The Bluebird Program of Minnesota does not recommend any one of the following nest boxes over another. Many members who have installed the Gilbertson PVC box speak highly of its preference by bluebirds on their trails. Some still prefer a woodened box, such as the Peterson box which was developed by one of our founders Dick Peterson. We do, however, highly recommend the Gilbertson Nest Box Mounting System. It has proven to be very effective in preventing predators from accessing the nest box due to its very small 1/2″ diameter and smooth surface of the conduit. It is also very easy to move if there comes time to relocate a box.
Check out the following Nest Box guidelines from The Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Building a Safe and Successful Nesting Habitat – Link
Nest Box Landlord Trouble Shooting Guide – Link
Additionally the North American Bluebird Society (NABS) offers these Nest Box Recommendation.
NABS Nestbox Fact Sheet – Link
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Gilbertson Nest Box Mounting System
Steve Gilbertson has developed a very simple, effective, and inexpensive mounting system that works for most light to medium weight nest boxes. The main components of the system are a 5-foot-long section of ½” electrical conduit and a 48” to 60″ long piece of ½” diameter reinforcing bar (or rebar for short). These can easily be purchased at most home centers for a few dollars. The other hardware needed is a ½” EMT coupling with one ¾” screw to replace the shorter one at the bottom.
Once a suitable location is found for the box, the 48” to 60″ rebar is pounded halfway into the ground with a mallet. Then, the 5’ conduit is slid over the top of the rebar exposed above the ground with the ½” coupling on the bottom near the ground. The screws in the coupling are then tightened to the conduit and rebar to prevent turning relative to each other. Finally, the nest box can be mounted to the top of the pole using whatever method is suitable for the particular nest box design. Download a diagram showing the Gilbertson Mounting system here Nest box pole assembly and installation instructions- Download PDF.
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Gilbertson PVC Box
This nest box is made from white 4-inch diameter PVC sewer and drain (S&D) pipe. The walls are barely more than 1/16 inch thick and will be slightly less heat resistant than the heavier walls of Schedule 40 PVC pipe. Steve Gilbertson uses the thinner-walled PVC because it is more flexible, and flexibility is what makes his unique box-opening method work. Click here to download the plans for the approved Bluebird Program’s modified version of the Gilbertson PVC Nest Box – Download PDF.
Gilbertson PVC Box ‘no squeeze’ Variation
In the past year we have had a couple of members ask if there are any suggested modifications to Steve Gilbertson’s PVC box, so it doesn’t have to be ‘squeezed’ to be opened and closed. Arthritis and hand injuries have left some of us unable to open that box in its original design.
When we asked Steve if he did make a ‘no squeeze’ version of his PVC box he said YES. The modification is to his original version of the box which used a small wooden block under the roof with the shaft of a tiny nail protruding from each side which the body of the box attached to when squeezed. To make it a ‘no squeeze’ box he simply eliminated the tiny nail shaft on one side of the wooden block under the roof. In its place he drilled a hole about 1-1/2” into the block where the nail shaft would have been. He then used a full-length small finishing nail with the head-end bent at a right angle to secure the box to the roof. This is done by hooking one side of the box onto the side of the wooden block under the roof with the protruding nail shaft, pushing the other side of the box tight to the roof and inserting the nail with the bent head through the hole in the side of the box and into the hole in the wooden block. Click here to see a drawing of this modification – Download PDF.
For users of the newer version of Gilbertson’s PVC nest box, seen in the photo above, you know the wooden block under the roof was eliminated and replaced by two lathe screws. To secure the box to the roof a small slot was cut on each side of the box where the small hole was in the original design. When the box is squeezed and placed under the roof, it attaches to the edges of the two screws. It’s unknown who developed this design, but it now seems to be the standard for the PVC box, primarily because it simplifies the body to roof attachment method. There is a modification to this design as well, to make it a ‘no squeeze’ box. Here is a drawing of that modification – Download PDF.
If you wish to purchase this modified version Mike Shuda, who currently makes and sells PVC boxes, will make them upon request. He lives in Faribault and is BBPMN’s Rice County coordinator. His email address is [email protected], and his phone number is 608-323-7511.
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Gilwood Slot Box
Design by Steve Gilbertson. This is one of the very simplest bluebird nest box designs you can build. There is no entrance hole to drill due to the open top slot entrance. The open entrance and shallow design make it less attractive to House Sparrows. Also, this slot entrance is safer for bluebirds as it allows them to more easily escape from the box if a sparrow enters it while the bluebird is inside. The box also incorporates a double thickness roof which helps provide better heat retention and insulation from summer sun. When building the box, it is important to make sure that the slot entrance is at least 1 3/16” high. So, install the door as one of the last steps and trim it down if necessary. Also, the material list calls for using all 1” by 8” cedar. But, if you don’t have a table saw, it is probably easier to use some 1 x 4 stock instead. Click here for Gilwood Slot Box Plans – Download PDF
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Peterson Box
Developed in Minnesota by Dick Peterson, and features a large, angled roof, angled sides, a small sloping floor, and a vertical, oblong hole instead of the traditional round one. The advantages of this design are a) the slanted floor keeps the nest drier, b) the large, angled roof makes it harder for predators to reach the nest, c) ease of nest checks via the front panel which swings down. However, it can be a complicated design to build requiring better than average tools and woodworking skills and as the box is heavier than most other designs it can be trickier to mount. But, starlings don’t prefer it as a nesting site and will usually go elsewhere.Click here for Peterson Nest Box Plans – Download PDF.
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Xbox Bluebird Nest Box
This is a great, simple nesting box design developed by Tom Comfort of Antrim County and a committee of national bluebird house experts including Minnesota’s Steve Gilbertson and Keith Radel. Early testing results show the bluebirds really prefer it over many other designs. It features a 1 9/16″ hole, slightly larger than the traditional 1 1/2″ hole size. It is designed to be mounted using 1/2″ electrical conduit and rebar. See details above. It is easy to build and can be constructed with either cedar or pine. However, cedar will be more expensive and it may be hard to find wide enough lumber for the roof at your local building store. Click here for Xbox Nest Box Plans – Download PDF.
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Hauser Original Nest Box
Longtime bluebirder Jack Hauser, Bluebird Program – Hennepin County Coordinator and recent MOU award winner has spent countless hours, various modifications and tests to design a very unique nest box. Click here for The Hauser Original Nest Box Plans – Download PDF.