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Re: bluebirds and house sparrows

From:

Gerald & Laura Tarbell

Reply-To:

Gerald & Laura Tarbell

Date:

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 19:06:48 -0500

 Danny Poet said - So unless  folks are willing to  do a proper job  Do Not
but up nesting boxes  for any species that house sparrows can use.

Danny and all,

Just a comment. In traveling around the country I am surprised at how often
we see "bluebird trails" at nature centers, wildlife refuges, parks and
other similar public facilities. When we ask the staff about what kind of
results they are seeing, we often get an answer that the boxes are either
not monitored or are not done so regularly.

Clearly the facility means well or the boxes wouldn't be there. However they
seem to think it's enough just to put up the boxes and let them be- sort of
a display of good will toward nature. Then they drop the ball.

Anybody who has ever read what I consider to be the instruction manual for
bluebirding  - namely Lawrence Zeleny's classic "The Bluebird" - he leaves
no doubt that boxes need to be monitored. If you don't intend to do that
then you're better off not putting one or more up.
    I am amazed at how often I see boxes that have no means of monitoring
them. All sides are solidly nailed shut and you have no easy way of checking
them. There are several ways of designing them so that they can be monitored
by just pulling out a loose nail or something. I also recommend cleaning
them (I hose mine out thoroughly) after each brood has fledged. This helps
cut down on evil little wormy predators. However, please get the box back up
quickly. Brood number two is often only a week behind.

    If you are reluctant to open the boxes in fear of disturbing the adults,
many times I have had the female just sit there calmly staring up at me when
I open a box. They seem to have varying personalities when it comes to the
amount of alarm they display when you check a box. Some will get hyper and
almost do the Tree Swallow "dive bomb". Others sit quietly in a nearby tree
and just watch. Most importantly I have never walked away and looked back
without seeing them fly immediately to the hole and check the status of the
brood. Often they'll resume the feeding forays within minutes. So don't be
shy- check the boxes! And don't be shy about dispatching sparrows. My method
is somewhat abrupt.

    Jerry Tarbell
Who will be glad to give lessons to anybody that thinks they need them.
However I recommend just getting Zeleny's book and following it to the
letter. It is still around some 30 years later.