Anyone on here put up bluebird nest boxes?

[lakelover]

I've done this for many years, but this is the first year we've had a successful bluebird cycle take place. Our main problem was sparrows, but I came across a solution that seems to have worked, and the bluebirds have returned to nest again just a day or two after the baby birds fledged.

I tried this sparrow deterrant for the first time a few weeks ago, and instantly, the sparrows left the box alone. Now that the first brood has fledged, today, the sparrows were back checking out the box, but they had a lot of trouble with the monofilament and finally gave up. Now the bluebirds seem to be reclaiming the box again for a second nesting.

I don't know who Larry is, but I thank him for his idea: http://bluebird.htmlplanet.com/larry.htm

I tied small steel nuts to the bottoms of the hanging pieces, otherwise they just blow in the wind and get all tangled up.

Today I modified one side of the box so it has a plexiglass window that has a cover I can lift up to look in without actually opening the box. Side note, our box is the first one we had, one my son built in cub scouts about 15 years ago, and it has outlasted many subsequent ones that I built.

Anyone else provide nest boxes?

 

[JB]

Re: Anyone on here put up bluebird nest boxes?

I have 4 Bluebird houses that are regularly occupied, usually producing two broods a season. I have had them up for about 18 years.

No sparrow problems there. . .the sparrows keep trying to nest in my purple martin house and the purple martins won't have anything to do with it when the sparrows are there. Any suggestions? I have tried a martin decoy but the sparrows just ignore it.

 

[lakelover]

Re: Anyone on here put up bluebird nest boxes?

I saw a video on Youtube a while back of somebody who had the same problem, and he would shoot them with a pellet gun. I found the monofilament idea in my google research on the sparrow problem. I was surprised to learn that house sparrows are of the hawk family, hence their aggressiveness.

 

[rbh]

Re: Anyone on here put up bluebird nest boxes?

When I was a little boy my dad made blue bird boxes, I remember him saying to keep the sparrows out make a small hole that only a blue bird could fit through, but that was along time ago.

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: Anyone on here put up bluebird nest boxes?

I have 4 Bluebird houses that are regularly occupied, usually producing two broods a season. I have had them up for about 18 years.

No sparrow problems there. . .the sparrows keep trying to nest in my purple martin house and the purple martins won't have anything to do with it when the sparrows are there. Any suggestions? I have tried a martin decoy but the sparrows just ignore it.

Common problem.
Try : http://purplemartin.org/
Lots of ideas there based on specific experience.

 

[lakelover]

Re: Anyone on here put up bluebird nest boxes?

When I was a little boy my dad made blue bird boxes, I remember him saying to keep the sparrows out make a small hole that only a blue bird could fit through, but that was along time ago.

Around here, bluebirds are bigger than the sparrows. I've read a lot about entrance hole sizes and shapes and styles and tried a few different ones, but altering the hole size didn't seem to work for me. They used to say to put up pairs of boxes and the bluebirds and sparrows wouldn't compete, but now most of the literature says that sparrows will attack and kill bluebirds in a box for whatever reason, who knows. they are just aggressive and territorial I guess.

I was actually shocked when the fishing line thing worked, I had thought I might as well try it, nothing else has worked, what have I got to lose? Glad I did.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Anyone on here put up bluebird nest boxes?

Pictures??? Please

I really have only seen 1 bluebird here in my yard. I have sparrows, finches, robins, grackles, card's, on occasion an oriole, a flock of morning doves, crows, hawks, an owl and a huge family of chipmunks (my yard tiger's ), well fed gray squirrels (nicknamed the Fat Kids by my wife), cottontails, deer, and coyotes. I do have quite a bear population on the mountain behind the house and they have not visited as far as I know.

We love to feed the birds and my wife has allot of feeders out. It provides Cat TV for our cats.

We also get mink and raccons that hang near the creek to pilfer the trout.

 

[Georgesalmon]

Re: Anyone on here put up bluebird nest boxes?

For the purple martin guy; We cut an onion in half and rub it on the inside of our two martin houses when we clean them out each spring. I know sounds stupid but the sparrows don't bother it and the martins don't seem to care.

 

[lakelover]

Re: Anyone on here put up bluebird nest boxes?

Pictures??? Please

Sounds like you have a lot of wildlife Bob, lucky you. We have so many squirrels I call them "yard rats". I've seen most all those things you mention, but spread over time. We see turkeys occasionally, and several years ago, we had a flock of 18 in the yard. I get the idea I'm in a little more suburban area than you! Had a fisher in our yard once when our dog was a puppy. I wonder what he was interested in? Last year, we had a problem with rabid raccoons & foxes. I found a dead fox in my yard and had animal control come pick it up. The cops were in the neighborhood a couple times and shot more.

Anyway, back to birds. I've thought about trying to get some pics, maybe I'll be able to. The box is across a longer span of open yard than my longest lens will overcome, but I'll see what I can do.

 

[lakelover]

Re: Anyone on here put up bluebird nest boxes?

Georgesalmon, that's interesting. Glad it works. I did read that birds' sense of smell is not very developed.

 

[lakelover]

Re: Anyone on here put up bluebird nest boxes?

Here are a couple pictures, Bob.

Male & female:

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Anyone on here put up bluebird nest boxes?

Well while I am laid up in my non-boating status I guess I will have a few projects to tinker with and this one appears good.

Thank you

 

[lakelover]

Re: Anyone on here put up bluebird nest boxes?

I bet you will be able to attract bluebirds in your area. I've been surprised how many I've seen this year. Besides the ones that are nesting there, we have one or two other pairs in view frequently. Have fun when you get to it!