Blue Bird Houses
Bluebirds can not make their own house. During the time of brooding, they pick up the holes as nests that are generally drilled by woodpeckers or any natural cavity inside the tree trunk or the branches. But while selecting their nest they are very finicky about the plan or design of the holes. They are often the victims of predators or birds like house sparrows or starlings that either kill or drive them out to occupy the bluebird houses.
Within the past 60 years, there has been a 90% decrease in the population of birds. Since the bird mainly resides in the open farmlands, the extensive usage of pesticides has lowered the population of the bird to a great extent. The incidence of severe winters has increased the mortality rate of the birds. The two other significant causes for the decrease in the number of birds are the low availability of cavity trees. The growth of well-trimmed orchards has lowered the possibility of finding a good cavity nest for the birds. The bird also experiences steep competition with other birds like sparrows and starlings in the search of protective nests.
While finding a nest the bluebirds make sure of safety and comfort. So, to attract bluebirds your bluebird houses must be placed in some definite locations that would ensure security for the birds. The following are some probable locations where you can place the houses for bluebirds.
Locations for Blue Bird Houses:
- The natural habitat of the bird consists of open woodlands, farmlands, and places that have ample old trees. So, place the blue birdhouse in some rural or suburban locations.
- The birds mainly feed on insects. They swoop down into the ground and pick up insects. To facilitate them with good hunting spaces the house must be hung to a tree that is surrounded by low-branched bushes and the soil to be scattered with leaves. The presence of a post would be easier for the bird to hunt.
- Find a place that has sparse vegetation. Dense vegetation may not be convenient for the bird to scan the ground for insects.
- Hang the houses of the bluebirds on a post or a tree of a height of about 100 meters above the ground. The nest must also be one-fourth mile far from the regions that are generally dominated by sparrows.
- Be careful of the space between one bluebird house and the other. During the breeding season, the bluebirds get territorial. Research tells us that bluebirds generally do not build nests within hundred yards of one another.
- To protect the bluebird from the sparrows you may hang up pair boxes 5 to 15 feet apart. The sparrow would build a nest in one while the other can be taken over by the bluebirds.
To help them to build their nest you may provide the birds with nesting materials like soft grass and fragrant pine needles as they are preferred by the nesting bluebirds.
See more: Breeding Bird