Site” button (in the mobile app, click the “add nest” button on the bottom menu). If the nest site has already been recorded during a previous nesting attempt, make sure that its description is up-to-date.
  4. Check the nest every 3-4 days, or at least once a week. Record the number of eggs and young observed during each visit, as well as other relevant observations such as the behavior of adult birds. Longer time periods between checks make it harder to determine the outcome of the nest, while shorter intervals may increase the risk of disturbance. Whenever possible, wait for the adult to leave the nest rather than scaring them off. Use a mirror attached to the end of a pole to see into nests that are higher than your head, or use binoculars to monitor nests at a distance.
  5. Visit the nest one last time after you are certain that it’s empty to determine if any unhatched eggs or dead young remain.
  6. Record your observations either after each nest visit or after the nesting attempt is complete by going to “My Nests” and clicking on the “Add/Edit Attempt” icon for that nest (in the mobile app, click “My Nests”, select the relevant nest from your list, and then click “Start Attempt”). If you prefer to enter your data at the end of the nesting attempt, please carefully record your observations in a notebook or on a data sheet after each visit. Each nesting attempt should be recorded separately, even if a bird has a second nest in the same location as a previous attempt.
  7. Enter nest summary information by going to “My Nests”, clicking on the “Add/Edit Attempt” icon for that nest, and going to the “Summary” tab (in the mobile app, click “End attempt” when you have made your last nest visit).
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* Martin, T. E., C. Paine, C. J. Conway, W. M. Hochachka, P. Allen, and W. Jenkins. 1997. Breeding Biology Research and Monitoring Database (BBIRD) Field Protocol. Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, University of Montana, Missoula.