Kath F. Made A New Tree Swallow

[bluetick]

Well Kathy I made two new Tree Swallow boxes with the 7/8 by 2-1/4 inch slots. What do you think. My wife painted them for me. Told her white and got light green. She will not be in charge of any Martin House Painting.LOL! Bluetick Dave

[4th Gen Martin Fan]

Dave,
That looks like an XBox!
That is the design that I have gone to for my bluebird boxes.
I have even used this design for my sparrow trap boxes. I use a Van Erp trap inside and I have a side access hole which I can uncover to let out any trapped bird out into a Trio/Nature House Inc. Spar-O-Door funnel. A quick inspection determines the species and their ultimate fate.

[KathyF]

Dave! Your slot looks great - I like the idea of using 6 screws in it too, instead of 4! Can't wait to see how your birds use them. If you see that they're struggling, try making a bigger slot and putting it on temporarily until they get the hang of it, then put on the tighter slots.

LOL - love the color your wife chose for the box....should make it easy for the birds to find.

[KathyF]

Dave,
That looks like an XBox!
That is the design that I have gone to for my bluebird boxes.
I have even used this design for my sparrow trap boxes. I use a Van Erp trap inside and I have a side access hole which I can uncover to let out any trapped bird out into a Trio/Nature House Inc. Spar-O-Door funnel. A quick inspection determines the species and their ultimate fate.

Mark, I'm curious which size slots you're using, because the bluebirds cannot get into these slots that are only 7/8" high here at my site. Anything that a bluebird can get into, a HOSP can probably get into also.

[bluetick]

Kathy I made two plates 15/16 by 2-1/4 inches to have if 7/8's is to small. Do you think maybe I should have went one inch. I saw where a man made an oblong hole and he made the center 15/16" made it 2" long and tapered it down to 5/8" on each end. I guess we will see what happens. I am trying to keep Bluebirds and Sparrows out. A man told me if I would put two boxes there and pair them 15 feet a part that a tree swallow would use one and a bluebird the other one. What do you know about that? Thanks, Dave P.S. He said he did that and they didn't fight. He said the bluebird would not let another bluebird in the second box but it would let a tree swallow nest there.

[tonyg]

Dave, nice job..your wife was just thinking that they might arrive at night..

[bluetick]

They do kind of look like the shirts the Guys wear picking up a long the road ways. I am glad my wife don't get on here or I would be painting my own boxes. LOL!

[KathyF]

Kathy I made two plates 15/16 by 2-1/4 inches to have if 7/8's is to small. Do you think maybe I should have went one inch. I saw where a man made an oblong hole and he made the center 15/16" made it 2" long and tapered it down to 5/8" on each end. I guess we will see what happens. I am trying to keep Bluebirds and Sparrows out. A man told me if I would put two boxes there and pair them 15 feet a part that a tree swallow would use one and a bluebird the other one. What do you know about that? Thanks, Dave P.S. He said he did that and they didn't fight. He said the bluebird would not let another bluebird in the second box but it would let a tree swallow nest there.

Hi Dave,
The 15/16" should be ok, but I would just watch the tree swallows when they arrive and if they're really struggling, then make a plate that's 1" high. Once they learn how to get in, then put on the correctly-sized plate.

As to the boxes 15' apart, I didn't consciously think about it when I did it, but I do have a tree swallow nest box with the slotted entrance that always has TRES nesting about 35' to the south of my martin colony and a bluebird box with a round hole entrance with BB nesting about 25' to the east of that tree swallow box, so yes, I guess it does work. They squabble for a bit initially when the TRES comes and tries to take over the BB box, but every year for the last 7 years, I've had them nest there.
Can't hurt to try it!
I did try the 2 nest boxes paired on one pole though and that did NOT work.

[bluetick]

Thanks Kathy for your time. I am getting this all out of the way before the Martins come because I am looking after the Martins most of the time when they get here. I do love the little tree swallows and the Bluebirds too. Dave P.S. I drilled holes on the inside 1/4" deep so my swallows could get up the front of my box. Made them in rows 3/4" apart all the way to the top.

[KathyF]

Thanks Kathy for your time. I am getting this all out of the way before the Martins come because I am looking after the Martins most of the time when they get here. I do love the little tree swallows and the Bluebirds too. Dave P.S. I drilled holes on the inside 1/4" deep so my swallows could get up the front of my box. Made them in rows 3/4" apart all the way to the top.

Dave, you're welcome - happy to help! I love my little tree swallows too...they usually arrive here a couple of weeks before the martins, but last year, one arrived with a martin and both were sitting in a tree chirping away.

Good idea on the holes in rows! Can't wait to hear about your TRES arrivals!

[Carlton]

Looks good. I think it will be just fine.

[Roymg]

Dave,

Just bite the bullet!

[bluetick]

Told my wife how well you Guys liked her Bright green paint and when I got home yesterday she wanted me to go to the basement and look at what she had done. She took all my bluebird boxes down and painted them that color. I just said they are beautiful. Thanks. What could I say? I don't have any Martin boxes that get paint. I was thankful for that.LOL! Have a good day everyone. Bluetick Dave

[Bernie Nikolai]

Kathy I made two plates 15/16 by 2-1/4 inches to have if 7/8's is to small. Do you think maybe I should have went one inch. I saw where a man made an oblong hole and he made the center 15/16" made it 2" long and tapered it down to 5/8" on each end. I guess we will see what happens.

Hi Dave, I usually host about a dozen tree swallow pairs each spring/summer at my martin colony. I have experimented a lot with the "slot entrances". If you go to 1" sparrows will definitely be able to get in. 7/8" they can't, yet tree swallows can. 15/16"....well, just maybe a thin sparrow can still get in, so you will have to try it and see...

I have found the yellow and/or sky blue paint deters nesting sparrows. They just don't like the colour. Perhaps it reminds them of "open sky". It doesn't work 100%, but it does noticeably deter the number of sparrows that try to nest in a house. Martins and tree swallows don't seem to care about the colour.

[bluetick]

Thanks Bernie. Bluetick Dave