BIRD HOUSES FOR BLUEBIRDS AND OTHERS (3/29/02)

For those of you who missed the Cape Cod Bird Club's program on bluebirds earlier this month, here is some of the information many of you have been asking for.

I cannot think of any other species of bird that is more desired than the bluebird. Unfortunately, they are quite erratic in their behavior, which makes it hard to predict just who the lucky folks will be who will have them stay and nest. Not only are these handsome birds erratic, they are also very demanding. They must have everything their way, or they won't stay to nest.

First of all, these birds that "carry the sky on their backs" like open areas, say at least 50 feet all around the nest box, that are mowed, as they catch various insects on the ground. They insist on having a few perches, so there must be a few trees or fences nearby. They require a birdbath, and they have very specific ideas on the proper design of a house.

You can either buy or build your own nest box, but the general size of a box must be 5" x 5" on the base, and 8" high. It is important to place the hole, 1 1/2" high and 1 1/4" wide, 6" above the floor and be . Never put a perch on the front of the house, as this will allow predators to intimidate or injure the bluebirds. Leave the birdhouse a natural color. Attaching it to a metal post that you grease with anything that will make it slippery will help prevent raccoons and snakes from gaining access.

Bluebirds are early nesters, so right now is the time to get your box in place. It's a good idea in our area to face your bluebird house east or northeast, where the birds can benefit from the early morning sun to warm up the box. Ideally, there should be a shrub, fence or other low perch not too far from the box's hole for the youngsters to use when they first fledge.

Sounds rather simple, doesn't it? Well, unfortunately, all I've told you is the easy part. With bluebirds, it seems, it's often a matter of the agony and the ecstasy! Not only are bluebirds difficult to attract, especially in the Northeast where they are not nearly as numerous as elsewhere in the country, they have some serious enemies. Enemy number one is the aggressive English / house sparrow that will either usurp your box for themselves or will kill the nestlings of bluebirds while they're still in the box.

If you have a large number of these, you should either give up your plans for attracting bluebirds or be prepared to use either passive or active control, meaning you discourage them from taking over your birdhouses or you interfere with their nesting process. Enemy number two is the house wren that routinely takes over nest boxes occupied by bluebirds and other hole-nesting birds, by puncturing the eggs or removing young nestlings..

If your yard is not suitable for bluebirds in any of the ways mentioned above, consider organizing a bluebird trail in suitable habitat or helping monitor the boxes with a trail that is already established. The edges of golf courses and some cemeteries are ideal for bluebirds, and many already have a number of boxes in place.

Even though you may not have appropriate real estate for attracting bluebirds, all is not lost. Other desirable birds utilize bird houses, especially these days when so many old trees with alluring cavities have been demolished. Each species has its own special needs, so it's a good idea to consult one of the books that gives the particulars on these.

The Backyard Birdhouse Book, written by Massachusetts naturalists René and Christyna Laubach, with a forward by Wayne Petersen, provides comprehensive information on bird houses for many of our area's species, including bluebirds, flickers, red-bellied woodpeckers, chickadees, titmice, house wrens, white-breasted nuthatches, great-crested flycatchers, screech owls and tree swallows. The Birdhouse Book by Donald and Lillian Stokes also contains all the information you'll need to attract birds to your nest boxes.

You should be very happy if tree swallows, those lovely blue and white birds you see skimming low over water and lined up by the hundreds on telephone wires in the fall, should choose your bluebird house. If you live near a body of fresh water, you may be rewarded with these sweet swallows that are not at all persnickety about their home, the same size as a bluebird's. You can place the boxes up close to your house where you can easily view them. Items essential to tree swallows' happiness when building their nests, though, are white feathers. If you know anyone who keeps chickens, get some feathers and put them around your yard, or walk along a beach and scavenge for gulls' feathers.

If you haven't attracted bluebirds or tree swallows by late spring, close your box up or take it down, but do not let English sparrows, vicious predators, take over any box. The books mentioned above give details about the ferocious nature of English sparrows and starlings, both non-native species that have been introduced into North America and are the cause of decline of some of our native bird populations. By the way, don't be fooled into buying and erecting a purple martin house. We simply do not have a colony of them on the Cape, and the only tenants you'll get will be the above-mentioned predators.

I wish success to each of you who makes an attempt to attract one of our cavity-nesting birds. I'd love to hear your stories (good or bad) to share with others.