This is a topic of some debate among nest box researchers. Messy, dropping-covered old nests should definitely be removed for health reasons. Some researchers believe that a bit of nesting material inside a box enhances its attractiveness to prospecting pairs of birds. Others claim that nest building is an important part of the courtship and breeding process and so we should allow our tenants to build their own nests.

Whether you buy your nest boxes at a store or nature center, or build them from scratch, there are certain characteristics your housing should have to best suit the needs of nesting birds. Here are some recommendations for nest box basics.

At this time of year, the bird population seems to boom, with our woods, marshes, fields, and backyards teeming with abundant birdlife. This is because throngs of newly hatched birds are taking to the streets—or, trees, rather—and they are showing up at a backyard or birding spot near you. But what should you do if you find an orphan hopping around? Read this article for tips.

Dear Birdsquatch:

My girlfriend and I have been saving our cats' fur from their brush so we can put it out for birds who are building nests. What's the best way to attract birds to our balcony so that they can find and use it? What's the best receptacle for the fur?

—David F.,
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Dear Birdsquatch: I want to put up some wood duck boxes in my large, wooded backyard. However the nearest body of water (a wooded pond in a county park) is more than a half-mile away from my property. Am I being foolish? Do I need to ask permission to put the boxes on the park property where the pond is?

—Dawn, Who is Desirous of Ducks
Lawton, Oklahoma

Hey Furball:

I want to give the birds some natural nesting material this spring. Can I put out the long gray hairs that were just cut from my head? I decided it was time to lose the mullet. I’m looking for enlightenment here. You’re so hairy I figured you’d know.

—Dandy Dan
Hattiesburg, Mississippi

Dear Birdsquatch: I want to be a good landlord to my nesting birds. Is it OK to check on the progress of the nests or will I disturb the birds?

So you want to be a landlord to the birds, eh? Well, it's not as easy as falling off a log. It's no accident that the most diligent landlords often have the highest rates for fledging healthy young birds. The good news is that diligence as a bird landlord need not be painful or overly difficult. Below are my Top Ten Nest Box Tips for backyard landlords.

Dear Birdsquatch: I have put up nearly a dozen bluebird boxes along my rural road over the past five years. I've seen bluebirds on them and even going in, but I have yet to see any baby bluebirds, despite watching the boxes on a regular basis. I haven't looked inside them because I don't want to scare them away. Am I doing something wrong?

WBB's very own bigfoot, who knows what birds want more than any mere human, addresses housing and feeding: Is it OK to feed birds in the summer? And when is the right time to put out a birdhouse? Good timing on both answers, big guy!

A reader finds an empty chickadee nest and six eggs pierced through, lying on the ground. Could another bird be the culprit? Birdsquatch offers his insight on this backyard murder mystery.

Spring is the start of the breeding season for most of our North American birds. They pair up with mates, build nests, lay eggs, raise young, and then some of them repeat the cycle—as many as three times. There are things you can do to help!

Have you ever looked at house wren nesting material? After a pair of house wrens left his backyard nesting box, contributor Greg C. Greer had an opportunity to study the materials they used. What he found surprised him.

Not all birds make neat, cup-shaped nests, or carve out hollows in trees. Some use unusual materials and make truly odd creations.