What do you do with old nests in birdhouses and nest boxes? Will the birds clean them out after nesting season? Will the birds reuse them? How do you know that the nest is old and no longer in use? Let’s find out.
Should You Clean Out Your Birdhouse or Nest Box?
Birdhouses and nest boxes are used by cavity-nesting birds during spring, which is nesting season for most birds. Once nesting season is over, most young birds have fledged, and many birds have abandoned their old nests. Keeping your birdhouses and nest boxes clean is essential for attracting new nesting birds, whether late in the season or for next season. And leaving old bird nests in your birdhouses and nest boxes can cause parasites and bacteria to form, which may be harmful to birds and their young. Old nesting material is also prime real estate for small rodents and vermin, so it’s best to clean out old nests once you know they’re no longer in use.
Won’t Birds Clean Out Their Old Nest?
Some birds will clean out their old nests, but not all. And not all the time. For example, House Wrens will often clean out their old nest, while Western Bluebirds are known to build a new nest atop an old one. That’s why it’s best to check your birdhouses and nest boxes at the end of nesting season for old nests and nesting materials.
When and How Should You Remove an Old Nest from a Birdhouse or Nest Box?
First, it’s important to make sure that the nest is no longer in use before cleaning it out. (And since it’s illegal to move or destroy a bird’s nest in most instances, this is an important step.) The best time to clean out an old nest from a birdhouse or next box is after the young birds have fledged the nest. How do you determine that it’s the right time?
How to tell if a nest is old or abandoned
First, observe the birdhouse or nest box for a few days. If there is no activity (birds flying in and out to feed their young, add nesting materials, etc.), then it’s likely that the nest is no longer in use or has been abandoned.
Before you go further, carefully open the top of the nest box or birdhouse, or peek inside the entrance hole. If you see a nest with intact eggs and/or hatchlings, then the nest is likely still in use and the adult birds will probably return to it. Observe the nest for activity for the next few days; it’s likely that the adult birds will come back to tend to their young. If there is no activity during this time, do not attempt to care for any hatchlings or live eggs in the nest. Instead, contact your local wildlife rehabilitator immediately.
Once you’ve determined that a nest is abandoned, you can then act to remove it yourself.
When and How Should You Clean Your Birdhouse or Nest Box?
During nesting season, you should clean out old nests from birdhouses and nest boxes after every brood (when fledglings leave the nest for good). Deep clean the birdhouse or nest box at the end of each nesting season, after the last nesting bird pair, and their young, leave.
How to clean your birdhouse or nest box
- Make sure that the birdhouse or nest box is no longer occupied.
- Put on gloves and a face mask.
- Remove the old nest and any nesting material.
- Use a stiff brush to scrape out feces and other matter from the surfaces.
- Use unscented dish soap and warm water, or a one-part bleach/nine parts warm water cleaning solution, to clean all surfaces.
- Thoroughly rinse all surfaces with clean water.
- Leave the birdhouse out in the sun to dry for several hours, to ensure no mold or mildew forms.
Should You Remove Old Nests from Trees and Bushes?
Typically, old nests in trees and bushes don’t require any cleanup. However, if birds decide to nest in your eaves or other places around your home, we recommend following the above steps for determining if/when the nest is no longer in use, removing the unused nest, and cleaning all surfaces.
Read more tips in our blog post “How to Stop Birds From Building Nests On Your House.”
Related Wild Bird Resources
- I Found an Orphaned Baby Bird, What Do I Do?
- What to Do When You Find a Baby Bird on the Ground
- Found a Baby Bird? Here’s What to Do (Infographic)
- 3 Ways to Help Birds During Nesting Season
A Summer Full of Birding at Chirp
Looking for more ways to get you and your family out and about this summer? Check out Chirp’s summer events calendar, featuring monthly guided Bird Walks at birding hotspots around the Big Bear Valley! These events are free, but space is limited, so register now!
