Bluebird Bird House
Why Should We Hang a Bluebird Bird House?Those who love the bluebird began a massive effort to save it by providing suitable nesting sights. This was done by hanging a bluebird bird house. Many bluebird lovers would hang several bluebird houses. There were thousands of bluebird bird houses put up all over the country. To be successful, the bluebird bird house had to be appropriate for the species in size and design. It also had to be predator and competitor-proof. Today, the bluebird is beginning to reappear in areaswhere the bluebird bird houses have been established.There are three species of bluebird: Eastern, Western, andMountain. They all belong to the thrush family. TheEastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) breeds in every state east of the Rocky Mountains. It is bright blue with a rusty red breast similar to therobin's. The Western Bluebird (Sialia currucoides) breeds in thewestern states from Canada to Mexico and east to Colorado. It has a blue throat, and the red color extends to its upper back. The Mountain Bluebird (Sialia mexicana) breeds in the Northwest, east to the Dakotas, and north into Alaska. It is entirely blue, with a white underbelly. General Bluebird Information Bluebirds eat many insects considered to be pests by man:cutworms, grasshoppers, and flying insects. They supplement their diet in fall and winter with wild berries and may starve if snow covers the ground and berries are unavailable. You can attrat bluebirds to your bird feeders with meal worms.The spring courtship ritual of the bluebird is one of the most enjoyable to witness. The male chooses an appropriate nesting cavity and dedicates all his energy to attracting a female to it with song. He sings and sings, as the female listens and evaluates his effort. When she visits the nesting cavity, he interprets her interest as acceptance and his song becomes even more enthusiastic. But the final choiceof the nesting place is hers, and if she finds his choiceunacceptable, he must locate a better nesting site. The female then builds the nest out of dry grass, pine needles and other plant material. The nest is normally around three to four inches deep. The Eastern Bluebird lays an average of three to five clear blue eggs (though sometimes they are white). The western and mountain species lay one or two more eggs than the Eastern Bluebird.The eggs hatch in two weeks and the baby birds leave the nest in 15 to 20 days when they are ready to fly. By fall the mated pair will have raised two or three broods and may migrate south if their food supply runs out or it gets too cold. The bluebird's main competitors among other wild birds are the house sparrow, or English Sparrow, and the starling. These birds use the same type of nesting space as bluebirds. Sparrows will destroy the bluebird's eggs in a nest or move into the nest during the winter after the bluebird has migrated. Starlings will drive bluebirds out of an entire area and occupy every available nesting cavity, unless we intervene. What can we do?We can assist in the return of this lovely bird by providing asuitable nesting site in the form of a bluebird house. We can also help by providing winter shelter and food. Plants that bear berries throughout the winter such as bittersweet, hackberry, dogwood, American holly, privet, bayberry and sumac will provide food for not only bluebirds, but also many otherWinter roost boxes provide shelter in the coldest seasonfor many birds. In areas where bluebirds find sufficient food, they may stay all year, but a roost box will allow them warmth on cold nights. A specially designed bluebird bird house, with predator guards on the entrance to keep out squirrels, raccoons, and competing birds, will give the bluebird a safe place to live and rear its young. A bluebird bird house must be cleaned on a regular basis. Have you ever heard of a "Bluebird Trail"?People sometimes create a "bluebird trail" by hanging multiple bluebird houses about 100 yards apart. This provides the bluebirds an abundance of housing opportunities. They are often placed on fence posts, giving the appearance of a "trail". Tree swallows often find a bluebird bird house to be to their liking, as well. This problem can be lessened by hanging two bluebird houses back to back. Two bluebirds will not nest near each other, so this gives the swallows one house and thebluebirds the other. The swallows will even help protect the bluebirds from other competing birds.
OBSERVATION BLUEBIRD HOUSEWith this bluebird bird house, you can watch the bluebirds withoutdisturbing them. This nest box features a plexiglass panel to keepbluebirds safe during observation. The panel slides out for easycleaning.Bluebird Range: Breeds east of the Rockies from southeastern Canada toGulf of Mexico. They winter in the southern part of the breeding rangeand Mexico. Bluebird habitat: Open woodlands and farmlands with scattered trees. Dimensions: 12-1/2"h x 6"w x 8-1/2"d
OPEN-TOP BLUEBIRD HOUSEThis sparrow-resistant bluebird house is similar to our standardbluebird house. As an added feature, it has a circular opening in theroof. Bluebirds will naturally nest in rotten fence posts or treestumps, so sun and rain do not deter them. Sparrows, however, are notas tolerant. A durable, coated wire barrier will prevent predators fromentering through the top. In addition, a plastic cap is included toprovide shelter after the bluebirds have started nesting. It can evenbe used to feed mealworms to hungry chicks.Bluebird Range: Breeds east of the Rockies from southeastern Canada toGulf of Mexico. They winter in the southern part of breeding range andMexico. Bluebird Habitat: Enjoys open woodlands, fields and farmlands withscattered trees. Dimensions: 12-1/2"h x 6"w x 8-1/2"d
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