I have a bluebird house that was given to me some years ago. I clean it out in the fall so they can make a fresh nest come spring. It is on the jungle gym in my yard, and has grapevines climbing it. So far, they have nested in it every year until last year. They did not nest in it last year, and this year something seems to have chased them away. No other birds are using the nest. I checked, and there are no bee/wasp nests in there. Why would they not be using it all of a sudden? I tried to get to the picture of it covered in grape vines, but this thing keeps closing the insert image option before I get to it. This is a winter picture with the jungle gym and vines. birds at winter feeder ( photo / image / picture from AAnightowl's Garden )
In order to ascertain the nature of the problem. I first have to ask a few questions. From your dialog it seems that you have one box, is that correct? Does your box face away from West, North and Northwest? Is there an area of open field adjacent to the box's location? Are there other nesting Bluebirds within 100 yards? How close are the nearest buildings? Enough questions for now. Depending on your responses, I may have have more questions. Jerry
The box faces south, and there is an open area with fruit trees scattered. There is cover for the birds, water, and food sources. When I first put it up, it was occupied by a family of blue birds in less than 48 hours, and has been used every year until last year. I think I put it up back in the mid/late 90s. I am not sure about other nesting bluebirds, because I have not seen many of them the past two years. I used to have LOTS of bluebirds. I have over 45 species of birds in and around my yard and property. My house is probably 75' or more away from it. There are many open fields and woods around here. I have not had any problems with other birds trying to use this box.
AA in your pic is that the Blue Bird house in question mounted near the other hanging feeders? If that is the case and it is mounted near or close to bird feeders the Blue birds will not use the box. Also do you have a lot of sparrows in your yard? That would be another reason the Blue birds would have left. This year our Blue bird population is down. Only one nesting pair in the seven houses we have mounted around our pasture. Also last year we had at least 4 pair of tree swallows using the boxes the Blue birds weren't in. This year only 2 nesting pair. Very strange to have so many unused houses.
Those feeders have always been near the bluebird box, and they nested in there about 15 years or more. The grape vine leaves cover the box in summer.
Several things come to mind. As Tooty says the proximity to feeders is a deterrent to a box seeking pair. Extremely territorial the birds will attempt to ward off other birds. The vine would assist a predator, another deterrent to choosing a nesting home. Bird distribution wains and waxs with many factors: a different species of bird in the area, temperature, climatic change, a change in food choice, influence by other bluebirds, noise, the perception that the area is too crowded are just a few. The original birds chose your site for many reasons and continued to nest there as their choice. Their offspring were also influenced by their choice. The diversity of a population depends on the churn from migration. Over time members die off, their offspring are influenced by other birds along with the afore mentioned factors. You have to alter as many factors to tilt the possibilities in your favor as your present conditions are not working for you. Try to move the birdhouse to a more open area. If there is competition for the birdhouse a second house about 20 feet away may alleviate the situation(depends on how aggressive the male is at defending it’s territory). It also allows more choice for a perspective occupant. Put a predator shield around the poles. Clean the old box with a 10% solution of bleach. Repair any old or broken wood. Never approach a house after 12 days from eggs hatching. Oh, another thing, do you provide for a bluebird winter roosting shelter in your area? One may entice a better occupancy rate in the springtime if they stay for the winter. Suet during the winter? Other members may think of more ideas. Unfortunately I live in the woods and the only time I see bluebirds is at my winter suet feeders. Jerry
I do put out suet in the winter for my birds, and they love it. I can trim the vine some more. Can animals climb metal poles? I can clean the box with bleach solution. I had not tried any bug sprays because I did not want to poison my birds. I could maybe move the feeders a bit to one of the nearby trees? Bluebirds usually nest in that box over the winter. I dont have any specific shelters for 'bluebirds' over the winter, but I do make various shelters for the birds to use as they wish. What would they look like? I have a lot of evergreens which many kinds of birds roost in over the winter. I would not have any idea if or when eggs would hatch in the spring. I do avoid the house when I see birds around it. Is there some kind of rule where bluebird eggs hatch exactly on a certain date in southern Missouri? Not sure that I have a place to move the house to. I cant think of any.
If there is no other location to move the box then where is is is where it will stay. Trimming the vines is good. A solution for for the feeders is a wire based feeding system. You can put feeders virtually anywhere in your yard. Yes, Animals can climb poles. Predator baffles are used to discourage the curious and those after a quick snack. Like the squirrel guard for a bird feeder. A quick peek at Bing images with the words “predator baffles” gives you a good sample. Cleaning is good, even after winter as the birds may use the boxes for shelters. As for roosting boxes they contain more perches and are configured to prevent heat loss. Upper vent holes are blocked and the entrance is lower to prevent heat(which travels up)loss. When both birds are off foraging it is safe to inspect the nesting box. Not disturbing the box after 12 days eggs hatch assures that you do not cause a premature fledge of hatchlings that will not survive such an encounter. Egg hatching is has lots of variables, good monitoring practices provides the best information. Bluebirds can also have more than one brood. Jerry
If I can get a new corner post for my veggie garden, I could move it. Getting the post home is the problem. The feed store that has them locally charges $30 to transport anything. I will have to find a friend to transport the post. Maybe I can do it by spring? I will see what solution I can come up with. There are lots of bugs the bluebirds could fest on in my garden.
