How to Attract Bluebirds to Nest in Your Yard

By Justin Laurion

Around this time last year, I became enamored with the idea of attracting bluebirds to nest in my yard. I have no recollection of what spurred this idea—though I do recall a few nights of research at the prestigious YouTube University. I also remember the excitement I felt when, after putting these tips to use, I spotted a pair of bluebirds entering the house I’d installed with nesting materials. Later, it was confirmed: fledglings were inside!

I have the audacity to believe that my beginner’s luck lends me some authority to write on the subject. So here, I’ll share a few tips I’ve compiled and successfully implemented to attract bluebirds to nest in my yard.

7 Tips for Attracting Eastern Bluebirds to Nest

1) Home Is Where the 1.5”⌀ Hole Is

This requirement came up again and again—choose a birdhouse with a 1.5-inch diameter entrance hole. This mimics the natural tree cavities bluebirds prefer in the wild, often made by woodpeckers. The size is just right for bluebirds and too small for larger, competing birds like the European Starling. I also installed a metal predator guard to prevent raccoons, squirrels, woodpeckers, and other potential predators from widening the hole and accessing the eggs or nestlings.

2) Location, Location, Location

When placing the house, keep in mind that bluebirds prefer open areas—fields, meadows, or yards with short grass. They hunt insects by sight, swooping down from perches to catch prey. Nesting near fields or lawns gives them clear visibility and easy access to food. Avoid placing houses too close to thick woods, as this increases the risk of predators.

3) How High?

Bluebirds have been found to prefer nesting in cavities 4–6 feet off the ground. This height mimics the locations of abandoned woodpecker holes or tree cavities they naturally select for nesting. It offers a balance between safety and convenience for these insect-hunting songbirds. I mounted my box about 5 feet up on a large tree trunk. If you don’t have a tree facing open space, a pole mount at the same height works just as well.

4) Birdie Feng Shui

Ideally, your bluebird house should face east or southeast. This allows morning sunlight to warm the box early in the day, which is especially helpful during Maine’s chilly spring. In my yard, the east side of the tree faced the road and was shaded. Placing the house facing southeast allowed it to catch the morning sun while avoiding traffic in the birds’ flight path. If east isn’t an option, try to avoid facing the box north or toward dense woods.

5) Tuppence a Bag

If you’d like to support your bluebirds with food, consider placing a feeder with mealworms at least 50 feet away from the nest box. Feeders placed too closely may invite too much activity, which can stress nesting birds. They can also draw predators like squirrels, raccoons, and even cats. House sparrows and starlings—common visitors to feeders—can invade bluebird boxes and harm eggs or nestlings. I already had two feeders on two adjacent plum trees, each about 25 feet away, and chose not to remove them. My bluebirds didn’t seem to mind and, in fact, appeared to appreciate the easy access to mealworms for their hatchlings.

6) Defend Against Colonizers

When researching Eastern Bluebirds, I kept coming across the invasive House Sparrow. The suggested control methods seemed aggressive (and slightly gruesome). If house sparrows move in, you should remove their nest immediately. If eggs have already been laid, it’s advised to destroy them. House sparrows are aggressive, invasive birds that can harm or kill bluebirds, their eggs, and nestlings. Deterring them helps ensure your bluebirds have a safe place to raise their young. Thankfully, I didn’t have to deal with this issue.

7) Maintenance

The Eastern Bluebird nesting season in Maine typically runs from late April through August. They often raise two broods, occasionally three, if conditions are right. It’s recommended to check your box weekly during nesting. Once the fledglings leave (about 17–21 days after hatching), clean out the old nest promptly to encourage the parents to begin a second brood. I wasn’t this fastidious with my birdhouse maintenance, and only removed the nest and disinfected the box this March. My bluebirds appeared to have re-nested on top of their original nest. This year, however, I plan to remove old nests as recommended, since it can help reduce parasites and encourage a fresh start for the next brood.

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A Few Bonus Tips That Weren’t Relevant to My Yard:

• Keep cats indoors—ground predators are one of the biggest threats to bluebird survival.

• If you install a pole mount, add a baffle to deter raccoons and snakes.

• Don’t place boxes too close together—bluebirds are territorial. Aim for 100-300 feet between boxes.

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A Rewarding Conservation Effort

Eastern Bluebirds are more than just beautiful visitors—they're important insect-eaters and a sign of a healthy ecosystem. Their numbers declined sharply in the 20th century due to habitat loss, pesticides, and competition from invasive species like House Sparrows. By the 1970s, their future looked uncertain. Thanks to grassroots conservation efforts and widespread use of nest boxes, their populations have rebounded.

Today, with continued care from gardeners and bird lovers, bluebirds are thriving once again in many parts of the country, including Maine.  This is especially true of areas where people provide proper nesting boxes and maintain suitable open habitats. According to data from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and bird monitoring programs like eBird, bluebirds are now common breeding birds in many parts of Maine, including rural fields, orchards, open suburban areas—and now, my front yard!