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/

***I guess I am doing everything totally wrong. What? I don't have a clue A few years ago I only saw a bluebird once in a 'blue' moon. Now my back yard is full of them. I wonder what would happen if I did the right things to attract the bluebirds.*** SO how far apart are your four nestboxes that all have bluebirds, just curious, would be quite cool to be able to have four boxes in the backyard with all bluebirds but it just doesn't happen normally. Last year I had the opportunity to have my first nesting fledglings stay around while the adults went on to the second nesting and they all stayed around until they left to go south in October. Was so cool to have 10 bluebirds around. I am lucky enough to get one pair each year in my yard (should be able to get two with the distance between some of the nestboxes) but we have tons of Tree Swallows in all the boxes swooping around the yard. What do you mean you do everything wrong to get bluebirds? Putting up a nestbox is all you need to do to attract them. I hope your boxes are mounted properly so they stay safe from predators and the dreaded House Sparrows. Good luck! Donna

I have a bluebird house that I put out last spring - it was occupied by a pair of blues almost immediately. I named them Burt and Bertha. They had 3 different clutches of eggs, but only the last clutch hatched. They had 4 beautiful babies and stayed around the house all summer and fall. Over the winter, a pair of house sparrows showed up. There were battles on and off for the house, but the bluebirds seemed to always chase the sparrows away. I haven't seen the sparrows in several weeks, but I've been checking the house and so far it is empty. Nothing is nesting in it at all. I was really hoping Burt and Bertha would use it again this season. I still see them in the yard every day and sometimes they come and sit on the house and go inside here and there. But... so far, no nest. I'm so sad! Is there anything I can do to attract them back into the house? My guess is they got tired of the HOSP battle and decided to build a nest somewhere else. I know it may be a little early yet, but this time last year they had a nest with 5 eggs in it already.

The Bluebird house designed by S and S Birdhouses addresses this issue as well as nestbox overheating.