Tree swallows and Eastern bluebird
May 17th, 2010
3 birdhouses, May 3rd 2008, very windy this morning. For the last 3 years, tree swallows have built a nest in bluebird house on the left,(one with slanted roof) bluebirds used to nest in square shaped birdhouse next to it. But this year bluebirds are staying in larger birdhouse and tree swallows in one of the two new square shaped bluebird houses I built in April.
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test Filed under General | Tags: Bluebird, Eastern, swallows, Tree | Comments (2)2 Responses to “Tree swallows and Eastern bluebird”
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You are right, a relative told us it was called a house swallow!
As soon as I put birdhouses up, bluebird moves in, but within few days swallows chase them away and force bluebirds move into another house.
We have so many raccoons, that’s the reason we placed houses so high. Posts are 4″ metal posts, I guess raccoon wouldn’t be able to climb up even if they were only 5 ft high?
Maybe we should have one bird house 8 ft high for tree swallows and rest of them for bluebirds, 5 ft high?
Not sure if Houseswallow is the right term, their official name is tree swallow. I see you have placed your houses on posts in the open, this is good. Try and place your houses in pairs about 20 feet apart and 5 ft high. Tree swallows are protective against others, however the bluebird is an exception. Do not look at the swallows as an enemy, they keep away house sparrows, the real enemy. Tree swallows will actually protect the other blue bird house inhabitants. Your boxes are too high.