How We Protected Five Bluebird Eggs From House Sparrows

by Sue & Terry Meehan
(Varnville, SC, USA)

A pair of bluebirds had tried to use the nest box outside our kitchen window several times, but other birds always interfered before the bluebirds could raise a family.

This year, House Sparrows again attempted to take over the completed bluebird nest. After we chased the sparrows away, we installed a homemade sparrow spooker.

The bluebirds accepted it, laid five eggs, and successfully raised all five young.

House Sparrows Tried to Take Over the Nest Box

Our bluebird house has been outside our kitchen window for years.

Bluebirds frequently visited it and sometimes began building a nest, but they never remained long enough to lay eggs.

Each year, another bird seemed to take over before the bluebirds could complete a nesting attempt.

This season began the same way. A bluebird pair finished building a nest, but House Sparrows soon appeared and attempted to claim the box.

We watched the male bluebird defend the nest while my husband went outside and chased the sparrows away. The sparrows left, but we did not know whether the bluebirds would return.

For a while, we saw bluebirds visiting the box occasionally. We could not tell whether they were the original pair, and we assumed the nest might have been abandoned.

We opened the box intending to remove the old nest. Instead, we discovered two blue eggs.

We immediately closed the box and left it alone.

The following morning, we saw a bluebird fly from the entrance. When we checked the box again later, there were three eggs. The female eventually laid a total of five.

Our Homemade Sparrow Spooker

Because the House Sparrows had already attempted to take over the box, we wanted to give the bluebirds additional protection.

We made a simple sparrow spooker using an old tomato cage and strips cut from plastic bags.

We positioned the strips above the nest box so they moved around the roof and entrance.

The bluebirds hesitated when they first saw it. We watched from a distance to make sure they would return before leaving the device in place.

They soon adjusted and continued using the nest box.

Most importantly, the House Sparrows stayed away.

All Five Bluebird Eggs Hatched

A few weeks later, we were sitting on our deck when we heard faint chirping coming from the nest box.

When we checked, all five eggs had hatched.

Both parents made frequent trips to the box carrying insects.

We often saw the male perched nearby with a caterpillar in his bill, looking around before flying to the entrance.

During the nestlings' earliest days, the female appeared to spend more time brooding and protecting them. As they grew, both adults regularly brought food.

The quiet chirps soon became louder begging calls. Downy nestlings gradually developed feathers, and we knew fledging day was getting close.

Watching All Five Young Bluebirds Fledge

One sunny morning, the first young bluebird left the box.

It fluttered to the ground, where the adults remained close and encouraged it toward a safer perch. The other young followed until the nest box was empty.

All five eggs had hatched, and all five young had made it out of the nest.

For the next several days, our backyard became a training area for the fledglings.

The adults led them to the birdbath and continued feeding and watching over them.

We saw the young birds explore the yard, drink from the birdbath, and begin learning how to find food.

The male frequently accompanied the fledglings as they moved around the yard, while the female remained nearby and alert.

What We Learned From This Bluebird Nest

After years of unsuccessful nesting attempts, watching five bluebirds hatch and fledge was one of our most rewarding backyard bird experiences.

We learned the importance of watching a nest box closely, responding quickly when House Sparrows appear, and making sure the bluebirds accept any change made around their nest.

Our homemade sparrow spooker was simple, but it helped this bluebird pair complete a successful nesting attempt.

Anyone putting up a bluebird house should be prepared to monitor it regularly.

A nest box can provide an important nesting site, but the birds may still need help when aggressive competitors attempt to take it over.