There are many many resources for learning more about Bluebirds Here are just a few that we've found to be most helpful: If you've found other resources you would like to see included on this page, please visit our Contact page and let us know about them!

Bluebird Information
Sequence of Events
House Sparrow information
House wren information
Cowbirds
Who is nesting in my box?
What happened?
Nest boxes, feeders and traps
Common Bird Acronyms
Other Cavity Nesters
Nest box monitoring
Pests, diseases, predators

The Bluebird Nut Cafe - our own Bluebird Forum for Bluebird lovers.
North American Bluebird Society
The Bluebird Box (Audubon Society of Omaha)
Bluebird-L Reference Guide (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
The Best of Bluebird-L
American Bird Conservancy (home of the "Cats Indoors" pledge)
Woodstock Conservation Commission
Sialis
Arlene Ripley's nestbox
Attracting Eastern Bluebirds - Ed Nied
Fawzi Emad's Bluebird page
Wendell Long - Bluebird photographs
Christy's Bluebird Project
The Bluebirding Forum on Garden Web

SEQUENCE OF EVENTS

  HOUSE SPARROW IDENTIFICATION AND CONTROL:

House Sparrows (actually a Weaver Finch, not a sparrow) are deadly predators on Bluebirds – and other cavity nesters. House Sparrows will peck eggs, nestlings, and adult Bluebirds to death. However, it is imperative that other sparrows not be confused with House Sparrows. Only House Sparrows are a threat. To learn what this predator looks like: House Sparrow. For information on House Sparrow control:  

NABS Fact Sheet - House Sparrow Control
Sialis.org - an extensive source of information on House Sparrow management
Bluebirding Articles and then click on "House Sparrows by Steve Eno".
House Sparrows as sources of diseases: Sparrow Facts
House Sparrow Egg

HOUSE SPARROW DETERRENTS AND SPOOKERS
Larry Zapotocky Monofilament
Sparrow Spooker
NOTE: it imperative that, when adding ANYTHING to a nestbox, with an in-process nesting, the box must be watched for at least a half-hour to assure that the adult birds have accepted the change. If the adults do not accept the change, un-do it.

HOUSE SPARROW TRAPS
Our favorite in-box trap: Van Ert Traps
Our favorite repeating ground trap: Deluxe Repeating Sparrow Trap

Back to top

INFORMATION ON OTHER CAVITY NESTERS:
Purple Martin Conservation Association
Purple Martin Society
Chickadees
Tree Swallow Nesting Project 

Mr. Orthwein’s information stops in the late 1990s with his passing. However, many of his expert protégé’s have since gone on to use Wren Guards - for bluebird nestings - with great success. From what I can find, public information on any possible research about tree swallow acceptance of wren guards is non-existent.

NOTE: it is imperative that, when adding ANYTHING to a nestbox, with an in-process nesting, the box must be watched for at least a half-hour to assure that the adult birds have accepted the change. If the adults do not accept the change, un-do it.

European Starlings

Another artificially introduced unprotected species, starlings are usually (but not always) too big to fit through a bluebird sized entrance hole. However, some starlings are able to fully fit through the entrance hole.

Most starlings that visit a bluebird-size nestbox will hang onto the box front and just stick their head into the box. Starlings will eat eggs and toss hatchlings if they can be reached. A starling’s reach will be the length of its beak plus the length of its head plus the length of neck-stretching it can do. This reach can easily be 4 or more inches.

Methods for deterring starlings from bluebird-size nestboxes:

COWBIRDS
Cowbirds are nest-site parasitic birds - they do not build their own nests. Rather, they deposit their eggs in the nests of other birds. Often, the cowbird will toss an egg of the nest owner before depositing its egg. A cowbird egg in a Bluebird nest is rare, but does occur. Maybe this information will help identify if a mystery egg in a Bluebird nest came from a cowbird. Cowbird Eggs

Pretty much … the history on cowbirds … they used to roam the great planes of the “wild west” with massive herds of buffalo … picking bugs and parasites off of those exquisite creatures. As such, cowbirds helped the buffalo. Because of this nomadic life, cowbirds weren't in one spot long enough to nest. So they deposited their eggs in the nests of other birds and then moved on. When the massive herds of buffalo died off … cowbirds were stuck with their ‘roaming’ nature, but nowhere to roam. Now … they still often grace herds of cows with their bug & parasite picking nature … but … they’ve become a “nuisance”. Terribly sad; sort of a pain in the butt. Cowbirds usually toss one egg of the host clutch and lay their egg in its place. Sometimes cowbirds will parasitize the same nest twice. Some host birds will abandon their nests when a cowbird egg shows up in their nest. Many birds will raise the cowbird as their own. Sometimes this 'adopted' baby is so big, compared to the others in the host nest, that the other chicks die of starvation as the adults try to feed the ravenous appetite of the cowbird chick. While cowbirds most often parasitize an open nest, they have been known to manage to get into a nestbox and parasitize bluebird nestings. Some reports say a single cowbird female lays between 60-80 eggs each year.

SOME OTHER EGGS

House Wren Egg
House Sparrow Egg
Tree Swallow Egg

WHO IS NESTING IN MY BOX?

The two nest identification field guides mentioned above are the best. But, for a quick check this might help: Egg & Nest ID

A site with some clearer pictures of nests of the most common tenants: Nests

What Happened???!!!!

All too sadly, some predator raids a bluebird nestbox. Sometimes we find just an empty nest that had eggs or babies; sometimes there are remains; sometimes destruction. Of course, we rarely get to see 'who' the predator was. But, sometimes clues are left. Check the chart at the site below for hints as to what the predator might have been.

Bluebirding Articles and then click on "Predators and Problems on the Bluebird Trail".
 

NEST BOXES, FEEDERS, AND TRAPS

Ahlgren Construction Company -nestboxes, feeders, traps

12989 Otchipwe Ave. N.
Stillwater , MN 55082
(651) 430-0031

Bluebird Nut Mealworm Feeder - Our own design. Starling-proof mealworm feeder for Bluebirds and small songbirds.

Sparrowtraps.net - The Deluxe Repeating Sparrow Trap

TMB Studios' Bluebird Shop - Nestboxes, feeders, birdbaths, predator control products - you name it!

Cedar Valley Live traps:

Zell Olsen
8128 Blaisdell Ave. So.
Bloomington, MN 55420

For Gilbertson Boxes and traps:

Steve Gilbertson
35900 Dove Street
Aitkin, MN 56431
218-927-1953

Droll Yankee Window Feeder at the Big Red Nature Store
Van Ert Traps
Huber Trap
Andrew Troyer's: The Bird's Paradise - Purple Martin housing through Purplemartin.con
or contact Mr. Troyer directly by mail:

20835 Morris Road
Conneautville, PA 16406
1 800 872 0103

The Purple Martin Conservation Association also sells Bluebird nestboxes and house sparrow and starling traps.

BUILD IT YOURSELF PLANS, INSTRUCTIONS, DIAGRAMS
NABS Nestbox Plans and specifications for building, mounting and placement.
Gilbertson's Nestbox and nestbox traps
Peterson Style nestbox
Stovepipe Predator Baffle
Mel Bolt Sparrow Trap
Emergency Sparrow Trap by Steve Gruenke
Huber Trap
Bauldry Sparrow Trap
Ground Trap
Larry Zapotocky Monofilament
Sparrow Spooker

Back to top

MEALWORMS: It is usually not "necessary" to offer mealworms to Bluebirds. However, in times of cold and/or prolonged-wet weather snaps with a nest full of babies or if one of the adult birds is lost during nesting, mealworms can make the difference in the survival of the babies. It also encourages the Bluebirds to consider your property a good place to nest.

Reptile Food (if ordered through this link, they give a portion of the proceeds to the Purple Martin Conservation Assoc.)
1 800 222 3563 GRUBCO
1 800 634 1558 NABS
1 800 777 9676 Rainbow Mealworms
1 800 322 1100 Sunshine Mealworms

"SUET" RECIPES While Bluebirds prefer insects, after much patience (like a couple of years) they sometimes learn to enjoy mixtures made of a fat source, peanut butter, and some dry ingredients. In the meantime, these recipes will be adored by woodpeckers, chickadees, titmice, juncos, cardinals, etc.

The Suet-Lard-Shortening question
A question has been raised concerning the best source of fat to be used in these homemade "suet" recipes. The experts do not all agree on this issue. More research is yet to be done on the matter. There is some concern that suet (raw fat from cows or sheep) goes rancid too quickly. There is also concern that pure rendered suet, otherwise known as tallow, may be too high in saturated fats to be readily digested by birds. There are concerns about using hydrogenated vegetable shortening because of the trans fatty acids created in the process. Some concerns have also been expressed about vegetable oil having a laxative effect on birds. There is some suggestion that using a combination rendered suet and peanut butter, lard, or vegetable oil may result in a better product for the birds' health. Some of the comments of Bluebirders and other experts have been posted here for you to read to make an informed decision. The following recipes have been tried and found acceptable to Bluebirds' tastes. You may wish to make adjustments to the recipes to conform more closely to some of the latest findings.

Bluebird Nut's Own Recipe
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
2 cups quick cook oats
2 cups cornmeal
1 cup lard
1 cup white or whole-wheat flour
1/3 cup sugar
Optional: chopped nuts, raisins, dried fruit, up to 1 cup. Melt lard and peanut butter in microwave, add remaining ingredients. Form into softball-sized balls. Store in freezer until ready to use, then microwave for 15-30 seconds, and crumble into dish or on platform feeder.

I also make a double recipe. I got about sixteen softball-sized balls from my last double batch.

Malinda's Recipe
1 cup Lard
1 cup Crunchy Peanut Butter
1 cup Cornmeal
3 cups Oats ("Quaker" cereal type)
1 cup Sugar (less is ok, but the full cup is great for a winter calorie boost in cold climates) Melt lard and peanut butter together (microwave works fine). Stir until blended. In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients, except for the oatmeal. Then, pour-in the melted lard/PB. Next, start adding the oatmeal 3 or so cups at a time. The “suet” should be thick. You may add extra oats if it is not thick enough. Pour the mixture into a greased pan (or glass pans - no extra greasing needed), cool in refrigerator and cut or spoon into the proper shape for your feeder. If you don't use it up quickly it can be frozen until needed. I also add extra chopped peanuts, chopped raisins, chopped sunflower hearts, and powdered sterilized eggshells.
 

Brenda's super mix:
1 5 pound can of Crisco*
1 large jar crunchy peanut butter
Melt over low heat and remove pot from stove.
Stir in 5 pounds of corn meal.
Add 3 pounds of white flour.
Stir until mixture is a flaky consistency. You can add or subtract flour as desired. "I store this concoction in a large Tupperware holder on my counter. I also freeze it. I mold this mixture into a standard basket-type suet hanging feeder also."

Bluebird Banquet Recipe (Linda Janilla Peterson)©
MIX 1 cup peanut butter
4 cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup unbleached or whole-wheat flour
ADD 1 cup fine sunflower seed chips
1 cup peanut hearts (or finely ground nuts)
1/2-1 cup Zante currants (or raisins cut in halves)
DRIZZLE and STIR IN 1 cup rendered, melted suet
Cool.

Resulting mix will be crumbly and should have bean/pea sized lumps from the drizzling of the melted suet. If too sticky after cooling, mix in a bit more flour. If too dry, drizzle in more melted suet. Refrigerate any mix you are not using - to prevent suet from turning rancid.

I use a commercial pure bird suet cake. You can render your own suet. Grind or cube butcher store suet. Melt over low heat. Watch carefully as suet is a fat and can start on fire with too high heat. A microwave can be used. Strain out the stringy bits (cracklings). Cool.

NOTE: Some say you can use solid shortening* for the suet and it works fine. This mixture is very popular with Bluebirders.

Nutritional analysis: Protein 12.7%, Carbohydrates 45.9%, Fat 32.7%, Fiber 5.9%

Bluebird Meal (Bluebird, Journal of the NABS, Vol.21, No.1)
5 parts old-fashioned oatmeal
1 part corn syrup
1 part peanut butter
1 part bacon grease, melted suet, or lard
Mix well and put into 1" holes drilled into a suspended log suet feeder.

Bluebird Monitor's Guide (Page 75)
4 cups cornmeal, yellow preferred
1 cup unbleached flour
1 cup peanut butter (without sodium and sugar added)
Mix well. Add:

1 cup sunflower chips
1 cup ground peanuts (unsalted, of course)
1/2 to 1 cup currants or stewed and chopped raisins
Mix well again. Then, add:

1 cup melted lard (preferred), or suet. Mix again.
The mixture should be somewhat crumbly and not too moist. Store it in plastic bags or containers in the refrigerator, or in the freezer for longer term.

This is a very nutritious treat which many songbirds love, especially our Bluebirds.

PESTS AND DISEASES

BLOWFLY INFORMATION
The larvae of the blowfly is a parasite on hatchlings and nestlings. Blowfly larvae seem more common when outdoor temperatures are warm. Therefore, first-nestings may be larvae-free. The adult blowfly lays its eggs in the nesting material. The larvae will survive only when there are baby birds in the nest as the larvae need the birds’ blood to eat and grow. (Note: the larvae try to attack the adult birds, but the adult birds pick them off.) Usually, by the time these whitish-gray larvae are clearly visible they have already done much of their damage. A major infestation of blowfly larvae can be hazardous to baby birds because of the extent of blood loss when other nesting factors (food rarity, extra cold or extra hot, etc.) are extreme.

The earlier these larvae are found, the better for hatchlings and nestlings. Sometimes, by gently rubbing through the ‘dust’ on the box floor - under the nest – blowfly larvae can be felt before they can be seen (they really blend in with that dust!).

Common methods for trying to control these larvae:

Use of a hardware cloth screen on the nestbox floor to keep the nest about a half-inch off the box floor. Debate about these screens include mention that by the time the larvae are heavy enough to fall out of the nest and through the screen, they’ve done most of their damage to the baby birds.

The nest may need replacing. (Note: technically, this is illegal. But then, technically, most of what monitoring calls for is illegal.) This may be necessary repeated times for the same nesting as new blowfly eggs are laid and hatch in as little as 36-48 hours. Moving the baby birds from the infested nest to the replacement nest can be dangerous to the baby birds’ soft bones. One key factor about moving nestlings … don’t "roll" them.

Low-level (0.03 – 0.1%) pyrethrin pesticide can be used under the nest. However, this is a toxin and is considered a choice of last resort.

Check Blowfly Information and Research to learn about this parasite and the Bird Nest Research project. This site shows interesting pictures of blowfly larvae of varying sizes as they grow. This research project needs nests from which baby birds have fledged and is for the main purpose of examination of the nests to determine the occurrence of parasites such as blowfly larvae, mites, etc.

ANTS & MITES
Ants frequently invade Bluebird nestboxes, and can sometimes cause a problem with biting the nestlings.
Prevention:

Solution: If a severe infestation has already occurred, a replacement nest may be the only option.

Mites: mites are rare for bluebirds, common for Tree Swallows (TRES). Providing TRES with all their feathers for nesting can prevent mite infestations. This is probably unrealistic for large trails. Then the nest replacing and pyrethrin as described for ants could be tried.

PAPER WASPS
Paper wasps like to build their houses inside nestboxes and birdhouses. Don't let them! If wasps are allowed to build in a nestbox, adult bluebirds could be induced to abandon a nesting as wasps will attack the adult birds, hatchlings, and nestlings. Deterrents to wasps building in a nestbox include smearing a very thin layer of Vaseline on the ceiling of the box or smearing a very thin layer of a high-fat bar soap. If done after a nesting is in process, great care must be exercised to not drop any Vaseline or soap into the nest, onto eggs, or onto babies.
Paper wasp information
Cornell paper wasp info

HANTA VIRUS Hanta Virus is a serious, sometimes lethal, disease contracted – by human - from the droppings of certain mice. Since mice often nest inside Bluebird nestboxes, it is important to know how to properly deal with cleaning a box in which a potentially infectious mouse nested. CDC Hanta Virus

WEST NILE VIRUS
West Nile disease is killing birds. Believed to be spread by bites of infected mosquitoes and bird-to-bird contact this virus and its disease are of concern to the birding world everywhere. Keep up to date on the spread and what can be done. CDC West Nile Virus

RACCOONS

Nestboxes offered in any area even thought to have raccoons should be on baffled poles. Although no baffle is 100% guaranteed, this is a highly effective baffle and very simple to make ... inexpensively! Raccoon Baffle

This same baffle is helpful against skunks and opossum as well. With well-fit hardware cloth (or other solid cap), it can also help against squirrels, chipmunks, mice, and rats ... as long as those critters cannot otherwise jump to the box.

For any baffle – before mounting (and annually) it might be helpful to spray inside it with a ‘no-stick’ cooking spray to help deter paper wasps from building inside the baffle.

SNAKES
Snakes are too common of predators on nestboxes. Because snakes can 'stand' 3/4 of their own length, snakes often easily by-pass raccoon baffles. In snake-prone areas, a large Zeleny Baffle ("skirt" or cone baffle) may help Zeleny Baffle, but equally may not. Some snakes are able to slither straight up vertical surfaces with no difficulty. There are some effective pole-mounted snake traps ... in that the traps catch the snakes. All are lethal to the snake, unless watched constantly to immediately free the snake. Because these traps are usually lethal to a protected species, I'm opting to not list any links here.

However, most often, the adult birds see a snake long before it is at the box (i.e. anywhere near the trap). If there are babies in the box, at the mere sighting of a snake, the adults will make extreme efforts to fledge the 'kids'. If the 'kids' are of any age passed open-eyes they will make every effort to heed the adults' panic call. Unless the 'kids' are of full fledging age they will otherwise fledge prematurely and most often drop right to the ground into the snake's path.

Keeping grass well trimmed within a large perimeter of the box might well be the best deterrent for snakes. However, that's piddlin' little protection against a snake.

Perhaps, the most important concern ... in any area prone to snakes, the monitor should always exercise care when opening a nestbox. To be 'greeted' by a coiled snake in a box is an unnerving experience.

Back to top

STATE and LOCAL Bluebird SOCIETY WEBSITES and/or CONTACT INFORMATION:
 

*Currently affiliates of North American Bluebird Society - Contact information from NABS website.

WILDLIFE REHABILITATION In the event you find an ill or injured bird (or other critter) it is crucial to the animal's survival that it be given to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. It is not legal to keep and care for the animal except by licensed rehabilitators. Find your closest rehabber now - before the emergency occurs. Being prepared is especially important ... there are rehabbers included in these lists that have actually had to close down due to lack of funding. So checking things out before the panic is crucial.

EMERGENCY BABY BIRD CARE

Tips for interim baby bird care information, provided only as a temporary resource for care until the bird can be delivered to - or picked up by - a trained, licensed wildlife rehabilitator.

Bluebird Nut - Emergency care for abandoned, orphaned, sick or injured baby or adult birds

Baby Bird Emergency Care

Back to top

BIRD IDENTIFICATION:

e-Nature
Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter

Back to top

MISCELLANEOUS
Interesting 'stuff' with tangential relationship to Bluebirds!

Report finding a Banded Bird
All about Bird Eggs
James Reserve Bluebird Trail
Wildlife Refuges
North American Snake Identification
Natural Insect Control

BIRD BANDING The purpose of putting leg-bands on birds is for research ... things such as migration patterns, nest site fidelity, survival length, etc. are just some examples of research. Banding migratory birds is legal only with a permit from the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The specific part of the site that covers information on how to apply for a federal permit is found here: Bird Banding Permits.

Back to top

Bluebird VIDEOS "Bluebirds in the Suburbs"
DGPearse
4497 Woodstream Drive
Columbus, OH 43230-5128
(614) 478 5004 Boz Metzdorf, videographer.
Birdseye View Productions
1761 co. rd. H
Deer Park, Wisconsin 54007
(715) 248-7459

Bluebird BOOKS

Scriven, Dorene "Bluebird Trails A Guide to Success", Bluebird Recovery Committee of the Audubon Chapter of Minneapolis ISBN: 0-9639661-1-1 Check here for the best price I've seen: Bluebird Recovery Program

Berger, C., Kridler, K., and Griggs, J. "The Bluebird Monitor's Guide". Harper Collins ISBN: 0-06-273743-0

Stokes, Donald & Lillian, "The Bluebird Book", Little Brown & Company ISBN: 0-316-81745-7

Troyer, Andrew M., "Bringing Back the Bluebirds – Even on Your Hand", Carlisle Printing ISBN: 0-9642548-4-0

Zickefoose, Julie, "Enjoying Bluebirds More, The Bluebird Landlord's Handbook", Bird Watcher's Digest ISBN: 1-880241-03-X

Grooms, Steve & Peterson, Dick, "Symbol of Hope - Bluebird"

(Nest Identification) Harrison, Hal H., "Eastern Birds' Nests". Peterson Field Guides, Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN: 0-395-93609-8. (This is the paperback Eastern guide).

(Nest Identification) Harrison, Hal H., "Western Birds' Nests". Peterson Field Guides, Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN: 0-618-16437-5. (This is the paperback Western guide).

Paul R. Ehrlich, David S. Dobkin, and Darryl Wheye, "The Birder's Handbook A Field Guide to the Natural History of North American Birds" A Fireside Book published by Simon & Schuster. ISBN: 0-671-65989-8. (Ok, not specifically about Bluebirds, but an excellent birding book!)

Back to top