Nest Boxes

What do all of these bird species have in common? *

What is the Howard County Bird Club doing to encourage nesting opportunities for these species?

We sponsor efforts to purchase and locate artificial nest boxes in appropriate locations for the above species and find someone who agrees to monitor the boxes on a regular basis. We are developing instructions for monitoring nest boxes for each of these species. (If the boxes are not actively monitored, they can be taken over by undesirable bird species.)

What has the club done so far?

• As of May 31, 2026, the Howard County Bird Club has four Wood Duck boxes installed at Sharps at Waterford Farm.
• In addition to our American Kestrel box at West Friendship Park, we have a working group that is working with the Maryland Bird Conservation Program’s Farmland Raptor Program  to identify suitable locations for American Barn Owl and American Kestrel box locations. (If suitable, it may be possible to install wildlife cameras in some locations to allow continuous monitoring of the nests.)
• If poles are used for used for nest boxes, they should have adequate snake guards and be of a design that allows the box to be easily lowered for cleaning.
• There are currently 11 Purple Martin boxes up and being monitored and another one pending installation plus Eastern Bluebird box trails at Belmont Manor and Historic Site and West Friendship Park that club members monitor for the Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks. It is encouraging that these boxes are also used by Tree Swallows, another insectivorous bird species.