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Bluebird Houses
Swallow Birdhouse |
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Eastern
Bluebird
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Turdidae
Genus: Sialia
Species: sialis
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La. passer sparrow, small bird
La. forma form, kind, species
La. turdus a thrush
Gr. sialis a kind of bird |
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About seven inches long. Blue head, neck, back, rump and tail. Reddish
brown, throat, breast and flanks. Grayish blue belly. Black beak and
eyes. |
Eastern Bluebirds inhabit
forest edges, groves and small tree stands, open country, farms and
towns throughout eastern North America from the Great Plains to the
Atlantic Coast north to Saskatchewan, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia
south to Mexico and the southwestern U.S. in southern New Mexico and
Arizona. Migrates to the southern states and Mexico in winter.
Builds scanty nests of grass and feathers in natural or abandoned
tree and post hollows, cliff crevices, barns and other building nooks and crannies, mail
boxes, and many in bird houses placed specifically for this favorite of birds.
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Lays four to six bluish white eggs which hatch after about two weeks incubation and
young leave the nest in about another three weeks. Usually raise two broods in a season. From
fence or low tree perches where they spot insects on the ground they dart after beetles,
spiders, caterpillars and grasshoppers. In the autumn the eat berries and other odd fruit.
The popularity of the Blue bird is due, in addition to its beauty, its display of
affection. The male perpetually seeks the company of the female, courting her with his
pretty love songs, feeding her insects and chasing rivals from their domain. |
Louis Agassiz Fuertes |
Habitat reduction and competition with introduced
English Sparrows and Starlings caused measurable population decline until their
appeal inspired widespread interest in bluebird nestboxes. Their rebound is a
great example of successful intervention.The free
bluebird house plans for an Eastern Bluebird nestbox have a 4" by
4" floor, 9" inside ceiling, 1 1/2" diameter entrance hole located 7" above the
floor, ventilation openings through the floor and under the roof, and a hinged
roof for monitoring.. In areas where the Eastern Bluebird range overlaps
that of the Mountain Bluebird, use the
larger Mountain Bluebird Nestbox which will accommodate both
birds.
Chickadees, titmice,
wrens, nuthatches and
downy
woodpeckers may use this box. Mount bluebird houses 3 to 6 feet high on a post in
woodland clearings, shelter belt edges bordering fields, among scattered trees, or pasture
fence lines. |
On fence lines mount houses on the sides of posts facing the next post. The
recessed position helps avoid cattle or other large animals that like to rub
against them.
Make a "bluebird trail" of several houses about 100 yards apart; further in wide
open expanses and closer in clearings of wooded areas.
Monitor the boxes for unwanted squatters. Deter predators with steel posts or
sheet metal wrapped around wood posts. Avoid shade, but also avoid direct
sunlight through the entrance if possible.
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R. Bruce Horsfall |
Tree Swallow
Nestboxes
placed between bluebird nest boxes invite good neighbors that will help defend against sparrows, but the bird houses also invite sparrows, so
monitor the swallow houses as well as the bluebird houses.
Resources
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