Chickens in my Bluebird Box

My mother has a love / hate affair with the American Robin. On the one hand she admires the robin as a noble bird that has enough self pride to not visit feeders. On the other hand, mom sees robins as dirty birds that won't stop building nests in her hanging pots and on top of her exterior lights. I feel great empathy for the poor robin that selects my mother's place as she will stop at nothing to erect elaborate contraptions to deter their nest building. Those however who insist on building, will have their nests removed by whatever means she can muster.  And so the battle goes on all breeding season long.

I don't share my mother's diligence in these sorts of things; and so I found myself on the last day of March instead of the first, examining and cleaning out my bluebird boxes. I'm quite fond of bluebirds as they have a remarkable underdog comeback story and they eat a lot of insects. It seems peculiar to me that both the American Robin and the Eastern Bluebird are members of the Thrush family, even though robins nest in open nests and bluebirds nest in a nest cavity.  The distinction between nesting sites is in part why bluebird numbers dropped to the point of needing help. With the loss of rotten trees and open lands to development, along with the demise of wooden fence posts, bluebirds have fewer cavities in which to nest. Being timid birds, bluebirds also lost out to competition from other cavity nesting birds.

For my first brave attempt at cleaning the boxes, I reached for the latch only to be greeted with a quick peck through the hole and then frantic wings whizzing past my eyeballs. That was enough for that day - round one went to the House Sparrow. I waited several more days before I made up my mind to evict the invasive species in favor of a native. This time however,  I went in knowing what I was up against and I was wearing gloves. Still, not being as determined as my mother, I decided that I would abandon the project if I found eggs in the nest. I eased the latch open and  managed to open the front of the box before the sparrow left her nest. Eyeballs in tact I gently searched the nest for eggs among chicken feathers.

 I'm not exactly sure whose chickens those sparrows snatched bald to build their nest, all I know is that those darn sparrows must be mighty feisty!  Given the evidence, I fully expect this to be an all spring into the summer, ten round competition. Perhaps next year I will put up my no vacancy sign before the House Sparrows move in or else risk becoming my mother.

Bluebird boxes should be pole mounted, facing an open area, but not towards prevailing winds

Bluebirds use grasses and pine needles to make their nests

House Sparrows used chicken feathers to build their nest