Time Frame

• Bluebird houses should be cleaned and in place by the middle of March, when the birds return from their winter homes. Bluebirds usually build their first nests by early April, often earlier in the southern United States.
  
  

Nesting Season

• Remove the nest after the fledglings have left, usually two to three weeks after they hatch. Since bluebirds nest up to three times a season, they will be more likely to use the house again if it is empty.
  
  

Fall Cleanup

• Give your bluebird houses a final, thorough cleaning and make any needed repairs after the last brood leaves, usually in late September. Remove the nest, debris and droppings and scrub the house with a 10 percent bleach solution or soap and water.
  
  

Considerations

• Store the birdhouse until spring to keep mice, sparrows and starlings from moving in. If you do not want to remove the birdhouse, plug the opening with a cloth or piece of wood.
  
  

Other Thoughts

• Bluebirds will sometimes build a new nest on top of an old one, but that practice is risky. Old nests attract parasites, dust and insects. The new nest also might rest at a height that makes eggs and fledglings easy for predators to reach.