Blue Birds/ Intruders

DelmaWhisenhunt · Sat May 07, 2011 9:17 am

No matter where the martin houses are located, no matter how many blue bird houses, they leave their houses and take over the martin houses. A martin landed this morning and three blue birds attacked immediately. What's with these birds anyway? The war against them in defense of the martins is much worse. May have to take martin house and close it up.

Sam Harris · Sat May 07, 2011 9:44 am

How close are your trees to the martin houses? I live in Oklahoma too, My bluebirds just fledged 3 last week. I rarely ever see them around my martin houses.

DelmaWhisenhunt · Sat May 07, 2011 9:50 am

One tree is several feet away and others greater distance. A blue bird house is on the closest tree and to begin with they built a nest in it, but abandoned and moved to the martin house. I also moved the gourd from the martin house that they took over and put it on the same tree since they had started a nest in it, now they act like they see it no more.

LindaP · Sat May 07, 2011 10:06 am

Sorry to hear that Bluebirds are causing trouble. They do not nest in groups but one pair may not mind sharing with Martins. They both need human help so put a bb house nearby and they will zip on over. If it were later in the year 3 bb's would have to include offspring. Never heard of them ganging up, but tree swallows will to that.
I've just fledged 10 bluebirds last week and monitor 13 bb houses nearby. Lots of tree swallow competition and I meet them with joy and trepidation as they take many of the houses each year. If your martin house is not in open territory you will have difficulty. But even bb prefer to be away from trees and shrubs.
It's a tough call to close the house to potential PMs so I sympathize because I'm fighting a starling problem and have installed 2 crescent entrances and have closed up the rest until I get my order of excluder entrances. I now believe that starlings are the ones that destroyed my martin nests last year. I thought it was something else, but after reading Q&As I realized they were most likely the villains.

Keep striving for our native birds!
LindaP

Sam Harris · Sat May 07, 2011 10:15 am

My closest trees are 35 feet from the martin houses. The houses are also close to my home, about 15 feet. I have 3 blue bird house that are spread across my yard. I have not seen much of the blue birds since the fledged their young. I currently have 3 pair of martins, but I am dealing with a starling that keeps hanging around.

M.Stephens · Sat May 07, 2011 10:29 am

Delma did you read Tim's thread on bluebird protocol?

http://www.purplemartin.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=19607

deacdiddy · Sat May 07, 2011 11:01 am

I had the same problem and did what the bb protocall called for. I closed off the gourds and forced the bbs to nest in their own box. Once they laid eggs they left my pm visitors alone and I was able to reopen my housing to pm's.

chickadee · Sat May 07, 2011 3:13 pm

Lol! I don't want to talk hate about my bb. But they have been on my last nerve this year! This is my fourth year having them. And this year just has been so bad. I'm here to tell you I see why every bird in my yard wants to beat them up. He goes into every box has his own box with young that have just hatched. And still finds the time to chase the ts off their box keep the martins off their bed and breakfast. And the robins chase the bb off their box I'm concerned about them getting in their to feed their young as much as they need. All the birds in my yard this year have just been acting out and not like iv ever seen before. I have moved my bb box every where. He doesn't want a gourd he wants every eood box in the yard. I wish you luck they are persistent as a sparrow. Just don't shoot them.(Lol)

DelmaWhisenhunt · Sat May 07, 2011 3:40 pm

The past two or three days I have been successful trapping sparrows, but why? At least they make war with the BB and the martins will not. A couple of martins landed a few moments ago, but here come the blue birds as if they own the entire spread. I have five BB houses up, but no thanks they say, let's move up high to be king and queen and live in multi bedrooms, accomodations so much better. Sometimes feel my brain needs a rest, its been so over-worked with schemes that fall flat and have to mark off one by one.

DelmaWhisenhunt · Sat May 07, 2011 3:44 pm

Forgot to mention I have to pay a young man to come and do some of the schemes on the martin houses, etc. raising, lowering, cleaning, etc./ yesterday he got out of his vehicle inquiring what do we do to them today? My answer what we can stop them from doing to us?

chickadee · Sat May 07, 2011 3:53 pm

Let me tell you I know just how you feel. It doesn't get better even whe you get them to nest in their own box and even have eggs. My bb think they own the yard. They have not taken over martin housing just their feeder and take their crickets. Few days ago they had me so upset I was ready to throw their eggs out in the field. That's just me being up set. Of course I would never do it. But I am at wits end with these birds. Every time a new ts I have brings a female to inspect the box, the bb lands on it and the female ts flees like mr ts you don't even own this box. I throw my dogs frisbee towards the box and the bb takes off. But he always just comes right back. And the poor male ts just screams. But on the other hand sparrows will make your new martins leave way before a bb. Sparrows kill bb just are a pain. In some way or another seems like they all need managed.

chickadee · Sat May 07, 2011 4:02 pm

Can't believe I'm saying or suggesting this. But if you really want martins before bb. And you feel like you have done all you can do. You could trap both bb and relocate them. I think a lot of people have well behaved bb. And some don't. This is my first year where they are not. But these birds are my second favorite bird. I feed them meal worms everyday. They are so aggressive they beat up my ts hear. They chase starlings away from my martins. They earn their keep if you can get them where they need to go. Their box is like 15 ft from my martin rack and about 25 from trees. But iv had them nest in box on my apple trees. I think some years the birds just can be different.

chickadee · Sat May 07, 2011 4:10 pm

Linda, you seem to be experienced with bb.i am in a pickle. My bully bb have made an enemy! Rocking robin! This robin knocks them off their box,sits on it, even has pulled mrs bb of the hole when trying to go in. Their eggs hatched 2 days ago and I'm scared they are not getting in their as much as they need. Iv tryed to think what I can do to make this robin stop? I think it started because I was feeding the bb on their box and the robin found it. I took it away but I think when the bb goes to the box , the robin thinks their getting food. Any suggestions? Iv never dealt with this. And I don't recommend feeding on the box any more. This has been a hard year with all my birds this year.

Louise Chambers · Sat May 07, 2011 4:42 pm

Kelli,

Trapping and relocating any native bird is illegal. The best way to deal with bluebirds fighting with investigating martins is to follow the bluebird/tree swallow martin protocol, as detailed by Dan Drew - please do a search and follow that.

I think the robin was attracted to the food (not a good idea to feed bluebirds on their nestbox, for this reason). I wonder if you set up another bluebird box or feeding station about 30 feet away, if you could lure the robin over there with food? Worth a try.

chickadee · Sat May 07, 2011 4:55 pm

Thanks louise, I did not know to relocate another song bird was illegal. I thought I seen someone suggest it on here before. I have never done it and wouldn't.just was trying to pass along what iv heard others do when have tried everything. I'm thankful to get the bb. I don't need to follow the protocol you are referring to, because my problem is not the bb trying to take over the martins house. They are settled in their own house. They just bully everyone and pick on my ts. Don't make sense when they have a house. But I will take the suggestion for the robin. I did not want to feed them I toss them grapes. But guess I could give them bugs for a while then replace with grapes. Something to keep them off the bb house. I will give this a try. Thanks

Keith · Sat May 07, 2011 9:33 pm

Delma,
My opinion is that you would likely have Martins this year and maybe even last year if the BB would leave your Martins alone when they show up. I have mentioned in other threads that I simply had to force BB to the field and along my walking trail at least a hundred yards from my Martin housing and this way can still enjoy the BB too. This is possible for me to do as I'm in the country on 17 acres. I do love my Martins enough that if I lived on a small lot I just would not allow the BB around by not providing housing and keeping Martin housing closed until the Martins showed up. Apparently others on here do not have problems with BB but I know how aggressive they can be. I do hope everyone knows that I love BB and I think I have 4 pair nesting, I just put them in their place.
Keith

DelmaWhisenhunt · Sun May 08, 2011 7:20 am

Since I can't readily lower the martin house and close, I am wondering if I took a can of hornet and wasp spray and from time to time sprayed upon the house if the BB would eventually give up and go to their houses. They have not nested in the martin house yet and would not be sprayed on them. Does the spray have enough scent to maybe run them off? The young man I hire to come and do different things with the houses, I think is about to give up on me. At least I can trap sparrows, and got four this weekend, that isn't many, but its four less to hassle the martins when they do soar over.

Louise Chambers · Sun May 08, 2011 7:42 am

Delma,

Wasp spray in a martin house is not a good idea - the residue could remain and harm birds. I don't know if it would deter bluebirds, but you don't want to harm them. All you can do is plug the martin house until the bluebirds lose interest, put up some perch poles for the bluebirds close to a house you want them to use, and hang in there. Perch poles can be rigged by putting up a tall piece of bamboo (from garden center) with a short crossbar for perching. Substitute whatever's handy for bamboo - pvc or emt or a wooden stake. Six feet tall would be fine, I bet.

Brad-AL · Sun May 08, 2011 7:55 am

Are all your houses on trees? The Bluebirds are trying to nest in the gourds because they are out in the open. Bluebirds will nest in houses under or on a tree, but much prefer a house out in the open.

RC Moser · Sun May 08, 2011 11:23 am

About blue bird design housing. IMO bb housing is flawed. they need to have tunnel (2 by 4 or something extending the entry and and baffle (below the entry hanging over the nest chamber 2" or so) to prevent hawks, bluejays, and owls (especially Owls, Screech or barred) from reaching in and plucking them out. I have lost several blue bird females this way. This year I have build safe house (basiclly box with 1 1/2 opening at he bottom 3" space inside with the blocker board with 1 5/8, then nest chamber and and escape at the end at the top (another 1 1/2 space left for escape.