Bluebird Nature Walk ~ Includes Facts & Nesting Boxes
We recently enjoyed a nature walk which included a guide that took us around to check out nesting boxes and fed us loads of great information about a couple of the common types of birds that would nest in them. It was primarily about bluebirds (thus the Bluebird Nature Walk) but there are other birds with similar habits and needs for nesting so we were treated to information about bluebirds, swallows, wrens, sparrows, and chickadees.
Bluebird Nests:
*Bluebirds nest in March/April and may again early in the summer
*Nesting box contains a 1 1/2 inch hole
*There should be 6 inches from the hole to the bottom of the box
*Overhang for protection
*Meadow is a good habitat
*Tree in sight, particularly pine trees in sight of the box for the bluebirds to fly out to
*They make their nests of dry grass and pine needles
About Bluebirds:
*The Bluebird is the NYS bird
*Bluebird related to robin
*They lay 4-6 eggs
*Bluebird eggs are laid one per day
*The sit on them for 2 weeks
*Their eggs are pale blue (similar to Robin only lighter)
*Bluebirds perch in tree waiting for movement on the ground then swoop down and back to tree
About Tree Swallows:
*Tree swallows also nest in bluebird boxes
*Tree swallows nest in May
*Tree swallows use bird feathers to line their nests
*Tree Swallows are known as insectivores (diet consists of insects)
*Acrobats in the air as they catch all their food while flying
*Eggs are pure white and smaller than bluebird eggs
About House Wrens:
- Nests in May
- They make a huge nest for such a little bird
- It is the male that does the nest
- Eggs are tiny, rusty brown and heavily spotted
- Build their nests of coarse twigs
- Their nest usually fill the nesting boxes
April 11, 2012 @ 8:13 am
Great nature study resources. Thanks for sharing!!!
April 11, 2012 @ 6:04 pm
Loved it! I just had a pedicure and I am always ruining it in some way. At least your’s glittered
April 13, 2012 @ 7:35 pm
What a great field trip!!
April 16, 2012 @ 2:53 am
What a neat field trip! We’ll be studyig birds at some point this new school year…I’ll have to see if I can find something similiar aroudn here:D Thanks for sharing at FTF!
April 17, 2012 @ 7:12 pm
There is nothing like a good nature walk but I especially love it at this time of year. Found you through NOBH from your newest follower
April 18, 2012 @ 7:01 am
Thank you for stopping in. I love the premise behind your blog, “All Things Good”. There is so much negative in the world, we could all use a little more positive news!
April 19, 2012 @ 2:32 pm
Loved this. I do love birds! I raise Zebra Finches. They are so cheerful and happy! I love to step out the door now and hear bird song. Unfortunately, we don’t get it often. We have a lot of crows and they scare off the smaller, ‘singier’ birds. 🙁
Thank you for sharing!
April 19, 2012 @ 2:50 pm
Diane, we have a lot of common grackle in our yard, and my understanding is they are like the “vermin” of birds.
May 23, 2012 @ 1:25 pm
They should have cshoen your yard!! There is quite a shortage of nest boxes and nesting? cavities where we love,,we got lucky,,,after 2 days of the nest box up,,,they were investigating it!We feed so many meal worms,,buffet style!! We have now started our own mealworm colony,,,because we get 2 Black Phoebes and a few Yellow Rumped Warblers eating them as well!It is nest building day 15 for us now and it looks like she will be laying eggs soon!!
February 22, 2013 @ 1:39 pm
This looks like an awesome lesson! I need to do this. We lived on a heavily wooded area with tons of birds!
February 22, 2013 @ 1:46 pm
Liz, the woman that does these nature excursions in our area is wonderful. Our homeschool groups brings children of all ages and she works with all of them from the teeny tots to the teenagers!
30 Free Nature Study Resources –
August 11, 2019 @ 4:02 pm
[…] Bluebird Nature Walk by Starts at Eight […]
May 26, 2021 @ 4:15 pm
Very interesting facts about these birds!! It helps to know what to look for!!