Bluebird Time in the Ozarks
03-11-2010Late February through mid-March are times when bluebirds begin thinking about homes to lay eggs and raise young. It’s a great time to put up a homemade or store bought nesting box, then sit back and enjoy the show as bluebirds patrol the yard in search of food and make harrowing flights into and out of the box.
Once nearly decimated by human population growth, bluebirds have made a strong comeback thanks to the widespread use of nesting boxes built just for them. Bluebirds are one species without the means of constructing their own homes and nests. In the wild, they rely on rotting trees and holes created by woodpeckers for nesting opportunities. As natural habitat declined with the spread of cities and suburbs, these colorful insect eaters needed help finding new homes. Individuals who put up bluebird houses provided that assistance.
While certainly appreciative for the box, bluebirds are picky about its location. Since they do not use perches (bluebird boxes are built without them) wide open space is needed in front of the nesting box. Low growing bushes are fine, but tree limbs should be 5 to 25 feet away so the flight path into the box is completely unobstructed. A few nearby trees assist fledglings making their initial flights when the time comes.
The box should face away from prevailing winds, which means a south to southeast exposure in most parts of the country. Many bird enthusiasts say that bluebirds are not fond of water in front of their homes so it’s best to keep the box facing away from ponds and pools.
Boxes seem to do just fine mounted on tall fence posts anywhere from 4 to 10 feet above the ground. If predators like raccoons, cats and snakes are common, mounting the box atop a PVC pipe coated with axle grease is a great deterrent to keep these critters away.
While it’s tempting to put up several boxes, bluebirds are territorial and not very social. They tend to be pretty competitive with other bluebirds in a 2 to 3 acre area, so it’s a better idea to keep boxes about a hundred yards apart.
Wrens, sparrows and other small birds sometimes find bluebird houses appealing and will claim them for their own. When this happens, the competing birds can be chased away or a new bluebird house erected 20 to 25 feet away from the first one. Bluebirds will often simply settle into the second house and leave the first one to their uninvited cousins.
Remember to clean out the box after bluebirds have finished raising their young so the box is ready to go for the next go around, which could happen more than once a year. Also, keep the yard free of pesticides that could harm bluebirds who consume bugs that might be contaminated.
Photo by Sydnee R. Crain