You will find helpful information at the web site linked below. Click on Nestboxes, then Placement. This provides a listing of the preferences of all the cavity nesters. You can use this info as it applies to the habitat you have available for your nestboxes. For example, chickadees might prefer more of a tree canopy, and bluebirds might prefer a more open location. I say "might" because they also like to keep us guessing LOL. There may also be other things they consider when choosing a home which we humans know nothing about, such as a preference for the same type of habitat or nestbox in which they were raised. IN ADDITION! You might want to carefully add a hole reducer for the chickadees to prevent harassment by larger birds (even the bluebirds), or even protect them from house sparrows. Nestbox specifications on that same web site will give you the recommended size, and there is even an entire page on hole restrictors under "Problems and Solutions" which mentions WHEN and HOW a hole restrictor should be added to avoid scaring the chickadees off. There are also some hints on the link for "Nestbox Pairing." The direction your nestbox entrance faces might not be as important as the location, as the birds will often perch on top or nearby to monitor their territory or enter to feed their young. Lots of considerations such as prevailing winds, amount of cover, visibility, etc. You will also find IMPORTANT information to prevent climbing predators - refer to the page on Predator Baffles. Bet has provided us this wonderful resource, collecting input from everywhere and everyone. Thanks Bet! BlueBars Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.sialis.org/index.html

itrom.......Last year when chickadees took over our fave BB box after so many year of having only BBs in the box there were reclaim fights but the BBs did not win and we never saw any all summer and that was sad. That particular box is the one we can see easily and we love to watch them and take photos. There are two other boxes nearby so I kept asking myself why can't the cute chickadees just use those...lol. BBs have moved into the fave box and I hope there is peace! Good luck and enjoy whatever nests ...or...put up another box and if you do make sure you follow instructions as to how far from the fist one.

If I were you I would put up the other box out of site of the Chickadee box. Also if there are eggs in the dees nest add a 1 1/8" hole reducer so a Bluebird can't get in. Blues usually don't tolerate nesting next to Dees for some reason. I have many paired boxes, had them paired at 15 feet apart for two years and nothing would let another bird nest that close to it. Moved them to 25-30 feet apart and the TRES and BLues nest together happily at that distance. TRES and Dees can nest that close together too but not sure about BLues and Dees. Good luck!

bedeilia congrats on your chickadee nest. I would advise putting a wren guard on the chickadee box until they are 9-10 days old. I am glad you do not let the wrens nest. I would like to invite you to share your story and join the blue bird nut cafe forum. It is similar to this website but much more active and if you post your question there, you will get more help and answers. Hope to see you there. http://bluebirdnutcafe.yuku.com/ -Tyler This post was edited by tmann05 on Thu, Jun 27, 13 at 9:41