Bluebird House Sale

BLUEBIRD HOUSE SALE

Features:
    Sturdy construction
    Easy-open cleanout door
    Scoring on interior of door to help fledglings exit the box.

Price: $15

Available at SWCD office
480 North Main Street, Canandaigua

March is the best time to set up nest boxes, before Eastern Bluebirds begin to search for nesting sites. Place the box at least 100 feet away from any woods or brushy areas to avoid competition with house wrens or sparrows. Face the opening of the box away from streets, roads or buildings. Mount the nest box in an open field that has at least one perch site such as a tree, shrub, fences, or wire. The perch site is used to hunt insects to feed themselves and their hatchlings.

Mount the nest box on a pole or tree approximately three to five feet above the ground. A box lower than three feet gives easy access to predators. Nest boxes on poles are more secure than tree mounted boxes. A box higher than five feet may attract sparrows.

Young bluebirds can fly only 50 to 100 feet when they leave the nest, so the nest box opening should face a tree, pole, or fence where fledglings can land. If they do not have a safe place to land, they will land on the ground where predators can reach them.

Bluebirds are territorial–defending the area around their nest to prevent other bluebirds nesting nearby. Place nest boxes at least 300 feet apart to attract two pairs of Eastern bluebirds. Tree swallows also use nest boxes and will nest close to a pair of bluebirds (although they will not nest closer to other tree swallows as swallows are also territorial). By placing two boxes 10 to 20 feet apart, you can provide a home for both bluebirds and tree swallows, lessening competition between these birds. To set up a bluebird trail and tree swallow trail, place two boxes within 20 feet of each other, separated from other boxes by at least 300 feet.

Typical Bluebird Nesting Timetable
March 15	Males return and locate a nesting site.
March 16-30	Female accepts nesting site and male as mate.
March 31-April 13	Female builds nest, male stays close by.
April 14-18	Pair remains close to the nest.
April 19-23	Female lays eggs (one each day).
April 24-May 6	Incubation: Female incubates eggs.
May 7	Young hatch.
May 8-23	Male and female feed and care for young from dawn until dusk.
May 24	The young bluebirds leave the nest (clean out all old nesting material).
May 25-30	Male and female feed and protect young.
May 31-June 4	Male and female continue to feed and protect young until they are independent. The female begins to build a new nest and the process is repeated.