Even Bluebirds Get the Blues

(Page 3 of 3)

March/April 1983
By Samuel L. Skeen  
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A fencepost can serve as a good support for the avian abode. Mount the box from three to five feet above the ground — clearing; away any surrounding vegetation that might prevent the adults from having a clear view of their surroundings when leaving the house — on the side of the post op posite any pasture that might be occupied by livestock. The relatively low positioning of the house will, some experts claim, help prevent English sparrows from taking over the dwelling. Should these birds do so anyway, though, it's best to simply evict them before any eggs are laid.

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You'll also want to position the bluebird homes at least 100 yards apart (three houses per acre is a good rule of thumb), but do try to keep them convenient to your homestead or to a route that you regularly trace in the course of your chores. By being able to visit the birdhouses relatively often, you can enjoy the tenants that you've worked to attract and, as mentioned above, deal with unwanted guests, as well.

Furthermore, bluebirds can produce as many as three broods during a summer (two could be considered common). And you'll increase the chances that your box will house consecutive families if you're able to clean it out, discarding the old nest and unplugging the drainage holes, as soon as the first group of fledglings takes to the trees. (Should such regular cleaning be impossible, do at least make the rounds of your birdhouses each winter in order to clean the quarters for the following spring's tenants.)

EDITOR'S NOTE: Further information on bluebirds — including listings of available books and birdhouse plans as well as complete birdhouses — can be obtained from The North American Bluebird Society, Dept. TMEN, Box 6295, Silver Spring, Maryland 20906-0295 ... or from Homes for Bluebirds, Inc., Dept. TMEN, Route 1, Bailey, North Carolina 27807. Please enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope when writing either of these helpful organizations.

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