First of all,congratulations for wanting to host bluebirds,but there is work involved and you need to be open and willing to learn from those who have had success.Your first step might be to go to Bet's website,www.sialis.org.She has great knowledge and experience.You really need to be willing to control those house sparrows and if you don't,it really would be better not to put up the boxes.I certainly don't mean to discourage you,just read all you can and ask questions.Most of us have learned some really tough lessons.It is definately worth it when you are successful,all I am saying is that there is work involved.Three boxes is not too many for 2 acres.I also learned a lot from the Stokes bluebird book,that was my bible when I started many years ago.So give it a try, and I wish you the best and Happy Bluebirding.Let us know how you make out.....Jane in Mass.

I second all Jane's thoughts. If you can be prepared, bluebirding is an extremely rewarding experience. Many of us(correction: MOST of us) have had to deal with house sparrows. I can't tell you how many people I've known who, in the first year hosting bluebirds they have success, and for some reason, the house sparrows become a bigger problem in the second year, and people are taken by surprise (or shock) when the house sparrows kill the male in the box, or the female as she incubates eggs, or they smash unattended eggs, or toss the eggs out. In my first experience, a male house sparrow killed 6 newborn hatchlings by pecking them on the head. So if you decide to proceed, just be prepared.
Bet's web site, www.sialis.org is a wonderful resource, and we will be here if you need us.
Another option is to add hole reducers and host chickadees, if they are in your area. The proper hole reducer will prevent house sparrows from entering. You might want to read up on that at the website linked below.
P.S. The little round wooden thing that many bluebird nestboxes come with (some people call them "predator guards") which extends the entrance does not protect anything from predators.
BlueBars

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.sialis.org/

Go to the Sialis site for a wealth of info about bluebirding. Sorry, I don't know how to post the link. You'll find out about nestbox dimensions, entrance hole, etc. and how to properly mount them...on a metal pole and of course, a predator guard/baffle.

Most important, if you have HOSPS, you MUST learn how to manage them, either by passive or agressive means, and the site will provide procedures for both. Unfortunately, this is a down side to bluebirding, but learning all you can will help provide a safe environment for the blues and other cavity nesters who might take up residence. (chickadees, titmice)

There are so many wonderful, experienced bluebirders on this forum (I'm not one of them!!) so I hope they chime in with their expertise.

Donna

Oops...so sorry...I was typing my reponse obviously while others had already "chimed" in! They've given you great advice!

Donna, please, no need for apologies. You've also given good advice! We all help one another when we can.
BlueBars

Thank you, everyone! I did go buy the Stokes bluebird book yesterday at our Wild Birds Unlimited Store (already read it all!) and bought a round clear, plastic bluebird feeder with adjustable dome roof and attachable suet plug baskets. I saw 5 bluebirds on Christmas day, but they have not been back. Would there be any point in putting out food for them if I don't see them around anymore or shoud I give it a try? I am also using a heated birdbath, which is what they looked interested in when I saw them, but they haven't been back for a month and I only observed them for a few minutes before they left, afraid I may have spooked them when I was at the window watching them.

Another question, and I hope I don't get crucified for this...would it be acceptable to shoot house sparrows with a pellet gun? They're eating too much of my seed, anyway, and I see them sniping at other birds on feeders.

Thanks, everyone, for the great information. I will be a diligent bluebird host if I'm lucky enough to have them here. I did see a nesting pair in a wooden fencepost just across the road last summer.

Don't give up on seeing the blues again. "Mine" have behaved the same way. Last season, after the second successful nesting, they just disappeared and I rarely saw them. I would hear them in the distance and would sometimes see them in the trees. Now that they are checking out real estate, they are around more often. Once you get your nest boxes up, I suspect you'll see them pretty quickly. You won't spook the blues by looking out the window. Once they decide on a nesting site, (the female makes the final decision), they become pretty tolerant of humans. The parents did dive bomb me once when I was checking the box after the eggs were hatched, but otherwise my presence never bothered them.

I'll leave the HOSP question to someone else, but if you are using wild bird seed mix (millet, proso, etc.), it might help to eliminate that and encourage them to feed somewhere else.

Hope you're lucky, too! It's such a thrilling experience!

You must make sure that you are targeting ONLY hosps. There are many other sparrows that are good native birds that are not killers of cavity nesters. Many of them look very similar to the female hosps. You must learn to positively identify what you are looking at. Bets website has a good section on other sparrows and how to tell the difference. When in doubt let it go is the big rule. If it is legal in your state to eliminate hosps then do so. I'm in MI and it is legal here and I do use a bb gun. I also use the Van Ert in box traps and the "deluxe repeating sparrow trap"
Good Luck Cathy

You can try to use a pellet gun, but the become weary pretty fast. In my experience, the HOSP travel and associate in small flocks (7-15 birds) so once you shoot one or two they become very weary. The repeating trap allows you to capture a whole flock before the wise up. The only problem is there seems to always be another flock waiting to move in. I have a large clematis on a trellis they seem to love. As soon as I catch the locals, another group moves in a week or two into this prime real estate. We had a very hard winter with temps reaching -20, thats very hard on the HOSP. I've found dead HOSP in the yard after the extreme cold. As the weather and I take down their numbers, they become more and more weary and very skittish. Its been a while since they'll let me get close enough to even try a shot. The good news is more natives have moved in to fill the void.

Sounds like you got some great advice, definately go to the sialis site, it is loaded with great information from mounting proper nest boxes to training Blues to come to a feeder to managing House Sparrows. For HOSP control here I use a bb gun and a van ert inbox trap, the traps work really really well. I have seen nary a one HOSP this Winter but I so know they will be back in the Spring. Good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: Sialis site