Attn: Experienced Blue Bird Landlords

[DelmaWhisenhunt]

Is there anything particularly to attract bb;s besides martin houses? Do they relate to blue bird decoys/ if those are available or any type bird food left on or near blue bird houses. Blue birds are everywhere around my yard which is big and open. Really would like to get them attracted to the houses put up specifically for them. They take no note of any of the houses except the mystery house. Wish I knew the good samaritan, so I could thank them. A good home made house and a good job of attaching to the tree.

[Guest]

Delma,
A smart bluebird will not choose a nest that has tree limbs hanging over it. It's a big snake hazard. If you can, put your BB housing on a T-post or similar pole then put min. 4" diam. PVC over the post, I use 4 ft. length.. I've been using 7 ft. T-posts. That gives me enough post in the ground to be stable, plus 4 ft for the PVC, plus enough to put the house on the top end. Also stuff something in the top of the PVC to prevent snakes from climbing the inside of the pipe. I use bird netting to stuff in there.

this has worked for me. Hope it works for you.

[Caroline94535-ND]

Do you have all the compartments of the Purple Martin house closed? They need to be closed so the Blue Birds and/or Tree Swallows learn they can never nest there. If they can't get in they won't nest there; they'll move to their appropriate houses.

Do you have separate, actual blue bird houses set up on posts?

If you want to start a Purple Martin colony next spring, you must keep the blue birds out of the martin housing starting now. It can be a battle, but you can and will win if you do not let the bluebirds inside your martin houses.

[Guest]

Since we Okies have bbs present all year round, I agree that the best approach is to leave the PM house closed up as long as possible and bb houses ready to be rented out at all times. My bbs have not shown any interest in nesting in my new T14 and I think it is because I put up the T14 in late March this year and the bbs had already begun to stake out their proper and dedicated abodes. I have had 3 bb houses here for about 9 years and they are all on about 7' poles with 4 inch wobbley pvc guards that are about 5' long. They are all located away from trees and fences but close enough for the young'uns to fly to them. Also they all face away from our prevailing southeasterly winds. I did mount one bb house to a tree close to my barn and the bbs have never exhibited any interest in it but the sparrows like it which is why is has some lead pellets embedded in it. Bluebirds will eat things such as meal worms and chopped peanuts from a feeding tray. But whether locating a feeding tray close to their houses would influence them to nest there, I don't know.

[KellyG]

I have a successful bluebird house and martin housing. The BB's have been using my house for about 5 years. It is mounted on a 3/4" galvanized conduit with a 3" PVC pipe around it. I drilled a hole in a PVC cap that is the size of the conduit and glued to to the PVC pipe and slid the conduit through the hole. I use car wax on the pvc every year to make it slick. The only problem I have had was a male sparrow killed a clutch of 5 this year. I installed a "sparrow spooker" and have since raised another clutch of 5. I have my third nest of the year with 3 eggs so far now. I am not sure if it helped attract them, but I have a birdbath about 12 feet away from the BB house and they love it.

[DelmaWhisenhunt]

The only bb house noticed has been mounted on the side of a sweet gum tree about five or six feet up. No close limbs to over hang, but well shaded. It is the only one they have been interested in and they are going in and out of it often so assume they are building a nest. In the back yard they are still after the martin house so looks like I will have to get my boys to let both houses down and close for the season. When martin season arrives again will wait and make sure they are in the area before opening the houses again. It has been a crazy year for me, but looks like the bb are here to stay unlike the short season for the beautiful martins.