To add to this...one of the reasons to offer 2 or three boxes near one another is that bluebirds will tolerate other species nesting near them, but won't tolerate conspecifics. You can place boxes back-to-back on the same fence post. In this case you may have a Tree Swallow on one side of the post and a bluebird on the other side. You can also place nest boxes on 3 fence posts in a row, and, hopefully, Tree Swallows will take up residency in the two outer boxes and a bluebird in the middle box.
Another hypothesis to placing multiple boxes in close proximity is that it allows the bluebirds to have a box, and gives starlings and house sparrows an easier alternative than trying to fight with a bluebird to steal the box. This is only an hypothesis and no confirmation.
If you're having problems with House Sparrows and Starlings some bird-feeding & bird-housing specialty stores (Wild Birds Unlimited) carry special traps that fit on the inside of bluebird houses. They allow you to trap your resident house sparrows or starlings. You may ask, "What do we do with the birds we catch?" Well, you can legally dispatch House Sparrows and Starlings because they are non-native nuisance species. A more humane alternative is to find a wildlife rehab center that needs feeder birds for its birds of prey, and see if they will accept them. Some will & some won't so it's best to call ahead. The obvious first place to check is Hueston Woods, but also near you is the Glen Helen Raptor Center, and potentially Raptor Inc. in Cincy. The only problem with these bird house traps is that you have to regularly check the boxes to make sure you're not trapping bluebirds or swallows.
Good luck!
Casey
-----Original Message-----
From: Debra Bowles [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Sun 4/18/2004 7:32 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Cc:
Subject: Re: E. Bluebirds and Tree swallows
Bluebird literature states these paired boxes for Bluebirds and Swallows can
be anywhere from 5 to 25 feet apart. Mine are two big steps apart which
amounts to 6 feet.
No nests here either. Last year there was a nest of eggs at this
time....which was suddenly abandoned after a cold snap - so take heart.
Tree Swallows are also checking boxes and they are indeed beautiful.
# # #
www.orgs.muohio.edu/AudubonMiamiValley
~ connecting via birds ~
Citizen Science, Debra Bowles
rehabilitating native songbirds via
Second Chance Wildlife
513.875.3433 [log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: MU Ornithology Listserv (ZOO 408)
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
Behalf Of Eric Burgess, Lara
Askill
Sent: Saturday, April 17, 2004 6:24 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: E. Bluebirds and Tree swallows
There was a pitched battle this afternoon
on our bluebird trail between the
above mentioned birds over a house in a
choice location. The bluebirds have
built a sizable nest but have not produced
any eggs yet. Might installing
another house in close proximity solve the
problem? That way, the bluebird
would keep theirs, the swallows would take
over the new house, both would
fend off other aggression from their own
species and leave each other
alone. If so, how close should the other
house be located. I've heard some
people putting them back to back but that
doesn't seem quite right to me.
By the way, our other houses have had
activity (a few blades of grass,
investigations ect.) but no permanent
occupancy. Even if the bluebirds are
evicted, might they take over one of the
others? I'm interested to hear
from others who have maintained a trail.
This is our first year. We
wouldn't mind having swallows; but we
don't want the bluebirds left out in
the cold either. Eric
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