What are these nest boxes for?
These nest boxes are part of a biology research lab at the University of Richmond. Our lab studies reproduction in wild birds. We are interested in birds' behavior, physiology, and ecology.
Who is running the project?
Dr. Allison Cornell, biology professor at the University of Richmond, is leading the lab's research.
When did you put up the nest boxes?
The nest boxes were put up in later winter/early spring of 2026.
How long will the nest boxes be here?
We expect to monitor these boxes during the spring and summer breeding season and may maintain them across multiple years.
What are the plastic cups for?
The plastic cups are part of a study on how parent birds choose foods for their young. We rear prey, such as caterpillars, in the lab so that they differ in nutritional value, then offer birds a choice between two types of prey. By watching how the adults use each option, we can study whether parents prefer certain prey for themselves or whether they choose particular foods to feed their chicks.
Do you have permits authorizing this work?
Yes. This project is conducted under the state and federal permits for wild bird research, as well as approval from the University of Richmond’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, which reviews and oversees research involving animals. Members of the research team receive training before working with birds, nests, or eggs. These requirements help ensure that the work is conducted responsibly and with care for the birds using the nest boxes. We take that responsibility seriously and work to minimize disturbance while collecting meaningful scientific data.
How often do you check the nest boxes?
Trained researchers check boxes regularly during the breeding season, at least twice per week.
What should I do if I see a problem?
Please do not open or move the nest box. Contact us (allison.cornell[AT]richmond.edu) with the location, date/time, and what you observed.
Can I open the nest box to look inside?
Please do not open the nest boxes. Opening a box can disturb the birds, expose eggs or chicks to weather or predators, and interfere with the research data we are collecting. Even brief visits by well-meaning observers can affect nesting behavior or make a nest more noticeable to predators.
Can I move, clean, repair, or adjust a box?
Please do not. The research team will make all repairs and adjustments to the nest boxes.
Can I take photos?
Yes, from a respectful distance. We ask you not to linger, tap on boxes, use flash at the entrance, or otherwise disturb the nest or parents.
What species are using the nest boxes?
Eastern bluebirds, tree swallows, Carolina chickadees and brown-headed nuthatches have all used the nest boxes so far. Eastern bluebirds are our focal study species, but we will study whatever nests in the boxes. No invasive species (such as house sparrows) have laid eggs in our nest boxes to date.
What if house sparrows use the boxes?
We have observed house sparrows around the nest boxes, but to date have had no house sparrows lay eggs in the box or harm eggs/chicks of other species in the nest boxes.
Why do scientists study bluebirds?
Bluebirds are cavity-nesting songbirds that readily use nest boxes, which makes them useful for studying how environmental conditions affect reproduction and nestling development.
How many nest boxes are there?
We have three field sites, including our campus. Each site has around 20 nest boxes.
Why don't the nest boxes have predator guards?
Predator guards can be very helpful in some bluebird nest-box programs, especially when the main goal is to maximize the number of chicks that fledge. Our nest boxes are part of a research study, so we are also interested in understanding natural variation in nesting success across sites, including differences in predation risk, weather, food availability, habitat, and parental behavior. Although nest boxes are man-made, birds still experience many real ecological pressures when they use them. For this reason, we are starting with the boxes set up consistently across sites so that we can compare nesting outcomes fairly. We monitor the boxes regularly, and if predation becomes a major issue or threatens the success of the study, we may add predator guards in a consistent way across the project. We care deeply about the birds using these boxes and are committed to monitoring them responsibly while also collecting meaningful scientific data about the real-world pressures birds experience.
What data are you collecting?
We monitor the nest boxes to record major nesting events, including nest building, egg laying, hatching, and fledging. We also record clutch size, or the number of eggs in each nest. When nestlings are old enough, trained researchers briefly collect information about their health. Nestlings may also receive small, USGS-issued metal leg bands, which help researchers identify individual birds if they are seen or captured again in the future. You can learn more about bird banding through the USGS Bird Banding Laboratory (https://www.usgs.gov/labs/bird-banding-laboratory). We also study parental care by recording how often adults feed their chicks and what types of insects or other prey they bring to the nest. One goal of the project is to understand how the nutritional value of prey affects what parents choose to feed their young. You can read more about this research here. Please note that the article was written when the lead researcher, Dr. Cornell, was at Penn State; the project is now based at the University of Richmond.
Will you share results from the research?
Yes! Good science generally takes some time though, so while we will share updates on the lab webpage, we do not expect to publish the outcomes of our studies until at least 1-2 years after setting up the nest boxes.