Bluebird houses are simple to build and rarely take more than a single, 6-foot board, a handful of nails and some quality time with family members.
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has an easy nest box plan available at www.agfc.com/brochures that is ideal for an afternoon or weekend project. It takes minimal skill with a saw and hammer.
Many people want to extend the project by painting their birdhouse, but there's no need to do so. White paint may make it slightly cooler in the summer, but can actually be a hindrance to birds using it. Some paints can be toxic to adult and juvenile birds. Lingering paint fumes also may keep the birds away until the birdhouse has been out for months, leading to some frustration from eager viewers. Keeping it basic is best, and cavity nesters like bluebirds will appreciate the natural touch.
Another bluebird house blunder is adding a perch near the opening. You might think you're helping the bluebirds that will take up residence, but they don't need the perch. Predatory birds who will destroy the bluebird's nest, like house sparrows, will use the perch. The extra ledge also makes it easier for other nest predators to climb up and into the bluebird's cozy home.
Be sure to include a couple of small holes in the bottom of the box to let water drain and a hole or two in the side near the top of the box to let air vent during summer.
Many songbirds like to nest where forests meet fields. This "edge" offers fast access to food as well as shelter. Bluebirds, in particular, nest in objects four to six feet off the ground close to the open side of the edge, such as fence rows. They even use the fence as a hunting perch to look for grasshoppers, katydids and other insects.
The hard part comes the birdhouse in has been hung in a promising location -- waiting. Sometimes birds may move in within days, but some birdhouses may sit vacant for a few months before birds find it.
There's no need to dump the old nest once the chicks have left the home. Adult bluebirds will clean it out and reuse the box up to four times in one year. Eastern bluebirds have been seen using nest boxes as late as August in Arkansas, so the best practice is to keep your distance and admire them from a safe distance.