Blue Birds

[Lebby]

I live in Michigan and oversee the maintenance of about 100 bluebird nest boxes. You probably have tree swallows nesting in the bluebird boxes, not martins, which nest in a single colony. To get around this, we place nest boxes in pairs as they will nest next to another species, but not their own kind.

Both robins and bluebirds will overwinter if the temperatures are not too cold. They feed on dried berries left in the trees.

We have blue birds over wintering this year located southern WI. Just acouple of days ago when the temp was -18F daytime. They were sitting at our heated bird bath.

Curious as to above qoute as to putting up "pairs" of blue bird houses. Would these be mounted on the same post with openings opposite directions from each other or short distance (i.e. 2-3 ft) from one another or? We have the tree swallow / blue bird dilema. Sparrows will take over a blue bird nest box with no mercy. Double boxes sound as a small price to pay to get rid of the pesky and very smart sparrows.

Have a great day!

 

[Travelover]

We have never seen tree swallows destroy a bluebird nest.
Wrens will.
Coons will.
English sparrows will.
Snakes will.

Once a nest is destroyed swallows or whoever will try build on the old bluebird nest.
Unless you saw it with your own eyes how do you know who did the destruction?
Seeing swallows going in after the fact is no proof.

Another reason for the thick door hole is to keep coons from reaching in to the babies.

My experience, too, over 15 years of monitoring bluebird boxes.

 

[rekees4300]

Is it normal to have Blue Birds this far North in January?? I'm 6 miles South of the Missouri/Iowa border in Northwestern Missouri.

I'd say it's unusual. Even with feeders, don't ever recall seeing a Blue Bird around here in Winter. In Summer they are rare and we are roughly the same latitude as you.

 

[Gator6x4]

I had Purple Martins for several years. Until the B-Martin showed up. Very aggressive and territorial bird. About 2/3 size of Purple Martin, medium grey color with white chest. About 50 of them moved in last Spring, ran Bluebirds out of their nests. Completely ran off my Purple Martins. As I said, I had to close all my nests. I have 25 nests scattered about my yard and buildings. They would have nested in all of them if I hadn't shut them. I waited until they moved on, then opened up two Bluebird nests and got two hatches. I'm anxious to see if the B-Martins come back this year. If they do I guess I'm out of the nesting business until they give up on me. Really aggravates me.

I hate the B-Martin. They will crowd the blue birds and other birds out. They will also empty bird feeders of food.

 

[troutsqueezer]

We have a blue bird trail with around a dozen boxes presently. I drew up some plans for a really nice bluebird house that has a thick opening and metal washer to keep the birds from pecking the hole larger in case you're interested in building some of your own.


The plans are down at the bottom of the page.
page5

 

[pacerron]

I've nested Blue Birds around my property for 30 years. Last Summer was my lowest production in several years because B-Martins took over most nests and I had to block the nests. But still had several hatches of Blue Birds.

Anyway, I digress.... Normally in the late Fall Blue Birds will gather at our property, dozens of them. I always assumed they were gathering where they were born or had hatched chicks for the migratory flight South??

Usually I don't see Blue Birds again until warm weather. This morning there were three sitting on the power line, their favorite spot to hunt for food. I don't recall ever seeing them here this time of year. Maybe all the weird weather and wind we've had lately has them confused??

Is it normal to have Blue Birds this far North in January?? I'm 6 miles South of the Missouri/Iowa border in Northwestern Missouri.


Richard,
As I cautioned you on your other thread, your entire bucket is exposed, to the WWW. the way you are showing your pictures.
IE. Thanksgiving 2011 and the entire string of folders and photos down the left column.
I just looked at that one to give you an example. Stacked Cans.

If you want to get some fun shots of your bluebirds put a small birdbath below the wire where they come down to feed. They love a late afternoon bath. We have 5-6 in there at once. Here are a couple. This bath is right below our wire.

 

[pacerron]

These are tree swallows.
They look just like purple martins but are a little smaller and are white underneath. In flight their back and wings will reflect some purple color.

Purple Martins are dark all over.

Barn Swallows are Brown colored on their chest and dark steel blue on their back.

All of these swallows and martins are shiny in the sun.

 

[s219]

Bluebirds are here year-round in my part of Virginia. We hatched several dozen at our old property, and I plan to put up a couple houses at our new place in the next couple weeks so they have time to shop around in spring.

We had raccoon and snake problems early on until I redesigned our houses and poles, but the biggest pest over the years have been sparrows. They are tenacious. I finally figured out how to trap them in the bluebird houses when they tried to take over (flap over the door I could close from a distance with a string), and would relocate them far away. Apparently it's legal to kill sparrows since they are non native, but I never took it that far.

I've always understood that bluebird houses should be mounted on poles, and no closer than about 50 feet from each other. I have taken to mounting stove pipe on top of poles to block snakes, and use thick wood on the front of the house so raccoons can't reach in. At our new place, it would be convenient to mount houses to trees, but I can't see a way to make that snake proof -- anyone know any tricks? Will bluebirds even nest in a house attached to a tree?

 

[/pine]

If you have and enjoy blue birds...look for special meal worm suet and put it out...
dried meal worms are also good but the blue birds don't take to them until they get wet and soft...

 

[pacerron]

Bluebirds are here year-round in my part of Virginia. We hatched several dozen at our old property, and I plan to put up a couple houses at our new place in the next couple weeks so they have time to shop around in spring.

We had raccoon and snake problems early on until I redesigned our houses and poles, but the biggest pest over the years have been sparrows. They are tenacious. I finally figured out how to trap them in the bluebird houses when they tried to take over (flap over the door I could close from a distance with a string), and would relocate them far away. Apparently it's legal to kill sparrows since they are non native, but I never took it that far.

I've always understood that bluebird houses should be mounted on poles, and no closer than about 50 feet from each other. I have taken to mounting stove pipe on top of poles to block snakes, and use thick wood on the front of the house so raccoons can't reach in. At our new place, it would be convenient to mount houses to trees, but I can't see a way to make that snake proof -- anyone know any tricks? Will bluebirds even nest in a house attached to a tree?

Blue birds like to be in more open areas rather than on trees.
We put ours along fence lines, on wooden posts around the garden and orchard as well as the 5 power line poles on our property, with permission.

 

[ovrszd]

We have never seen tree swallows destroy a bluebird nest.
Wrens will.
Coons will.
English sparrows will.
Snakes will.

Once a nest is destroyed swallows or whoever will try build on the old bluebird nest.
Unless you saw it with your own eyes how do you know who did the destruction?
Seeing swallows going in after the fact is no proof.

Another reason for the thick door hole is to keep coons from reaching in to the babies.

I watched the Bluebirds build the nest and saw eggs. The next day I saw swallows attacking the Bluebirds at the nest. Bluebirds tried to hold them off and were successful the first day. The second day the Bluebirds gave up. Swallows instantly moved in, rebuilt the nest. That's when I plugged the hole.

Same with my Purple Martin nests. I use hanging gourd style. Purple Martins came and started building nests. Tree Swallows ganged up on the nest cluster and would run off the Purple Martins every time they tried to access the nests. Purple Martins finally gave up and left. I took down the nests.

I'm not talking about a couple rougue birds here. I'm talking about a flock of approximately 50 Tree Swallows. They dominated and controlled my entire nesting area. I plugged all the nests and they finally left. Not sure what will happen this year. I know they hatched no eggs here last year.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

I watched the Bluebirds build the nest and saw eggs. The next day I saw swallows attacking the Bluebirds at the nest. Bluebirds tried to hold them off and were successful the first day. The second day the Bluebirds gave up. Swallows instantly moved in, rebuilt the nest. That's when I plugged the hole.

Same with my Purple Martin nests. I use hanging gourd style. Purple Martins came and started building nests. Tree Swallows ganged up on the nest cluster and would run off the Purple Martins every time they tried to access the nests. Purple Martins finally gave up and left. I took down the nests.

I'm not talking about a couple rougue birds here. I'm talking about a flock of approximately 50 Tree Swallows. They dominated and controlled my entire nesting area. I plugged all the nests and they finally left. Not sure what will happen this year. I know they hatched no eggs here last year.

Feral cats are the worst problem I've had. I may have to relocate mine from the tree to a pole...the squirrel shield on my bird feeder works great for everything except Mr. Racoon...he muscles his way over it and scatters the seed everywhere. I am not aware of racoons getting the eggs, though.

 

[ovrszd]

I'm surrounded by open pasture and hay fields. The only trees are in my mowed area around the buildings. I never have racoon problems and rarely see a snake. I had a squirrel a couple years ago but he died prematurely trying to chew into a nest box. I think that's why I have so many nesting birds. I had a great variety until the Tree Swallows showed up. Ruined the neighborhood.

 

[ovrszd]

I hate the B-Martin. They will crowd the blue birds and other birds out. They will also empty bird feeders of food.

Finally someone with similar experiences as mine in regards to the B-Martin.....

 

[ovrszd]

Richard,
As I cautioned you on your other thread, your entire bucket is exposed, to the WWW. the way you are showing your pictures.
IE. Thanksgiving 2011 and the entire string of folders and photos down the left column.
I just looked at that one to give you an example. Stacked Cans.

Thanks, I'll adjust my methods.

 

[pacerron]

I watched the Bluebirds build the nest and saw eggs. The next day I saw swallows attacking the Bluebirds at the nest. Bluebirds tried to hold them off and were successful the first day. The second day the Bluebirds gave up. Swallows instantly moved in, rebuilt the nest. That's when I plugged the hole.

Same with my Purple Martin nests. I use hanging gourd style. Purple Martins came and started building nests. Tree Swallows ganged up on the nest cluster and would run off the Purple Martins every time they tried to access the nests. Purple Martins finally gave up and left. I took down the nests.

I'm not talking about a couple rougue birds here. I'm talking about a flock of approximately 50 Tree Swallows. They dominated and controlled my entire nesting area. I plugged all the nests and they finally left. Not sure what will happen this year. I know they hatched no eggs here last year.

Wow.
50 adult swallows; your property should be bug free.:laughing:
The picture I posted was of young swallows. They don't nest the first year and most don't come back.
They don't raid our bluebird boxes either.

If you have 25 pair of adult swallows there is something very particular about your property. Study up on swallows and find out what it is
making you so lucky. Get your county extension agent out there to see if that is common in your area.
Build more boxes before spring.

Enjoy the birds. When you get old you may not even be able to hear them sing.

 

[ovrszd]

Wow.
50 adult swallows; your property should be bug free.:laughing:
The picture I posted was of young swallows. They don't nest the first year and most don't come back.
They don't raid our bluebird boxes either.

If you have 25 pair of adult swallows there is something very particular about your property. Study up on swallows and find out what it is
making you so lucky. Get your county extension agent out there to see if that is common in your area.
Build more boxes before spring.

Enjoy the birds. When you get old you may not even be able to hear them sing.

I think my location is perfect for birds that feed on the fly. As I said, I'm surrounded by pastures and hay fields. When we are cutting hay the sky is littered with barn swallows, tree swallows and martins. I also think Wrens and Bluebirds like it here because they have very few natural enemies. No cats, racoons, squirrels and only a rare snake of the small garten variety.

I'm not totally opposed to the swallows. I actually have three boxes on fence posts that are away from my yard area 200yds. I left them open for the swallows to use but before they hatched anything I closed them. By then I realized I had to completely run these birds off if I was going to have any other varieties.

I don't see any way to control the swallows. I'm not opposed to a nest or two of them around. But I will not tolerate them running off every other species. I normally have Bluebirds, Brown Thrush, Turtle Doves, Wrens, Purple Martins and Robins all sharing my location. Last year I only had a late nest of Bluebirds because I opened a nest after the swallows left, a wren nest and a Turtle Dove nest.

 

[lockhaven]

I had to change my bluebird boxes because of bears. They will break the post off and rip the house to shreds to get at the eggs or young birds. I have attached the boxes high on the deck post out of reach and this spring plan on a concrete block house to stop Mr Bear.

 

[Xfaxman]

We have always had several pairs of Bluebirds here at our new place in central Oklahoma. Don't know where they nest, no boxes around here. The closest neighbors are a quarter mile away, no boxes there.

 

[Travelover]

We have always had several pairs of Bluebirds here at our new place in central Oklahoma. Don't know where they nest, no boxes around here. The closest neighbors are a quarter mile away, no boxes there.

Bluebirds are cavity nesters. So, in the olden days before people put up fancy nest boxes, they nested in holes in trees. I'd bet yours do, too.