Bluebird Houses

[cmhyland]

The problem we have is we have to trap and or shot the English sparrows.

They are very agressive and will kill and female bluebird while she is sitting on her eggs.

Pellet gun works best.

Regards,
Chris

 

[DieselPower]

Can't say I have ever had a problem with English Sparows before. Got plenty of them, they just build elsewhere. Do you think there could be a housing shortage where you are? Maybe some more box's might fix your problem.

 

[thcri]

Hmm, so I'm not the only one who get's Tree Swallows and Bluebirds in the same box's. It's fun to watch them chase each other around all day. Bluebirds start to build a nest and the Tree Swallows throw it out. Bluebirds come back, throw out the Tree Swallow nest and start again. Makes me wonder how they ever get anything done. I even added 8 new additional box's last year and they still fuss over the same couple.

Put two boxes within 15 feet of each other and you won't have any problems with the two. I do it all the time. In fact I am surprised to hear that they will chase each other out. I have read in many cases the Tree Swallows will help the Blu's raise their young first before and then move in after.

 

[thcri]

Some houses and birds and feeders. I use the Peterson box pretty much exclusively

 

[thcri]

Also, please don't go and just put up boxes without taking care of or monitoring the boxes. House Sparrows will kill and destroy any bluebird nest or bluebird for it's nest box. Wrens will also peck holes in the blue bird eggs. Monitoring is a must along with Sparrow Spookers and wren deters. Don't put your box on a wooden pole as snakes, raccoons and other predators will get to the eggs. Most people active in restoring the bluebirds would rather you not put up a box if you are not going to monitor them. My first year with basically one blue box, one tree swallow box I have witnessed 7 littler blues hatch and fledge and 4 tree swallows hatch and fledge. And I trapped over 30 house sparrows. Next year I will have in our area over 16 boxes. Bluebirds are territorial so your boxes can not be within 300 feet of each other. Twinning boxes are only for a pair of blue's and a pair of tree swallows to work close to each other.

I really encourage you to read the two web links I have posted here before putting up boxes

murph


National Bluebird Society
Sialis

 

[cmhyland]

Murph,

We have maintained 6 bluebird houses on our property with baffles on them. We run the sparrow traps in them in the spring... I shoot as many english sparrows as possible...

My wife was a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for years and she maintains the houses.. We get a good mix of blue birds and tree swallows.

The tree swallows are funny I drive by mowing with the tractor and they look out the hole three feet from my face. They have that thanks for raising up the bugs look on their faces....

Regards,
Chris

 

[Glenn9643]

I've found that a slot entrance helps with the sparrow problem around my place, and have replaced all my old round-hole entrance boxes with slot-boxes.

DANDR

 

[schmism]

hear's my pics

My dad and i have built 10's and 10's of these over the years (60+ id guess)

we get all the material scrap from a local lumber yard that deals with cypress. The tin (copper in this case) is picked from a friend that owns a tin roof buisness and allows us to scrounge scraps for these type of projects.

like other designs the single screw in the bottom of the front allows you to easly open and clean the box for yearly maintance. (as the other post indicates, you should maintain/watch your boxes)

my uncle owns a set like this that have been used by a nesting pair for 10+ years now

 

[thcri]

hear's my pics

My dad and i have built 10's and 10's of these over the years (60+ id guess)

we get all the material scrap from a local lumber yard that deals with cypress. The tin (copper in this case) is picked from a friend that owns a tin roof buisness and allows us to scrounge scraps for these type of projects.

like other designs the single screw in the bottom of the front allows you to easly open and clean the box for yearly maintance. (as the other post indicates, you should maintain/watch your boxes)

my uncle owns a set like this that have been used by a nesting pair for 10+ years now

Does the tin roof make the box too hot??
I check my boxes a couple of times a week, I like the hinge idea better so I can open quik and close back up when I see things are ok and then get a away from the box??

 

[schmism]

no as there is still a piece of wood underneath.

The problem we found with hinges is after years of being in the weather the attachments and or hinges give out requireing a rebuild....