Typical Eastern Bluebird Nesting Cycle

The following chart depicts a typical Eastern Bluebird nesting cycle that produced four new bluebirds.  The bluebirds nested in a modified Gilbertson nest box in our back yard.  The entire nesting cycle required 42 days to complete.  The parents will teach the four juvenile bluebirds how to fend for themselves over the next two weeks.

Last nestling peering out at the world just before fledging

It is a good idea to use a nesting cycle log for each occupied nest box you monitor.

---

2007 Eastern Bluebird Nesting Cycle
Day #	Date	Phase	Phase Days	Comments
1	25-May	Nest Selection	1
2	26-May	Nest Building	1
3	27-May	Nest Building	2
4	28-May	Nest Building	3
5	29-May	Pre-egg	1
6	30-May	Pre-egg	2
7	1-Jun	Pre-egg	3
8	2-Jun	Egg 1	1
9	3-Jun	Egg 2	2
10	4-Jun	Egg 3	3
11	5-Jun	Egg 4	4
12	6-Jun	Incubation	1
13	7-Jun	Incubation	2
14	8-Jun	Incubation	3
15	9-Jun	Incubation	4
16	10-Jun	Incubation	5
17	11-Jun	Incubation	6
18	12-Jun	Incubation	7
19	13-Jun	Incubation	8
20	14-Jun	Incubation	9
21	15-Jun	Incubation	10
22	16-Jun	Incubation	11
23	17-Jun	Incubation	12
24	18-Jun	Hatching	1	3 eggs
25	19-Jun	Hatching	2	1 egg
26	20-Jun	Nestling	1
27	21-Jun	Nestling	2
28	22-Jun	Nestling	3
29	23-Jun	Nestling	4
30	24-Jun	Nestling	5
31	25-Jun	Nestling	6
32	26-Jun	Nestling	7
33	27-Jun	Nestling	8
34	28-Jun	Nestling	9
35	29-Jun	Nestling	10
36	30-Jun	Nestling	11
37	1-Jul	Nestling	12
38	2-Jul	Nestling	13
39	3-Jul	Nestling	14
40	4-Jul	Nestling	15
41	5-Jul	Fledging	16	3 fledged
42	6-Jul	Fledging	17	1 fledged

Email me at Bluebird Shepherd if there is a specific topic you would like for me to address in a future article.

Bluebird Shepherd

Tags: Eastern+Bluebird+Nesting+Cycle

Advertisements