It's for electrical wiring and comes in 10' lengths. Wooden posts are easy to mount boxes on but easy for predators to climb. The Swallows do aggressively guard their box (more than the BBs), because there is always one of them at the box at all times, never left unattended. I am so bummed about this because just when I thought I would have no worries because I hadn't seen any Sparrows or Wrens bothering my BBs, I find I now have to contend with a new predator.Ī few days ago I did see a Woodpecker land on my Swallow box, but I didn't think anything of it at the time. The female eventually returned & went in the box for the night, just before it got too dark. Just checked video footage from earlier this evening, & right before sunset, the BBs were back & forth feeding the chicks before settling down for the night, & in the split second they were both gone from the nest, the Woodpecker returned, this time yanking out a chick.Ī few seconds later the Male BB returned, went in the box, & then left, but I couldn't tell if he was even aware a chick was missing because he did not act distressed. I also secured a piece of wire mesh onto the top of the baffle (it has sharp edges) for extra protection but that is another matter. I saw (it had to be) a 6 foot black snake near the nest one morning but he did not try to climb the baffle. I am on my second nest and thus far to my knowledge no predator has tried to surmount the baffle which wobbles. I used the drill bit to make tiny holes in the cap so I could cut out a little larger than 3/4" hole to fit over my 3/4" galvanized pipe I hammered into the ground.Īnyway all this is discussed in the video. Once you fold over the stove pipe, you need a small drill bit and some small screws to secure both sides at the seam and to secure the cap at the top. I cut it in half with wire snippers, leaving me a 30" long piece (this video recommends 24 inches so mine is 6" longer but only 6" in diameter not the 8" he recommends). I went to Home Depot and bought a 60 inch piece of galvanized "stove pipe" and a galvanized cap to secure at the top. 'Bluebird predator guards - protect your Bluebird nest' I have had so many Bluebird tragedies over the years, snakes, racoons, etc., I almost gave up until experts kept lecturing me to make a baffle and put my box on a 3/4" pole, so I Googled it. I don't know how long they were without food prior to 10am this morning, but they have been chirping all day long and seem very active.Ĭalled my DNR asked if they could recommend a rehabilator and they said it was not allowed and I had to just let nature take its course and let them die if parents don't come back. It is now 5pm just checked the footage again (in fast forward mode) and the chicks have not been feed in those 7-hrs that I have been filming. I set up my camcorder near another tree to monitor the nest to see what they were and come to find, that no parent came to the nest at all the entire time I had the camera running. They look to be about a week old fully feather, still has fuzz on top of their heads. Walked towards the sound and found a nest in the tree with two chicks that I was unable to identify but could possibly be mockingbird chicks. While walking to down my driveway to my mailbox I heard chicks chirping like crazy as if in distress. This is not about bluebirds but I have no where else to turn.
BLUEBIRD FEEDER HOME DEPOT HOW TO
Instructions on how to make it are included.
This is like the type of Guard for birdhouses that Rosanna is speaking about. If you google "metal predator guards for nest boxes", you should be able to find something similar to see what it looks like. If I was able to include a photo in this post I would. (yes, wrens are culprits too)īut it prevents woodpeckers reaching in and gives the bluebird a fighting chance to fight off smaller birds that try to enter. However, it won't keep sparrows or wrens from going inside to remove eggs. This year, we had a successful clutch of 3-bluebird chicks fledge this past Friday, June 17thīecause this year, we used a home-made rectangular shaped predator guard fashioned with wire mesh and screwed it vertically to the outside of the box entrance.
It reached in and stole two of the chicks - the bluebirds probably wouldn't have tried to tackle a bird that large. The following year, I put up a camcorder with 8-hour tape to capture what was doing this, and yes, it was a red-bellied woodpecker. Maggie, you are describing same issues I used to have a few years back.
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