What is going on at my house ????
I have had a bluebird house in my back yard for the past 2 yrs with no activity. This spring I gave up and let sparrows nest and raise a brood. Last week while mowing I noticed a male Bluebird sitting on top of the house battling with the sparrow. I immediately cleaned out the sparrow nest, and believe it or not it hasnt been back. The male Bluebird has been back every morning and evening. He sits atop and chirps and pretends to put nesting material in the house, and flys back and forth to the nearby telephone pole. He has quite a following of females some mature some not. It has been 4 days and he has had 1 female in the house two days bringing nesting materials in the morning only, but there are always three to five more females in the brush and trees near the house. One evening 5 females were on top of the house and three in the brush beside it, and the male was in a pine further away. I am thrilled with the activity but the house remains uninhabited. They still come every morning and evening, but they dont eat the meal worms I put out. I thought maybe they were getting ready for a second brood and that I would have my first nesting pair but I am confused as to what the heck is really going on. Is my house a dummy nest house? What should I do.
MoodyBlue
ambassador Said,
July 13, 2009 @ 6:38 am
Dear MoodyBlue, First things first, Never let Sparrows fledged from a Bluebird Nestbox! Never!!! This situations sounds like a second nesting attempt. Let nature take its course, One of the females will eventually pair up with the male and when this happens that female will chase away the other females. If some of the females have a speckled look then they are juvenile birds from this years brood. It took me several years to have bluebirds nest in my backyard. This spring 2009 and early summer have been very wet and cold in Pa. I lost most of my spring nestlings due to this reason. I invite you to please read my Blogs on my website at ambassadorforthebluebirds.com
Harry Butler County Pa.
KCBSP Said,
July 16, 2009 @ 5:46 am
Hi MoodyBlue
I’m glad you finally got bluebirds in that box. Just to let you know House Sparrows will bond to their nestbox not to their mate. If one trapped the female in the nestbox, the male House Sparrow will be out there trying to get a new mate and is very successful at it. I’m surprised they gave up without a fight right now. If the House Sparrow returns please put up a 2nd nestbox or please just do it now in case they return. Please do not let them keep it. Remove nests and eggs of them right away. If they become bothersome write again please. I hope you let us know how it all turns out.
Kathy