25 Reasons to Monitor

Here are 25 reasons to become a nest box monitor.

Nests in boxes on poles with predator guards and monitoring have 50% more successful fledges of native birds than those in natural cavities.
Because we use designs that deter invasive birds from nesting and we remove any nesting material from invasive birds, you will be increasing the odds that native birds will nest and thrive.
You get to have a behind-the-scenes tour of nesting, which few people get to see.
How do I say this? Nature is weird and dramatic at times. There are scandals, affairs, tragedy, heartbreak, and triumphs – this is truly better than any telenovela.
You will get your daily dopamine when you see tiny, bald, blind nestlings!
With trail building and monitoring, you predictably make a difference – assuming you are in the right surrounding habitat. Build it and they will come!
Peeking into a nest box is like finding hidden treasure. It is so egg-citing (sorry – we couldn’t resist) to discover new eggs in a nest that you have watched being built.
You will encounter fierce brooding mama birds that refuse to leave their clutches of eggs even in the face of danger – or relatively large human opening a nest box door.
You get to witness the transform of hatchlings from tiny chickpea-sized newborns into fluffy full-sized fledglings.
You will discover a newfound respect for adult birds that are hunting for insects and feeding their nestling every 5-10 minutes. All. Day. Long.
You will be serenaded by a chirping choir of hungry nestlings when you open the box.
You will definitely expand your working vocabulary of the color brown to include terracotta, rust, milk chocolate and dark chocolate for egg identification.
It is a good way to get a walk and some fresh air.
Sometimes you get to be the hero and rescue a fallen egg or nestling and put it back into the nest.
Witnessing the circle of life and fighting off predators will give new meaning to the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.
You will always be learning something new. Nesting creatures – both birds, predators, and pests – do some crazy things to survive.
You will tune into the timing of nesting birds and hungry predators.
You will likely begin to notice the telltale signs of nesting like discarded eggshells on the ground.
It is a good buddy project to do with a fellow master naturalist or other volunteer. As a trained monitor, you can also bring anyone along with you.
If you are lucky, you will see nesting of multiple native species. There are eight different species of native cavity nesters that can use our bluebird-sized nest boxes.
It is a great way to share your love of nature with other members of the community.
If you monitor a trail with a nest box camera, you will get to see everything up close and personal in live action!
You will be that cool bird person that everyone in your neighborhood knows to call with obscure nesting questions.
You will be up there in terms of approachability – in a league with people with babies and puppies. Park visitors and school students love to learn more and see if they can peek in too.
You will be a powerful force for good – ensuring that native birds have safe nesting habitats in Arlington.

Got another reason why you monitor? Let us know!