
Nestling bluebirds know when to leave the nest box. They become restless at the end of the nesting stage, moving about and stretching their wings. At times parents stop feeding and calling to them as to encouraging them to leave the nest box. Adult bluebirds do not have to teach the young to fly. Their first flight will carry them 100 to 400 feet to the nearest perch and sometimes to the ground. This is why it is helpful that a tree or a shrub is nearby so that the fledglings can make as safe landing. Usually all the young leave the nest within an hour or two on the same day. The fledglings will call to their parents and they in turn try to get the siblings to stay together. The parents will lead the young to a safe spot away from the nesting site to care for their needs. This is why it might be difficult for the landlord to locate the family of bluebirds once they have fledged. Both parents will care for the fledgling’s needs for the first few days but after that the male will see to their every need while the female starts building another nest and starting the nesting process all over again. Bluebirds can have up to three nesting cycles a year. By the second week the fledglings begin to follow the parents around to get fed more often. After three weeks the fledglings begin to gather some food on their own. After the forth week, the fledglings begin to learn the behaviors of their parents of forging for insects from a perching position and the parents stop feeding the young going into the fifth week. Finally during the sixth week the fledgling becomes a juvenile bird. Juvenile birds often remain with their parents or in the general area throughout summer and into fall. Some juvenile birds are noted for helping feed other broods born later in the season.
Experiencing the nestling’s fledging is what the landlord is striving for. And having a successful fledging experience will also be beneficial for the bluebirds as well, because they too remember their experience and will return to rebuild year after year.