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blue bird houses and Teal bluebirds?
Back in July, the first fledges this Bluebird Monitor saw happened to be a rare teal shade like their mother. Two months later, Donna captured some great photos, showing what the juveniles looked like in September.Although still molting, their color is phenomenal! While the brilliant blue is most common, rich violet-blue colored bluebirds have frequented our No. Georgia yard in the past. Seriously wondering why their color is so different… maybe they grew up up in teal blue bird houses? Likely not, but there’s got to be some pretty special gene that’s responsible for this gorgeous hue! And here’s the other juvenile from the same brood.
May you grow big and strong little ones! (photos used with Donna’s permission)
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blue bird houses vacant?
Using recycled materials greatly helps the environment by reducing waste and keeping said materials out of landfills. It takes about 25 to 40 plastic milk jugs to produce a recycled bird house or feeder. These blue bird houses are NABS approved, (North American Bluebird Society) and create the perfect nesting site for Eastern Bluebirds. With such a large shortage of natural nesting cavities, why would a great nest site like this be vacant?Several factors will deem successful habitat for birds, and pesticides are detrimental in successful clutches. Environment plays the biggest role in attracting birds, and while everything may be super green and manicured in your yard, it may not be good for your avian friends. Ingested through insects fed by adults, pesticides wreak havoc on developing nestlings. Although sometimes not harmful to the adults, they are deadly to nestlings. If clutches in an area repeatedly fail, the bluebirds are likely to abandon the spot and seek other habitat.
Predators will also discourage nesting. Roaming cats, raccoons, snakes and larger bully birds will drive bluebirds from a possible nest site. House Sparrows and Starlings (both non-native species) will kill adult bluebirds in the nest box, as well as nestlings, and even destroy eggs too. Unfortunately this is common practice. These invasive and destructive birds are likely the main cause for the bluebird’s demise in the 70’s and 80’s. Ever-shrinking natural habitat with fierce competition for available nest sites being the reason.
•Be sure that blue bird houses are erected in proper habitat. Open spaces are preferred, with perching spots for hunting insects.
•Predator guards on bluebird houses also increase chances of successful fledging.
•Keep roaming cats indoors, or ask your neighbor to keep their cat out of your yard.
•Fresh water will entice bluebirds and others.
•Remove old nests (away from the area) after birds have fledged. A blue bird house with an old nest will not be used by another pair of bluebirds seeking a nest box.
•Supplemental feeding (with live mealworms) helps parents raise their young.
•Absolutely… quit the pesticides.
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some cool blue bird houses to last a lifetime
baby bluebirds grow up in a fence post at the farm 
With a severe shortage in natural nesting places, bluebirds will appreciate decent diggs to nest and raise their young. With increasing development from strip malls to subdivisions snuffing out habitat, competition from non-native species also plays a huge part in this shortage of nest spots.You can provide proper housing in high style, with blue bird houses that will never rot, fade or warp with weather and time. More than just wood, materials like vinyl, ceramics and stoneware make for fantastic blue bird houses that are handcrafted to last a lifetime. This Vinyl Cottage Bluebird House happens to be NABS (North American Bluebird Society) approved. Complete with a metal predator guard, it helps protect eggs and nestlings from predators like cats, raccoons, and larger birds.
On a more artistic note, handcrafted stoneware blue bird houses can provide an interesting focal point in the landscape, while providing a proper nest site for blue birds. Stoneware is also inert, meaning it will not rot, is totally insect proof and guarantees to be around for a lifetime.
Help bluebirds thrive and flourish by erecting blue bird houses in your yard. You can entice them with suet and heated birdbaths in winter, and of course their favorite food any time of year… live mealworms! If you’re lucky enough to have more than one successful brood, it’s a real joy and pleasure to watch juveniles from the first brood help raise the new chicks and teach them to hunt.
Birding Tips, Information & News
