NestWatch Protocol for Monitoring Nests

We recommend a maximum of 8−10 visits spread out over the course of the nesting attempt. As a general rule, if you check nests every 4-5 days, you will be closely following the protocol below.

Nest Building (1 visit, if possible)

If you are fortunate enough to find an active nest while it is being built, be sure to record the status of the nest on the datasheet.

Egg Laying Period (1 or 2 visits)

Make at least one visit during egg laying, preferably in the afternoon. If you find a nest with eggs, go back three days later to determine if the number of eggs has changed. This will help determine first egg date and the egg laying rate. For songbirds, the typical laying period lasts between three and eight days, with eggs laid one per day, usually early in the morning.

Knowing the date the first egg was laid is critically important and easy to determine if you can visit during the egg laying period. For example, if two eggs are in the nest on May 10 and four eggs on May 13, then counting backward one egg per day, we know the first egg was laid on May 9. The second egg was laid on May 10, the third on May 11, and the fourth and last egg on May 12.

Whenever possible during nest checks, wait for the female to leave the nest rather than flushing her off. Record the number of eggs, if known, along with any adult activity you observed, on your datasheet.

Incubation Period (2 visits)

Make two visits, preferably in the afternoon. We suggest one visit at the middle and one at the end of incubation to determine complete clutch size and whether eggs have been lost. Most songbirds begin incubating the day before the last egg is laid and will typically incubate eggs for 11 to 14 days. Record the number of eggs, if known, along with any adult activity you observed, on your datasheet.

Hatching Period (1 visit)

Visit once at or just after hatching to pinpoint the timing of hatching and determine the number of hatched eggs. Most songbird eggs hatch within 24−48 hours of each other. If you see adults carrying food, this is a good sign that eggs have hatched. Check the nest contents and record the number of eggs, observed adult activity, and status of young on your datasheet.

Nestling Period (2 visits)

Visit once when young are thought to be between five and seven days old to determine their development and survivorship. Visit again three or four days later to get an estimate of the number of young likely to fledge.

Do not open nest boxes or disturb nests with fully feathered young, as this can cause premature fledging. Once the young are fully feathered, you can check the nest from a distance with binoculars to determine if the parents are still actively feeding the young.

Typical songbird nestling periods last approximately two to three weeks. Record your observations for number of eggs (if any), observed adult activity, and status of the young on your datasheet.

Fledging Period (1 visit)

Visit once to determine success or failure of nests. Do not open nest boxes or disturb nests that have fully feathered young, as this can cause premature fledging. Most songbirds fledge within one to two days of each other.

Check the nest from a distance and look around for the adults. If they go to the nest carrying food, the young have not yet fledged. If they go somewhere else, it is likely they are feeding the young in nearby vegetation.

If you are certain the young have fledged, check the nest and make sure it looks intact, i.e., flattened, and in some cases covered in fecal matter. If it appears disheveled or depredated, describe what you see on your data sheet and look for any signs of the nestlings (feathers, body parts, bones) in the area surrounding the nest site.

If you suspect predation has occurred, try to determine the predator by looking around the nest site for clues. If adults are still present, continue monitoring their activity as they may try to nest again. Record the outcome, estimated number of fledged young, and additional comments for the nest attempt on the datasheet.

Post Fledging Period (1 visit)

Visit the nest one last time after you are certain that all the young have fledged to determine if any unhatched eggs or dead young remain. Record additional comments for the nest attempt on the datasheet.

Stay alert—birds that raise more than one brood per season may nest again nearby. If possible, try to keep monitoring nests to the end of the season, July or August.  If you find another active nest, please follow the same protocol. Use a separate datasheet for each new nest attemp