Bluebird housing winter project

[Topspinmo]

I’ve already started refurbishing and updating my bluebird (BB) housing for next year. I had one box that was hard to do nest checks so I made swing out side panel to see in 6 foot installed level.

If you have the means and have spot preferably facing east, fairly open and in afternoon shade and want to contribute to BB habit hear some plans and ideas to make own houses.

My total fledged this year was 49 with 5 active boxes. All boxes fledged 3 broods average 3 to 5 per nesting cycle making it to happy days.

I also had house finches in my fake hanging flower basket which fledged 2 broods, fledged 7, and black capped chickadees that fledged 4. BB house in my back yard fledged 4 tuffed titmouses. I had BB nesting after titmouses that laid eggs, but invader dreaded male house sparrow broke and pitched eggs out and BBs abandoned the nest.

I’d you get or have BBs nests need to clean box out after each brood has fledged. If not they just build nest over the dirty insect infested nest which not good for nest brood. I don’t put them on trees due all insect critters crawling up down tree especially ants.

I also remove all boxes after nest season over, clean and repair for next season, here in Florida that’s early February to end August with up to 3 nesting cycles in season.

I’ve had BBs nesting boxes for over 40 years in several states along with other species nesting on my properties over years.

The reason boxes are black and white cause I hang them on appropriate color matches fencing. In my back yard I painted them match my villa wall color.

[Aces4]

You are doing a great service for the beautiful bluebird since they have become pretty dependent on humans for their housing. Congrats on all those successful fledglings leaving the nest! A family member has built bluebird boxes with room for a hidden camera. It has been great fun to watch but we also witnessed a starling squeeze into the nest this summer while the pair was out gathering bedding. The d*mn starling pulled the most beautiful male bluebird we had ever seen into the nest when he returned and attacked. The starling pecked that bluebird to death in less than 3 minutes. Nature can be very cruel. Wishing you continued success in your endeavors.

[Djean1981]

Awesome 😎

[Babbs1957]

How far apart are you placing the BB boxes or rather how close can I put them? I have just one, but would love to add more.

[Topspinmo]

You are doing a great service for the beautiful bluebird since they have become pretty dependent on humans for their housing. Congrats on all those successful fledglings leaving the nest! A family member has built bluebird boxes with room for a hidden camera. It has been great fun to watch but we also witnessed a starling squeeze into the nest this summer while the pair was out gathering bedding. The d*mn starling pulled the most beautiful male bluebird we had ever seen into the nest when he returned and attacked. The starling pecked that bluebird to death in less than 3 minutes. Nature can be very cruel. Wishing you continued success in your endeavors.


Sorry to hear that. I had to deal with starlings and English sparrows (ES) in Oklahoma for 20 years. If you noticed the extra thick entry hole guard that 99% time keeps out birds larger than BBs and limits reach. Nothing can do about ES. I had solution in Oklahoma dealing with ES and starlings I was out of town in not populated area. Luckily not too many ES or starling in my area down here never see starling and only ES couple times. Snakes can be problem also.

[Aces4]

Sorry to hear that. I had to deal with starlings and English sparrows (ES) in Oklahoma for 20 years. If you noticed the extra thick entry hole guard that 99% time keeps out birds larger than BBs and limits reach. Nothing can do about ES. I had solution in Oklahoma dealing with ES and starlings I was out of town in not populated area. Luckily not too many ES or starling in my area down here never see starling and only ES couple times. Snakes can be problem also.

Two shiny screws placed in wall of the birdhouse was enough to chase the starling away this time and the bluebirds don't mind.

[Topspinmo]

How far apart are you placing the BB boxes or rather how close can I put them? I have just one, but would love to add more.

Recommended minimum 50 yards, but can be closer depending on landscape and the boxes don’t face each other. In Oklahoma I had two in my backyard about 30 yards apart. They weren’t facing each other and the view of entry wasn’t in vision when male guards house. Here in villages where not much room maybe other side of house might work where house blocks vision and birds have different path to entry hole?

[polirudb]

Thank you for posting. What type of wood are you using? I have made several out of cedar fence boards but it seems Lowes and Home Depot no longer carry the boards locally. I am concerned about using anything that is made out of pressure treated wood. I have two in my back yard and I had two broods in each this year.

[Kennygg]

Sorry to hear that. I had to deal with starlings and English sparrows (ES) in Oklahoma for 20 years. If you noticed the extra thick entry hole guard that 99% time keeps out birds larger than BBs and limits reach. Nothing can do about ES. I had solution in Oklahoma dealing with ES and starlings I was out of town in not populated area. Luckily not too many ES or starling in my area down here never see starling and only ES couple times. Snakes can be problem also.

Had a friend make a BB box and he put a hole the same size as entrance on the top and put a piece of plexiglass over it. This lets light in the box and English sparrows like the inside to be dark. Had three sets of fledglings this year and none the last few years. Hope this solves your ES problem.

[Topspinmo]

Thank you for posting. What type of wood are you using? I have made several out of cedar fence boards but it seems Lowes and Home Depot no longer carry the boards locally. I am concerned about using anything that is made out of pressure treated wood. I have two in my back yard and I had two broods in each this year.

I just use cheap 1x6x8 pine (have to select best boards) from Lowe’s and maybe one 1x8x8 depending on style of house for roof. I think Lowe’s has cedar but it very expensive? I don’t use pressure treated cause I paint seal and roof my houses with old shingles. Usually last 10 years or more, but I refurbish them after every season.

[tophcfa]

I’ve already started refurbishing and updating my bluebird (BB) housing for next year. I had one box that was hard to do nest checks so I made swing out side panel to see in 6 foot installed level.

If you have the means and have spot preferably facing east, fairly open and in afternoon shade and want to contribute to BB habit hear some plans and ideas to make own houses.

My total fledged this year was 49 with 5 active boxes. All boxes fledged 3 broods average 3 to 5 per nesting cycle making it to happy days.

I also had house finches in my fake hanging flower basket which fledged 2 broods, fledged 7, and black capped chickadees that fledged 4. BB house in my back yard fledged 4 tuffed titmouses. I had BB nesting after titmouses that laid eggs, but invader dreaded male house sparrow broke and pitched eggs out and BBs abandoned the nest.

I’d you get or have BBs nests need to clean box out after each brood has fledged. If not they just build nest over the dirty insect infested nest which not good for nest brood. I don’t put them on trees due all insect critters crawling up down tree especially ants.

I also remove all boxes after nest season over, clean and repair for next season, here in Florida that’s early February to end August with up to 3 nesting cycles in season.

I’ve had BBs nesting boxes for over 40 years in several states along with other species nesting on my properties over years.

The reason boxes are black and white cause I hang them on appropriate color matches fencing. In my back yard I painted them match my villa wall color.

Nice, but to make the bluebird house even better I would add a predator guard over/around the entry hole. I made several houses and have had them invaded by the likes of snakes, raccoons, squirrels, cats, opossums and birds of prey like hawks and owls, that find a way to enlarge the entry hole and invade the houses. Also putting some monofilament fishing line around to entry hole, to mimic a spider web, will help keep sparrows from invading the house. The poor bluebirds just want to be left alone, but have many predators after them, as well as sparrows that want to invade their home and kick them out. That being said, all the houses I built were put out up north, hopefully they have a less stressful predator life in the Villages?

[Babbs1957]

I have used individual fence pickets from HD/LWS, pine and cedar. A little easier for predators to chew the hole larger, but adding a metal ring solved it. Not sure how a fence picket BB house would hold up in a hurricane, but probably better than a straw house:oops:

Thanks for distance suggestion between houses too.

[Topspinmo]

I have used individual fence pickets from HD/LWS, pine and cedar. A little easier for predators to chew the hole larger, but adding a metal ring solved it. Not sure how a fence picket BB house would hold up in a hurricane, but probably better than a straw house:oops:

Thanks for distance suggestion between houses too.

“Not sure how a fence picket BB house would hold up in a hurricane“

All depends on the builder :)

I use metal around entry holes if I place houses on trees which I usually try to avoid.

[Topspinmo]

Nice, but to make the bluebird house even better I would add a predator guard over/around the entry hole. I made several houses and have had them invaded by the likes of snakes, raccoons, squirrels, cats, opossums and birds of prey like hawks and owls, that find a way to enlarge the entry hole and invade the houses. Also putting some monofilament fishing line around to entry hole, to mimic a spider web, will help keep sparrows from invading the house. The poor bluebirds just want to be left alone, but have many predators after them, as well as sparrows that want to invade their home and kick them out. That being said, all the houses I built were put out up north, hopefully they have a less stressful predator life in the Villages?

I been experimenting with escape hole on side at top back locations I have been using 2x4 predator guard over most my boxes the extra thickness limits reach and makes it very hard for other birds bigger than BB to get in box.

[Babbs1957]

I been experimenting with escape hole on side at top back locations I have been using 2x4 predator guard over most my boxes the extra thickness limits reach and makes it very hard for other birds bigger than BB to get in box.

Do you put a little sign inside the BB house telling them to only use escape hole in an emergency? :evil6:

[Topspinmo]

Do you put a little sign inside the BB house telling them to only use escape hole in an emergency? :evil6:

Yes emergency exit arrow…:beer3: