Facts About Bluebird Houses

You can't buy happiness, but you can attract the bluebird of happiness to your back yard without much difficulty. Make a birdhouse of the right size and mount it in the right place, and you will be thanked with bluebird song.

  1. Size

    • Make the entry hole for your bluebird house 1.5 inches in diameter to keep out starlings and other pest birds. The house itself should be about 5 inches wide and 4 inches deep. The front of the house should be 10 inches high and the back 16 inches high to accommodate a sloped roof.

    Height

    • Mount your bluebird box about 5 feet up on a tree or post with the entrance facing a wooded area. This will help the bluebirds feel more secure.

    Maintenance

    • Clean out your bluebird house every season. Remove all old nesting material and make any necessary repairs by February.

    Season

    • Bluebirds will begin nesting in early spring. The incubation period is two weeks and you can expect flight lessons to start 10 to 14 days afterward. Each couple may produce two to three broods per year.

    Geography

    • Eastern bluebirds are found east of the Rockies from Canada to Mexico, while western bluebirds are found west of the Rockies.

    Fun Fact

    • The eastern bluebird is the state bird for two states: New York and Missouri. Their call is a cheerful "chur-lee chur-lee."