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The Secret Life of Bluebirds

Different birds build different kinds of nests

Some are BIG. The bald eagle’s nest can be more than 6 feet across- big enough for you to lay down in.

Some are small. The ruby-throated hummingbird’s nest is about as big as a quarter and the eggs the size of jelly beans.

Anne Zeise

Some birds lay their nest on the ground like this eastern towhee.

Some birds attach their nests to a wall, like this barn swallow.

Birds nest in different places

Some birds build their nest in a hole in a tree or a “cavity”

Woodpeckers drill cavities in dead trees.

The red-cockaded woodpecker is the only bird that drills cavities in live pine trees.

Terry Sohl

Hairy Woodpecker Brady Beck

When a woodpecker abandons the nest cavity, it can be taken over by a lot of other animals who depend on these “secondary cavities”

Brady Beck

Brady Beck

Bill Stice

Brown-headed nuthatch Flying squirrel

Carolina chickadee

Screech owl

Eastern bluebird

Fox squirrel

Protection from predators Protection from the weather

There are several advantages to nesting in a cavity

There are some disadvantages to nesting in a cavity

It can get very hot in a cavity during the summer Therefore most cavity nesting birds start nesting

earlier in the year than other birds

It can take a long time for a woodpecker to create a cavity and there may not be enough cavities to go around for all the animals who want to use them

Providing nest boxes helps cavity nesting birds, like bluebirds, by providing a nesting place they may not otherwise have

We are one of 8 schools in the state to get a bird box with a solar powered remote camera to allow us to see inside the secret world of a bluebird nest

Wiley Elementary School has teamed up with the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the NC Wildlife Resources Commission to help birds and provide a great learning opportunity.

The box has a tiny camera under the lid

How it works

The camera is powered by a battery that is recharged by the sun using a solar panel

The picture from the camera is sent to the classroom similar to how radio signals are sent through the air

A receiver in the classroom picks up this signal and allows us to see inside the box on our smart board

We will see and hear whatever activity is going on inside the box

The camera is looking down into the box from under the lid

In the low light inside the box, the images will not have much color

What will we see?

Our box could attract one of several species of birds- or nothing at all

We will discuss what to expect if we get bluebirds

Bluebird nesting cycle

Bluebirds will start looking for a suitable cavity in the middle of winter. If you see 2 bluebirds inside the box it means a breeding pair is checking it out. The brighter blue bird is the male and the grayer bird is the female.

Nest Building

By late winter, the birds will begin building a nest, carrying in grasses and leaves to form a cup.

Egg Laying

Once the nest is complete, the female lays one egg a day until she has laid a full “clutch” of 4 to 6 eggs. She will not start incubating (sitting on the eggs) until all are laid, so you will see the eggs unattended when she is not laying.

Incubation

In order for the chick to develop inside the egg, it needs to be kept warm. The adult keeps the eggs warm by sitting on them. The female will lose the feathers on her chest so she can keep the eggs directly against her skin. She will take a break only to go find food.

Hatching

After 12 to 14 days of incubating, the chicks will hatch. Even though the eggs were laid on different days, they will all hatch on the same day because the adults do not start incubating (and thus the chicks do not start developing) until all eggs are laid. Look for the adults to remove the egg shells from the nest, or eat them!

Feeding nestlings

As the chicks grow, the adults need to bring them food. Both the male and female will bring caterpillars, spiders, beetles, and other insects. The better the habitat for bugs around the nest, the easier it will be for the parents and the faster the chicks will grow. By planting a garden and bushes, WPE has improved the habitat for bugs and birds. Look for frequent feeding trips from both inside and outside the box.

Newly hatched, the chicks eyes are closed and their bodies only have a little bit of fuzz

Eyes open by day 5 to 8 and tips of feathers start to develop. Adults stop “brooding” chicks to keep them warm at day 7 to 9.

By day 13 to 14 the feathers are covering most of the body. The males have brighter blue feathers.

16 to 21 days after hatching, the nest is getting crowded and the birds are ready to “fledge”, or leave the nest.

Fledging

One by one the chicks will leave the nest until the last one is gone.

Fledging

The parents will continue to feed the chicks for a few weeks after leaving the nest, so look for “your” babies around the garden and playground.

Check the video image daily to follow the nesting cycle

Take time to observe the box when you are outside the school. Look for birds finding food in and around the garden.

Consider setting up a bird box at your home

Please do

Bang on the side of the box or try to look inside the box while the birds are nesting. Too much disturbance will cause the birds to leave.

Please do not

Have fun!