Blue Birds nesting in my 24 condo marten housen ho

[firefighterdave]

This is the first year I have had a marten house up. It is a 24 condo metal house about 15' up on a crank up and down pole, I hadn't seen any martens until this week, but a couple of blue birds have nested and have raised two broods in the house. Finally have one pair of Martin's trying to use the condo, but the blue birds are fighting them for territory. Should I wait for the blue birds to fledged and clean out or will the martens get discouraged and move on? Any ideas?

[Phil01]

If the Blue Birds have an active nest (with eggs or young) you can’t mess with it. I’d put up a bluebird box 30-40 ft away from your Martin housing, facing the housing if possible. Don’t know how far along the bluebirds are but hopefully they will fledge soon and not be so protective of the Martin housing. Once fledged I would clean out the nest and see if the bluebirds take to the box. Not sure if it’s too late to attract nesting Martins in your area this year. But if you see the Blue Birds trying to build another nest, plug the holes, they should move to the box.

Martins can be skittish when checking out a new site and run off easily. For future reference, put a Blue Bird box up and at the beginning of Martin Season have your Martin House plugged so no other competing birds can nest there. When scouts start arriving in your area you can open up a few cavities if you like but if you see any other birds trying to nest, replug till you see some Martins then open back up.

Once the Bluebirds are committed to the box they won’t mess with the Martins. Mine perch on the gourd rack right next to Martins watching their nest, no problem.

Phil

[firefighterdave]

I have Blue Bird houses up in several places around my place in North Central AR. They have been there for years. They are all used currently with other Blues. They have each raised several broods in the Blue Bird boxes. They are all at least 100' from the Marten house. Since this is the first year the Marten house was up (put it up in early Mar.) and just now seeing my first pair of Martens, not sure if they will nest this late, or if they are a late arrival or a young pair just starting, but guess there is a chance, would really hate for them to move on, do you think if they do move on or relocate, will they return and check out the house next year? After the Blues have all left the nest I will clean out the compartment they are currently using. but next year for sure I will discourage the Blues from using the Marten house, by blocking holes, never thought Blues would nest that high or in a house with the hole that is that large or a box without the depth of a Blue box. Nature happens sometimes in strange ways.

[Phil01]

You never know, they may be martins that got displaced from another colony looking for a new place to nest. Good news is they have found and are checking out your housing.
When I had my first pair I had bluebirds with a nest on the opposite side of the house so it’s possible, just makes things harder cause the bluebirds will try and drive off birds from the area of their nest. Guess that pair of martins was just very determined and the bluebirds finally gave up one side of the house. Or maybe that pair was here before the bluebirds and I missed it cause it was late in the season and wasn’t expecting any to nest.
Either way, next season I’d try to leave one bluebird box available close to your Martin housing for when the martins return, maybe plug that box as well. This way you can divert any bluebirds trying to build a nest in your Martin housing to nest there. It doesn’t take long to get them over to the box once they start nest building. I had a pair of bb a few years back start building a nest in my gourd rack before the martins arrived, I plugged the gourds, put up a bb box 30 ft away and within a couple days they were building a nest in the box. They’ve been there ever since…
Phil