WE have about 16 nest boxes on poles around our field. Initially they were for bluebirds, and then the tree swallows arrived. Our strategy: the nest boxes are erected in pairs: one for the bluebirds, one for the tree swallows. House sparrows may move into one box in a pair, but not both. (They don't like house sparrows for neighbors either.) Same for tree swallows. By the time the bluebirds come around, there are still empty boxes to choose from. Last year, at least 3 boxes contained bluebird families. Fair enough. Try it, it may provide housing for everyone.
Bill and Shirley McAneny, TBurg -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
