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If you're putting up boxes for bluebirds and you're near a brushline or buildings, put a two-inch hole in the roof with a hole-saw, and cover the hole with plexiglass. Otherwise, the boxes may be claimed by English sparrows (house sparrows). It seems they do not like the light coming in, while the bluebirds don't mind at all.
I just put up 4 new houses that my grandson built for me. 2 where put on rather large trees facing east and 2 were fastened on my back deck support posts 7 feet off the ground and facing north. I had birds in both north facing houses within 48hrs and so far nothing in the other 2 houses.
'Jacks suggestion with plexiglass is a winner . Works great around farms. If you dont do it the male sparrow commandeer the house. I have sparrow traps i install instide house and then i uthanize them.... Not many bluebirds this spring in central Wi.. I have approximately 50 blue bird houses.
I have mediocre success with bluebirds. I'll get one pair for the first clutch and thats it. I have 6 houses in the 3 acre feild around my house and 3 in a 2 acre feild I have. They use the same house every year.
'Jacks suggestion with plexiglass is a winner . Works great around farms. If you dont do it the male sparrow commandeer the house. I have sparrow traps i install instide house and then i uthanize them.... Not many bluebirds this spring in central Wi.. I have approximately 50 blue bird houses.
They froze out on the trip north and their food/ insects died.
* from 2 dif articles I read
NRA and NTA Life Member www.BackroadsRevised@etsy.com
We have 50 houses. Bluebirds in 3/4 of them. It seems to be a progression - the more more bluebirds you get the more houses they take over. I need to make about 25 more in the winter. To replace some that are getting rough and increase to about net 60.
We have 50 houses. Bluebirds in 3/4 of them. It seems to be a progression - the more more bluebirds you get the more houses they take over. I need to make about 25 more in the winter. To replace some that are getting rough and increase to about net 60.
How far apart do you put them? I've heard they need to be spaced to prevent egg dumping.
It’s important to give them some afternoon shade, and make sure their house is vented properly. The young are susceptible to overheating, drainage in floor is also important.
I had a blue bird line with 120 boxes, I made my boxes out of 3/4 inch pine. Make sure you put an extra wood over the opening to keep the Starling from eating the young. Also once the young have hatch remove the nest and sprinkle some 7 and replace the nest. This will kill any blow flies that lay there eggs in the bottom of the box. Make sure you have vent hole in the bottom. I always put two boxes close to gather to keep out tree swallows. I was a bird bander so I check my boxes often. Have fun! Everet
To Old U.S. Army 60-63 SGT.
Re: Bluebird houses??
[Re: 2zwudz]
#7588055 05/21/2211:08 AM05/21/2211:08 AM
I had a blue bird line with 120 boxes, I made my boxes out of 3/4 inch pine. Make sure you put an extra wood over the opening to keep the Starling from eating the young. Also once the young have hatch remove the nest and sprinkle some 7 and replace the nest. This will kill any blow flies that lay there eggs in the bottom of the box. Make sure you have vent hole in the bottom. I always put two boxes close to gather to keep out tree swallows. I was a bird bander so I check my boxes often. Have fun! Everet
It’s important to give them some afternoon shade, and make sure their house is vented properly. The young are susceptible to overheating, drainage in floor is also important.
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These are good tips.
The extra layer of wood around the entrance also makes it more difficult for raccoons to raid the nest.
Distance apart? Originally we put them at whatever the official suggested distance. Then after they were occupied, as an experiment, we put boxes at the halfway point. When occupied, we again put boxes at the halfway point. Again occupied. Realized that distance does not matter. Habitat matters. Now we put them at good locations where best setup. We have some as close as 20 feet apart along a split rail fence. Yes occupied.