Bluebird Landlord is website (BluebirdLandlord.com) and KZread channel dedicated to helping you attract and care for bluebirds in your own backyard.
Hey! My name is Grant and I have been an avid bluebird enthusiast for 16 years. It all started when my 7th grade science teacher offered extra credit to anyone who built a bluebird house. So, my dad and I built two bird houses out of some scrap wood in our backyard, and we attracted our first pair of eastern bluebirds that spring! (Plus I got the extra credit.)
The fun experience I had getting my first pair of bluebirds led me to learn as much as I could about attracting bluebirds to my backyard!
With this KZread channel, I hope to help you attract and care for bluebirds in your own backyard.
Click this link to subscribe to my KZread channel so you don't miss any new videos.
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We don’t have eastern bluebirds but have a lot of tree swallows so I start trapping English sparrows early before tree swallows return in the spring. I just ring their bell of the side of the garden shed when I catch them. Haven’t seen house sparrows in years. Tree swallows are doing great!
If invasives do wind up laying eggs in your nestbox, violently shake the eggs to prevent them from developing. This failed batch will delay the invasive mother into laying another clutch of eggs. I did this for starlings and after they realized no incubation they left the nest. I think they associated failed clutch with the box. Haven't tried the Gilbert box or spooker but everything else I confirm, especially not using cheap seed with millet and corn... attracts nuisance birds which tend to be more aggressive than our native songbirds.
Novice blue birder here…those sparrows are pesky! Here’s how I had success: Requires 2 bluebird houses. Put the first one up and remove the sparrow nest daily. Let the sparrows and bluebird fight for 2 weeks while you keep removing the sparrow nests. After 2 weeks put up your 2nd bluebird house. Mine was about 40 feet away from 1st one. Bluebirds took to it immediately. Sparrows stayed focused on the first box. After 2-3 more weeks bluebirds had built their nest, laid 3 eggs and babies were quickly growing. BUT the pesky sparrow returned to 2nd house and aggressively defended it preventing bluebird feeding. So I tried the fishing line suggestion without success. Then tried a sparrow spooker made from a coat hanger and heavy duty strips of aluminum foil. Once I mounted the spooker I also removed the sparrow nest (including eggs 🥴) from 1st house. Sparrows refocused back to first house! Success!
Great tips, thanks for posting something short and to the point!
I put a new bluebird house up yesterday 4/26/24. This morning 4/27/24 @ 10AM a pair of bluebirds are showing interest in the house. I used your info to help determine placement of the house. The entrance is facing east in the middle of large mowed back yard. The pair sat on top of the new house for a couple of minutes together. Prior to that the male flitted about the entrance multiple times acting as if he wanted to go inside but i never saw him actually go inside.
I will never destroy a bird nest even if it is not my favorite one.
If you had a nest boxes with chickadees and bluebird and you came home from work and found them killed, you might think differently. There are millions of house sparrows and not very many bluebirds.
@@gigic.7809Keep the nest boxes away from your windows, or you might find dead Bluebirds on the ground. Bluebirds can become aggressive during breeding season and often attack their reflections in mirrors and glass. Many end up getting killed this way.
Gotta fix those wind pops
Dude, the wind sound is quite loud.
My dad use to shoot house sparrows. It really upset me. All God’s creatures are good.
You dont care much for sparrows huh?
Can't hear anything. Did you film this in a wind storm?
This is a good, simple reference video. I am confused though, about the distance from wooded areas. Here in the video you say 50 yards. At least twice on your website you say 50 feet.
Seriously, 1/6" difference is going to matter?
I'm here so why are yu redirecting me to another webpage. Just show me what a sparrow spooker looks like. downvote
I have a question for you.. I’m wanting to put a camera inside this house do you think there’s enough space ? Thanks so much.
YOu are racist
I set an old bluebird house up against the south end of my pole building as it needed a new roof yester evening. Next morning bluebirds were checking it out even though it was not secure and the side monitoring panel needed the nail replaced. I have not seen a bluebird on my property for a long time!) Unsure where to put it, and certainly not in the busy location that I temporarily set it (which is also too close to an active wren nest) - I am going to place it on the opposite end of the 30 ft pole building to see what happens. I was really surprised to see that a pair of bluebirds found it so quickly! Figured they would all have nests set up by now - end of May.
Thank you so much for this video bc i have a bird house and dident know where to place it. This is so perfect. I loooooovvvveeee birds sooooooooo much❤
Yikes...close up of poster way too close...kinda scary! But good advice.
When put side by side with Peterson bluebird house styles, eastern bluebirds select the Peterson style entrance. They can perch on the outside to clean the nest. With a 1.5" hole they must enter the nest. Peterson style is oval, 1" 3/8 x 2" 1/8. Critics of the Peterson style says that Starlings can enter, but I have never had an issue, despite many starlings being in my area. If they become a problem, the front of the house swaps out really easy. My house is 30 years old, now, and never a starling. Everyone uses the Peterson style in MN. 40 years ago we were using what you use now.
Good point! A lot of people do have success with the Peterson style box. It was definitely an innovative design and I doubt starlings are often a problem.
Tip #6: Shoot the damn house sparrows! Starlings too. Tip #7: Use 10 to 20 pound monofilament fishing line, dangled off the front of the lid of your nest box. It will scare off the house sparrows. Weigh the lines down with fishing line weights or a small hex nuts. They’re a little bit too proud of those Gilbertson nest boxes. $43 for a bluebird house? You’ve got to be freaking kidding me! I’ll buy some pipe and make one myself.
Is shooting the male house sparrows enough or also the females? I don't want the females to retaliate against the bluebirds
They are dang hard to hit. I have tried so hard but never hit a one. I also tried to hit mockingbirds (don’t tell on me: they are our state bird). 🦅 they are a bleeding nuisance especially during their breeding season whenever they see anything like a human or a cat they just attack and they make it really ugly hissing sound so they’re annoying
@@esta1ful Northern mockingbird are native to the US. Don’t kill them. We need them to eat all the insects that all the extinct species of birds used to eat. Many birds have gone extinct partly because of roaming and feral cats. The bird isn’t going to hurt you, or a cat. I think I got attacked by one in a Kroger shopping plaza. I was walking along the sidewalk and one swooped down from behind me and grabbed my shoulder. I didn’t see what it was, but it may have been a Mockingbird, nesting in a nearby tree. Your cat doesn’t belong outdoors. Keep your cat indoors, where it belongs. Cats are not native to the United States and they kill too many of our songbirds and other native species of animals. A lot of them kill just for sport. They don’t even eat the damn thing. Pitiful.
I've "removed" over 250 house sparrows in the past 8 months using a sparrow trap
@@Joe-Skier That’s great, Joe. Good job and keep it up.
Oh great. Just another Google scholar handing out regurgitated info.
Oh great. Just another keyboard critic. If this info is unhelpful or wrong in some way, I’m happy to update it or clarify.
The name Robert Cornelius sounds like a plantation owner who owned slaves, lol.
@@bluemystic7501 , I think my grandfather owned over a hundred white slaves.
@@robertcornelius3514 Lol! I knew it!
Our bird houses have 1 1/2 diameter, but we have had tree swallows nest the last several years, but magpies have killed the chicks the last couple of years. I thought the entrance hole was too small for the magpies to reach in but I was wrong. Any suggestions? We live in Buffalo Wyoming.
Thanks for the info
I know we need the sparrows but they always beat the blue birds out of the nest boxes and 2 has turned into 25 at the feeder. I'm pretty fed up with them right now.
No, we don’t need to sparrows. House Sparrows are an invasive species in the United States and they outcompete native species for nesting sites. They need to be eliminated. That’s the only solution. If you see them, either trap them or shoot them. Get rid of them.
We don’t need the house sparrow they are an introduced invasive species in North America. This is why most departments of wildlife conservation encourages the elimination of breeding pairs and will provide instructions on how to do so.
As long as they are domestic sparrows. The ones that are causing a lot of the problems, are the European sparrows, which are an invasive species. European Starlings are also a problem for our domestic birds.
As long as they are domestic sparrows. The ones that are causing a lot of the problems, are the European sparrows, which are an invasive species. European Starlings are also a problem for our domestic birds.
We don't need THOSE sparrows !
Disturbing comments.
Ang.. if you saw what we saw would be pissed too. I watched the aggressive sparrow fight- take over- break and toss out 4 bluebird eggs. The fighting is awful. I will remove the mean male sparrow
As if 1/16 is going to make a difference!
It’s what the North American Bluebird Society recommends. I wouldn’t take the risk on using the smaller hole if you are in mountain bluebird territory. Seems to make a difference for them.
Can’t hear
How do I know if the blue birds have laid their first egg?
Great video!
Sparrows are very easy to deter without harming them. Simply drill a medium sized hole in top of birdhouse roof & with something that is semi-transparent. Its something about the light that deters other birds .I was having sparrows/other birds issues. After modifing my bluebird houses, no more problems over a four year period. Sometimes they will place a few twigs in house & then stop. Bluebird house modification plans: kzread.info/dash/bejne/iqyNps1-lZjHprA.html
Audio quality very poor. Low volume and wind make it almost impossible to hear and understand.
I heard everything just fine 😂
Almost impossible task...thank goodness for the van ert trap
Lost a clutch of 5 bluebird eggs saw the mother go in one evening checked it a few days later and all eggs gone, no sign of a struggle like pieces of egg shell or feathers just empty. I had to be either a snake or a very delicate eating racoon.
ban bird feeders
How terrible! Advocating killing sparrows? Bragging about killing them? Disgusting.
This is an invasive species that attacks our bluebirds and other song birds that are beneficial for many reasons. They were introduced to the US from Europe in the mid 1800 and quickly set out to destroy. Nothing wrong with eliminating them to save our song birds.
They are very aggressive and invasive they kill native birds as well
To be clear, it's the aggressive non-native invasive House Sparrows, not all sparrows. These murdering little spauns of satan kill our native bluebirds and tree swallows and their young, just to take over their nest, and in many cases they don't even take over the nest. They just want to kill them. These evil house sparrows are not protected under federal law and the US Wildlife Service encourages trapping and dispatching of these non native invasive species.
They are in invasive species that are harmful to native wildlife.
I have 2 Gilbertson bluebird boxes. A sparrow found one right after one set of bluebirds fledged. The sparrow will not leave this box and I’ve put up a trap boxes to catch that devil bird, no luck at all. I’ve caught my blues instead. Very frustrating! I’ve tried the spookers as well, didn’t phase that devil bird. I ended up taking that box down. Really wish those devil birds were NEVER introduced here😭
Take down the birdhouse and then put up trap boxes.
@@shannonspage9360 I did and caught the sparrow.
Madness or stupidity......
Really enjoying the videos! Look forward to more! Thanks!
I use a highly accurate. 22 cal pre-charged pneumatic air rifle on house sparrows and starlings. House sparrows are very aware when you target them! They are very smart! I used to trap but I was trapping chipping sparrows and other natives!
You are so right ….they are crazy smart …..if you shot at one and miss …..your gonna have a hard time shooting at him again…..they know what your doing, you can’t shot them from the same spot you have to move …..lucky for me I have two sliding glass doors at my house so if I miss from one I get one more shot on the other end of the house ….you better not miss …but you are right they’re smart, they’ll surprise you
Do you have to shoot the males and females? I read that males are the ones that build the nests. I don't want to have females retaliate against the bluebirds though
Trapping & shooting house sparrows is many, many times more effective than any other method of control. All other methods are marginal at best. Detergent methods, if they were to work at all, just move the problem onto to some other unfortunate native cavity nesting bird family, so you aren't actually helping overall. And simply removing the nest without dispatching the sparrows is a good way to end up with dead bluebirds due to retaliation by the house sparrows. Stop wasting time and jeopardizing bluebirds by avoiding humanely dispatching house sparrows.
Would shooting that males be enough or also the females?
If you have house sparrows nesting close to a Bluebird nest with eggs, babies' never pull that house sparrow nest bcuz they will go on a rampage killing Bluebirds and babies thinking they did it. You should put in a Van Ert trap in the HS wooden house and catch them demons first. I pulled out a HS nest 1994 first year with Bluebirds just 50ft away and came home from work to see the eggs busted on the ground, I caught the male HS next morning and rung his neck. Bluebirds when on to nest that spring, summer.
It’s most important to monitor for sparrows and toss the materials on the ground. Also, be on the lookout for wasps nesting in there. They certainly keep the bb’s away.
It’s also hard for me to believe that an animal with a brain about the size of probably a lima bean would have enough thinking capacity to plan revenge against another bird species it just sort of boggles my mind.
🙋🏻♂️ Close to house’s….. well, blue birds built their nest under our patio in a garden hose reel ( hose is wound onto these reels ) These is a cavity on these reels, and that’s where the nest is. I’ve used my reel to store an extension cord on, which I’m unable to use now there are 2 babies in this nest. We are in and out all the time passing by this nest at our back door area. Those birds will just have to adapt, since I cannot use the extension cord ( a little give and take …haha ). 4-27-2022 Central Louisiana 👍🏻💪🦾
HOSP serial killer is killing all the eggs around our house killed 3 of our bluebird eggs and then another type of egg not sure the species so upsetting!
You will have to trap, shoot the HOSP they're a non-native invasive species are you will not have Bluebirds. Get a Van Ert trap $10 Google it, it will work. You can eliminate that HS and your bluebirds will come back.
Get a pellet G#n, it works and yes its legal.
Van Ert trap is an essential weapon February through September
Got that right, I hate them little demons.
Wow why couldn’t you just give us all of the information on this video? Everything was really good up until then
How can you tell house sparrow nest from a bluebird nest? Materials?
Look up images on the internet. House sparrow nests are usually very messy compared to the neat & tidy bluebird nests. House sparrows tend to fill the cavity up with nesting material and then make a tunnel through it to the brood area.
Bluebird nests are very tidy and tea cup like.
Thank you for these great tips. When do the bluebird's make their nest?
The warmer the earlier. In PA they typically scout in early March and start building by April. They can nest up to 2 or 3 times a season but usually different spots.
Thanks and happy birding 2022!
@@fortheearth best of luck.
Last year, we had the most territorial and aggressive House Sparrow that we have ever seen. He kept trying to build in one of our bluebird boxes and no matter how many times the nest was thrown out (which he would build up again in a day or two) he would not leave this box... and he never had a mate! It was one of the most frustrating things, because this went on for weeks. He would not go into the sparrow trap we put out, so he was finally eliminated with an air rifle.
Ive had a lot of HS in my area and last winter a year ago I eliminated 100's and I also used a nestbox trap for HS and caught about 20 in it . This yr Ive decided to try and eliminate all preferable seed of HS so that they will want to be elsewhere. I launched that same nest box trap this season and have only captured 1 HS so it must be working somewhat. Ive never had bluebirds here but want them. About a month ago I did put up a gilbertson nest box and have seen a couple HS check it out but did not use it at least not yet. So I still have hope that I will eventually get bluebirds here.
Great, keep up the great work on these non-native invasive species that kill our songbirds.
Same. I am up to about 150 in a year. Still more work to go but a noticeable difference now. It is not an impossible task and if we could get a few people in the neighborhood helping out we could eliminate this devil bird for good.
@@uhill74 I don’t think we’ll ever eliminate them, but we can knock their numbers down a little bit.
@@alan30189 agreed. We can make it bearable for other cavity nesters. It is a shame there is no control done by townships the same way rats are controlled. And people just have no clue and continue to feed them with junk seed.
About 6 years after living in my current house I finally got bluebirds. The pellet g#n works great! Don't give up!
I have a few boxes and one of them is against the front of our house about 2 feet away. The Bluebirds had one clutch in that box last year and 2 in the one in the backyard