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Um, bluebird boxing ring.

17 years ago

I'm a little freaked out here and couldn't think of what to do. There are 3 pairs of blues fighting in my backyard. I only have one box with probably 2 eggs, first laid yesterday. They are ferocious to each other. The males are fighting the males and the females with the females. I went out there hoping the strangers would go away and the mom and dad to my box would stick around being used to us. They are back now actually, just now see them. What do I do ni the future, the same thing and just chase off the other ones. I'm worried for my couple. And I thought I had to worry about other species birds, not other blues so much. They peg the other on the ground and beat the poo out of him.

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Comments (7)

acatlady
17 years ago
Can you put out more nesting boxes?
hbwright
Original Author
17 years ago
How would they do on a side yard? The side yard is not large and would have to be close to the house, but I could put it about 10 feet from the fence where no predators could get close and would not be in view of the other box but would be pretty close to the house. I think safe from predators but would be birds be okay with this proximity?

Darn it, as I type they are back.

Anyway, I can see the area surrounding this house but the other would be out of my view. They would most likely have the same perching areas though. Other than that I guess I could drive around or have somebody from a local bird place help me find some areas for more boxes, but I wouldn't know about around here.
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hbwright
Original Author
17 years ago
I will have to say that my couple seem pretty adequate at protecting their box, the others were gone pretty quickly and mom and dad are back to watching out.
donnalovesblue
17 years ago
If you have three pair, and just one nesting, I would definitely add another box or two, spaced appropriately apart. Mom is being protective of the two eggs she has laid in "her" home. I had a bb pair and a pair of dees checking out my two boxes for quite awhile. The blues were constantly chasing off the dees, until finally the dees began to build in one, and the blues settled on their box of last year..and both families were happy!

Donna
hbwright
Original Author
17 years ago
Would this placement be okay so close to the house, it would be only about 4 feet away, but away from vegetation that woudl allow easy access for predators and away from view of the other box. I could also do the other side of the house, but the same scenerio. Sniff, sniff. Now I feel so bad. I've read up so much on them but didn't anticipate this, especially when I was surprised to get such a late nesting for the one couple. I've never even seen more blues in my neighborhood, ever. Only one or two in my 5 years here.
cappola
17 years ago
Wow, consider yourself lucky to have 6 bluebirds fighting over your yard! I would definetly build or buy some more boxes.
hbwright
Original Author
17 years ago
Oh, I'm thrilled with my pair and would love to have many more, kind of like the hummerwars that cause me so much joy, but to see how downright nasty they are is scary. I'll get one more box where I feel safe putting one. The other side of the house I'm afraid would be too close to the existing box and to make it further would put the babies too far from the trees for when they leave the nest. I'll ask hubby if he wants to build one before I hurt his feelings and buy another one. LOL.

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