Bluebirds
 

For those of us that have honor of hosting bluebirds? Bluebirds checking out my nesting box today. If haven’t already? time to clean out that nesting box and prepare for your birdie friends to start looking at nesting sites. If you did clean it out last summer I would check it again make sure wasps or mud dabblers have taken over or any other invader?

If they nested successfully they usually come back to same location. Boxes should be cleaned out after every nesting to remove nesting material to prevent parasites, they will build another nest over the old one.

Reference:
Bluebirds do not remove old nesting material, rather they simply build over an existing nest. If you do not clean out your nest box, it may become filled to the brim with old nesting material. This can potentially leave the new nest dangerously close to the entrance hole, where predators can easily reach it.Aug

Yup, clean mine out every February with a coat hanger. Quick spritz of bleach/water and all ready for spring time :)

Haven't seen any in my boxes yet (although when I cleaned them out in November one had a frog in it and another had an ants nest)

I check mine every week or some when get close to nesting season. I also clear old nests after 1st brood fledging leave nest. Some pairs will have 3 broods season which ends in July down here.

All my boxes (4) last year)(6 this year) have lift up tops and lift out fronts so I can easily see in and clean out. I also have metal screen on bottom keep nest from wicking water if any gets in.

You can also see predator guard on entry hole, ladder up to entry hole on inside.

About everything need know about bluebird nesting habits and care.

Quoted”

“. Eastern Bluebirds Nests and Eggs: All you Need to Know ...Bluebirds nest in Florida from February to August, with the nesting season beginning in late February. Bluebirds may start scouting for nesting sites as early as January, and in the south, they may start even earlier.
Here are some other things to know about bluebirds in Florida:
Nesting materials: Bluebirds build their nests out of grasses, pine needles, and small twigs.
Eggs: Bluebirds lay 4–5 pale blue eggs in a cup-shaped nest.
Incubation: Incubation lasts 13–20 days, and the eggs usually hatch on the same day.
Fledging: The young birds leave the nest 17–21 days after hatching.
Broods: A pair of bluebirds can raise 2–3 broods per year.
Nest boxes: Bluebirds prefer nest boxes that are about 4 in x 4 in x 9 in or 5 in x 5 in x 9 in. The entrance hole should be about 1.5 in in diameter and located about 5 in above the floor.
Returning to the same area: Adult bluebirds tend to return to the same breeding territory each year. “

Over years I have fledged over 400 bluebirds from Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, and now florida.

Songs with bluebirds in lyrics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XulvnXo6BJk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tO8xHPJWPoA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAwEIEXDNQs

For country fans how many remember Marvin Rainwater

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPhJoyycIa0

Going to find me bluebird.

Had three (two males; one female) checking out one box today - as soon as one came out another would dash in

Nothing came of it and haven't seen them again :-(

They will probably be back. Don’t get serious about nesting till middle of February or later down here.

I suspect one of males was juvenile from last year still hanging around parents. When bluebirds was checking out my box there was 3 others in flock. Only two came down and actually when inside box.

Ok, got 5 nesting boxes out so far this year. 3 have nests made, one has 5 eggs. One more has interested pair, but no nest building yet.

At our NC home on golf course, had several Blubird houses on course that we maintained and cleaned, my advice open door VERY CAREFUL, we occasionally found a SNAKE in box, Ugh!!!!!!!!!

Agree, this year I’m trying escape hole (two holes one on front and one on top side) so if that happens at least Female can escape. I had 80 pair purple Martin colony in Oklahoma. It was real challenge to keep starlings and English sparrows out and snakes, owls, hawks, ant, and mites from predicating on martins. Only thing I could find to stop snakes was bird netting and 4 or 6 inch PVC pipe at least 5 foot up from ground.

Well, Topspinmo, your birds are in the high rent district.:)

But, I offer full amenities for free. :MOJE_whot:

Sad news, my backyard bluebird female seems to vanish? The male still comes around but female not with him. At least my other bluebird boxes out are doing good 4 out of five with nests and eggs so far?

O happy days! 4 babies 6 days old or so in one box, 5 eggs in another, and female setting on eggs. Box I have on tree had nest started, but think it was abandoned due to other critters that climb trees in there also. Probably remove that one. IMO fence posts, on walls, or separate pole with PVC predator guard best to mount bluebird houses. On tree’s last resort IMO.

Done bluebird box nest checks today. Got total 12 babies ranging from 7 to 12 days old. They all should be fledged in 14 or so days. Then, round two?

Ok, 4 has fledged from BOX 1, cleaned out for next brood, BOX 2 now has nest with two eggs, BOX 3 has 4 that will fledge within week, BOX 4 removed off tree
( too many ant) BOX 5 has 4 about 8 days to fledge.

Tuffed titmouse setting on eggs in my back yard, out front chickadees have hatched. Out front of the house finches have hatched. I relocated BOX 4 see it it will get nest in better environment?

Our Bluebird house has a nesting pair, could be same as last year's pair. I'm very happy there are so many people here with Bluebird houses, I need a few more myself!

Mostly likely the are same pair. I had nesting pair in Oklahoma for 11 years in same box off my back porch.

Ok all 12 fledged out of box 1, 3, and 4. 5 eggs laid in box no. 2 not setting yet. Usually takes month for bluebirds to train fledgling before they nest again. Box no2. Was empty till last week. Hopefully I’ll get other 3 boxes going to round two. That average 16 or so for round two.

Ok. BBs Round two in full swing. Have two house with babies and one nest building. 12 in round one so far, 7 so far in round two which should fledge in two weeks.

Total fledged now round one and two 29.

I am impressed by the success you are having with bluebirds. I have two houses up but no nesting has ever occurred. I also have two mealworm feeders and have used both live and dried worms and all I see are some cardinals that are small enough to fit inside the cage feeder. I did see one pair of bluebirds look over one of the boxes this spring, but they obviously did not like what I had to offer. The main reason I may be failing in attracting bluebirds is I have a heavily planted yard with many shrubs and trees. The cardinals and other birds love it though. Any other thoughts on why I am not having any luck?

They like at least open side facing eastward or close to east as possible to the entry hole. Shaded in afternoon sun bonus. Prefer 5” to high as 8 foot. Shrubs are Ok it you can mount house above them like on fence or wall? I don’t know what kind/style house you have, BBs like cavity at least 7 inches deep from entry hole.

I make my own houses with hinged top and front so I can do nest checks and clean house out after nest cycle. I have mine mounted on CYV wall and others are on fences in common area not yet developed. I don’t like mounting them on trees trunks due to all critters crawling up and in trees.

Thanks for your help. I do have well made, correctly sized bluebird boxes and they are at the 5-8 feet height. My problem may be due to location. Your idea of putting the boxes higher than the shrubs is a good one. There are nesting pairs around my neighborhood so they do like our area, just not my yard. I guess I can’t have it all. I do see a tremendous amount of birds who love dense shrubbery and trees such as thrushes, (who love to flip my bark mulch over to get worms, often onto my lawn!) cardinals, and a slew of smaller birds of various species.

OK, had 5 more bluebirds (BB) fledge couple days ago. Got 5 more fledge end of next week. That be end of round two with 34 total so far if I added correctly? Got major problem with one nest boxes that pair started nest and laid 3 egg. Notice eggs were gone on my nest check, found shells under nest pecked open. Watch nest and found the culprit. A Male ENGLISH Sparrow (ES).:ohdear:

I heard his mating call for female and he was going in and out of box. BBs can defend against ES, but ES lays in wait till their not around and go into box and do his dirty deeds. ES will evict eggs and even kill babies and build nest right over the dead. Seen this many time in Oklahoma. I had remedies for them in Oklahoma, but can’t do much here in villages. Luckily in my area here in Florida rarely see or hear ES. Hopefully male bluebird will fight him off and female will lay again. I am doubtful due to BBs down here don’t have deal with ES infestation like most other areas in America. I may have to remove that box for rest or this season which is in now round three anyway.