Blue Birds and Purple Martin Housing

bigwill1767 · Wed Jan 18, 2012 1:22 pm

Last year I had blue birds that were very determined to take up housing in my purple martin gourds. The blue birds would run the martins off. Numerous times I would take their nesting material out but the next day they would return. This morning before I left for work I saw 2 bluebirds in the tree close to the purple martin gourd rack. I really dont want to have to keep lowering the rack and destroying the bluebirds nests so I have 2 bluebird houses to put up this evening. How far away should I put the bluebird boxes and how at what height?

Thanks

Don Strickland · Wed Jan 18, 2012 2:50 pm

http://www.ehow.com/decision_6890634_hi ... ound_.html

I placed the blue bird houses from 30 to 50 yards from the purple martin housing and that seemed to work OK.

Louise Chambers · Wed Jan 18, 2012 3:01 pm

This link deals with competition from bluebirds or tree swallows, and advises placing a box for either (or a box for both) close to the PM housing. That way the pair that occupies the single box or gourd will not allow another pair of bluebirds or tree swallows to move into martin system, leaving it open for martins.

http://www.drugfreeworkplace.com/~Dan/T ... GENCY.html

bigwill1767 · Wed Jan 18, 2012 4:35 pm

Thanks for the info links. Alot of good information

Linda Reynolds · Wed Jan 18, 2012 5:19 pm

bigwill, you have a beautiful site. I sincerely hope you can condition those BBs to accept alternative housing.

If I were you, I would follow the instructions provided on the link shared by Louise. Dan Drew's instructions have helped many landlords solve this interference issue, and ultimately host tri-habitation sites.

Good luck to you.......and I hope your 2012 is a great season.

Don Strickland · Wed Jan 18, 2012 5:42 pm

Well, I guess the placement of my Blue Bird houses are all wrong, but they were installed at the start of the season last year and I didn't have any problems between Blue Birds and Martins.
Maybe I just got lucky.

Linda Reynolds · Wed Jan 18, 2012 6:07 pm

Perhaps you were really lucky, Don. If it works, it is NOT wrong.

Did you have martins before offering the BB houses? That is sometimes the KEY.

Usually BB or TS interference is most prevalent when a martin colony is not already established. Many landlords that already host BBs and TS report problems because the BBs and TSs were nesting there first, and they do aggressively drive off martins that investigate housing. This is a major issue with many newbies or wannabies in the north. The TS population is prolific and probably one of the reasons that their nesting areas are moving into the south.

We were also very lucky in that we not only placed a BB housing trail around the perimeter of our property but then placed our gourd racks near to our house. We raise both BBs (63 fledged last year) and have a really healthy colony (fledged over 250 in 2011). We have not experienced *issues*, but many of my northern friends have.

We hosted TS when living in the north, and they are delightful. However, since moving to TN, only once did we see two TS that were migratory and have never seen evidence of them wanting to nest in our area. Many southerners around us and to the south of us host them, but they have not as yet arrived in our area for nesting.

You are indeed, quite lucky.

bigwill1767 · Wed Jan 18, 2012 9:10 pm

I did have 3 pair last year and 11 fledged so I really don't want to close the
t-14 and gourds since the scout report shows the PM's should be here any day.Hope I get lucky and the bluebirds will take to their own box I put up 30 feet away. I will be checking again in the morning

Don Strickland · Thu Jan 19, 2012 9:43 am

Did you have martins before offering the BB houses? That is sometimes the KEY.

I don't really remember which was first. I've had both Blue Birds and Martins for several years.
I put up 4 houses last year to accommodate the Blue Birds.
I've never noticed squabbling between the two
I'll pay more attention this season.

D'Nese · Fri Jan 20, 2012 6:25 pm

Here's my 2 cents. We had BB's before martins. We also host several pairs of TS's each year with every year increasing it seems. We haven't had an issue yet with the BB's as they love to sit on the T14 and spy on what's going on below but are usually nesting in the houses by the time our martins appear. I did have a box right below the T14 with no issue's ( BB's and TS's fought for that one) but had to move it due to some yard work.....My guess is that you have both martins and BB's nesting at the same time so Linda's suggestion would ring true. Good luck

bigwill1767 · Sat Jan 21, 2012 12:11 pm

I had put up 1 bluebird box 25 ft from my pm site. I had lowered the t14 sine the bluebirds were going in and out. This morning they were on my gourd rack so i put all my gourds in the garage and closed all entrances to the t14. If they wanta stay here they will have to use their bb box. I hate taking down the t14 and gourd rack. Feel like im gonna lose out on some purple martins

flyin-lowe · Sat Jan 21, 2012 1:34 pm

The good news is that once you get some nesting martins that return after the first year they will defend their housing and not be run off by the BB and TS. SY martins don't have the site fidelity that returning ASY's do and will abandon a site if they are bothered much by competitors, returning ASY's will fight more. Last year I had 2 pair of TS nesting in the same gourd rack as my PM's. That is the first time I have seen two pair of TS nest so close to each other. Both pair laid eggs in the AAA gourd rack. They did not bother the PM's at all.

D'Nese · Sat Jan 21, 2012 2:01 pm

You said you were going to put up some BB houses. Make sure you put one close to your t14 or rack.

Here are pic's of the t14 we put up last year. It was new to our yard and filled quite nicely by the end of the season. Notice to closeness of the BB house. That house has been there for a few years, with babies fledged multiple time. What Louise stated is true. Place a house very near the t14 and see if that helps. They are very territorial once bonded with a house.

http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i32 ... 5ef745.jpg
http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i32 ... 186190.jpg

I hope this helps as you are getting close to having visitors in your area. Good luck and let us know how it worked out.

bigwill1767 · Mon Jan 23, 2012 10:24 am

Thanks everyone. Yesterday morning the pair of bluebirds we busy going in and out of the bluebird box. One would go in and the other on the roof or watch from the top of the gourd rack pole. This went on for awhile then they left. I dont know if they will claim it as theirs or not but I will leave my T14 closed and gourds in the garage for awhile and see what happens.

bigwill1767 · Thu Feb 02, 2012 3:39 pm

I guess the bluebirds didnt like their box and moved on somewhere else. I havnt seen the bluebirds in 2 weeks.I still have the T14 closed up and the gourds in the garage. With the scout report showing Purple Martins within 60 miles of my house I think I will put the gourds back up and open the T14. If I do this the bluebirds will probably show up again and I will have to start over. They were very persistent last year. Opinions?