One of my favorite things about my home is the abundance of wildlife I get to enjoy without even stepping outside. I love that I can see birds from literally every window in my house. And late spring and early summer are when things get really lively around here.
Several years ago, my dad built a bluebird house for me and to say that it changed my world might be an overstatement, but it has definitely made my little part of the world much more interesting.
Every spring, I look forward to watching the progression. First, the happy couple checks out the house and runs background checks on the neighbors. When the nest is built, the female will begin to lay her eggs.
Mrs. Bluebird will lay one egg each day for 2-5 consecutive days. Once they are laid, the incubation process will begin. Mr Bluebird is largely absent from this process, though I have witnessed one pair with a very committed male who made frequents visits to his Mrs, bringing her tidbits to snack on and keep her happy!
I love to watch as the parents feed and care for their young. Together. Mom and Dad are equal partners in this process. Taking turns bringing juicy morsels of bugs and fat wriggly worms.
Did you know that baby bluebirds poop in a diaper? It’s true. Though maybe not scientifically accurate. Their excrement comes out wrapped in what basically appears to be a white sack. This makes it easy for Mom, or in my observations, usually Dad, to carry it off, keeping the nest clean and predators unaware of habitation.
Another beautiful thing to observe in the bluebird family is the participation of older siblings in the rearing of new babies. Sometimes, a couple will choose to lay a second clutch of eggs after the first has fledged. The young ones, which at this point are only about a month old will stick around and help care for the new batch. It’s quite remarkable to see.
Checking for eggs and watching babies grow up is both fun and a bit stressful. One year, I had been watching the nest box closely and noticed that the adults had quit making feeding trips to the nest. So, I went to the box to make sure all the babies had fledged. They hadn’t.
When I reached the box, I saw a trail of ants climbing up the post. With a sense of foreboding, I opened the nest box to see what was or wasn’t inside. To my surprise, I found two birds – one recently deceased and the other, terrified but still alive. I removed the dead bird and scattered the ants, withdrawing back to the house to watch from a window.
I was hoping that with the dead bird removed, the parents would return to the nest to care for their remaining young. So, I waited and kept watch. And I waited. And I worried. And then, to my relief, Mama returned. She continued to feed the little guy for about half an hour and then proceeded to give him a series of short and frantic flight demonstrations.
It was a joyous moment for me when I saw the little guy make his leap of faith and take flight into the great big beautiful world. Every time I see a male bluebird, I wonder if it’s him and I smile.
Watching a baby bird take its first flight is truly an uplifting experience. I had a pair of Mockingbirds nest on my front porch one spring and I could see the babies from my kitchen and living room windows.
Three babies hatched and I spent hours watching them get fed and grow. As their little naked bodies plumed, they became more active in the nest, culminating in a charming dance of jumping legs, bobbing heads, and flailing wings. I was certain this activity was the immediate precursor to flight, so I became obsessed with watching the nest – not wanting to miss their moment of glory.
This dance went on for some time. Apparently, it takes a few days for baby birds to build up their little muscles enough for flight. But I stuck with my observation and my persistence paid off. The first one took a daring leap straight from nest into nothingness and was soon gone from sight. Rather anti-climatic.
The remaining siblings continued their bee-bop dance at a frenetic pace. Not as eager to take the leap, they ventured out into the vine instead and eventually found their way up to the roof. They were a delightful pair to watch as they ran and jumped and flapped all while Mom flew back and forth with encouragement.
Eventually, as we all must, they too gathered their courage, relied on the strength they had built, trusted in a power they couldn’t see or understand, and vaulted themselves into the great unknown.
If you want to take the plunge and add a bird nesting box to your property, now is the time of year to do so! Here in the South, nest boxes should be in place by the end of February so our feathered friends can find them when they begin their house hunt, sometimes as early as March.
There are many birds who raise their young in this area who benefit from a nest box including: Owls, Chickadees, Wood Ducks, Great Crested Flycatchers, Carolina Wrens, Northern Flickers, Nuthatches, and Purple Martins.
Leaving snags, standing dead trees, on your property when it’s safe to do so, is also a great way to help these birds find a safe home for raising their young. For more information on building and placing nest boxes, check out the information on NestWatch. You can also participate in their citizen science projects!
If you want to encourage nesting birds on your property, you’ll also want to make sure they have plenty to eat including lots and lots of insects for growing babies. Refrain from using pesticides on your property which could not only cause direct harm to birds, but also depletes their food sources. Native plants are essential to support native insects which in turn are necessary for our birds!
Having a healthy habitat will encourage all kinds of birds to take up residence near your home!
