Photographed by Bette Jackson



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Hi, I'm Dr. Jerry Jackson, out with the wild things. One of the conservation efforts that has really paid off in the last few decades is the development of blue bird nest box trails. Such a trail consists of safe and appropriately designed blue bird nest boxes placed and maintained in suitable habitat. Usually, the term 'blue bird trail' refers to a series of five or more nest boxes that are spaced at least a hundred yards apart. The best habitat is an open area with bordering trees. Blue bird’s perch in trees and shrubs, feed on small fruits produced by dogwoods and hollies and others, and glean insects from the ground or foliage. The distance between nest boxes is needed to avoid competition between neighboring pairs. Nest boxes should be of durable, but untreated wood, have a hinge lid so the box can be cleaned out, should be about six inches on a side and ten inches deep, and should have an entrance hole of exactly one-and-a-half inches. Each nest box should be mounted so that it is about five feet above the ground, on a smooth plastic pipe; the smooth pipe makes it difficult for predators to climb.