Nestbox Guards (Part 1)

Sherry Hunter
Byron Center, Michigan, 42.79 -85.72
(10 miles south of Grand Rapids)

I am new to the list and have been lurking for the last couple of weeks. I want to thank the people who have developed the REFERENCE GUIDE online web site, it has been very helpful to me as I am new at having bluebirds in my yard. I have been feeding and watching birds for about 7 years now. I have lived here for 17 years. My yard is just under an acre with my backyard line along a farm field. This is a small rural town but growing quickly. I live in town on a cul de sac road so very little traffic comes on the front street. This is my first year that I have put up a bluebird house. I saw my first bluebird ever this year on February 9, a male. I immediately went out and bought a bluebird house and put it on a pole along my backyard line next to the farm field. Then on February 17 I had two males sitting on top of the house. The next day I had one male and he had a female with him, they were sitting on top of the house. They have come by almost everyday now to check out my yard , and the house. But they have not gone into the house, they have hung on the outside of the opening though. My question is, this bluebird house has the extra piece of wood on the opening for predator protection, came attached to the house. What I am noticing is that the bluebirds will hang on the opening and the female looks like she is attempting to go in but gets her head going in and then backs out. A chickadee did the same thing today when he/she was checking out the house. Can anyone tell me if this extra wood piece might be discouraging the bluebirds from entering?

Joe Huber Venice, Fl Hello Sherry,

The Bluebirds that stick their head into the entrance hole but do not enter are most likely shutting off all light in the box. As long as the correct entrance size was used in the box it's ok. Check to see if there is enough ventilation above. This lets in enough light that the birds can still see inside when their body blocks the entrance. In any case this should not deter the birds from nesting. People have been known to enlarge the entrance when they see the birds stick their head in and not enter. It is likely lack of ventilation holes that let in light. Entrance holes actually do shrink sometimes but rarely enough to keep a Bluebird from entering. They will go in when the time comes and make it look easy. Not to worry. Joe

Charter member NABS, Charter member OBS, Life member OBS Joe Huber

hubertrap"at"webtv.net
http://community.webtv.net/hubertrap/HOUSESPARROWCONTROL
http://community.webtv.net/hubertrap/RoostingBluebirds

Hi all,

Does a stovepipe pole guard have to be as long as two feet or so? I saw a guard for sale yesterday which is made of very sturdy metal, has a closed top and attaches to the pole wherever you want but it is only about a foot long? It looked very good to me but I am inexperienced and don't know if snakes and others have been known to somehow get by something this short?

Jane
Pound Ridge NY

Julie, et al,

All my boxes (52 last year) have predator blocks 7/8" thick, (planed one side) and they've always worked just fine. I don't see how another 1/8" would make any difference whatever, except to make it slightly harder for varmints to reach in. My holes are all 1 3/4" deep. Both house and block are made of the same 7/8" white pine. The Bluebirds have no difficulty with these holes.

Woodpeckers (and squirrels) can enlarge any hole unless the block is made of some really hard wood (Ex.:oak, maple, ash) or unless the hole is protected with something, - sheet-metal, hard plastic, etc.   Here in NH I've had zero experience with magpies, - I don't believe I've ever seen one. I think I've heard others say that can be a nuisance with Bluebirds, but you'd better ask someone who's dealt with them directly.

Bruce Burdett, NH Bluebird Conspiracy, Sunapee NH blueburd"at"srnet.com

Hi all,

My husband and I have been making predator guards for my boxes according to the instructions in the book by Julie Zickefoose and with some help from Fawzi Emad by e-mail for which I am very grateful. The instructions in Zickefoose (p. 20)call for a piece of hardware cloth cut to eight inches then bent down at the edges and placed inside the stovepipe. Three tabs that have been cut in the stovepipe are then bent over it. Fawzi had told me that he used a piece of sheet metal riveted to the tabs because he couldn't find hardware cloth. It sounds like this would be very good and sturdier too. But we do not know how to rivet and did find hardware cloth so we decided to use that. We found it very difficult to bend the edges of the cloth and get a neat fit without gaps. So my clever husband came up with the idea of cutting the circle of cloth to the exact size of the stovepipe, resting it ON the three bent tabs and then cutting three more tabs and bending them over it to hold it in place. One piece of the pipe is left sticking up where the join is and it is difficult to bend.

This comes out very neat and solid and might be an alternative for those who can't rivet and have trouble with the hardware cloth as we did. I know some of you with years of experience may have already discovered this but I thought I'd do a post about it just in case and for other newcomers like me.

Jane,
Pound Ridge NY

Dear Jane,

Thank you so much for describing this neat idea! So simple and elegant! Keep the good ideas coming....

Thanks, Barry

On Wed, 29 Mar 2000 JaneHopeC"at"aol.com wrote:

that. We found it very difficult to bend the edges of the cloth and get a Amen.
neat fit without gaps. So my clever husband came up with the idea of cutting
the circle of cloth to the exact size of the stovepipe, resting it ON the
three bent tabs and then cutting three more tabs and bending them over it to
hold it in place.

Experience here in northeast Oklahoma (Tulsa area) with Eastern Bluebirds is that these definitely inhibit usage by cavity nesters. Efforts here are better spent on pole guards and other methods depending on the nature of the predators.

Dear Fawzi and others,

Thanks to all for comments about this.

First I should say that I have been informed that the guard was designed by Ron Kingston in the 80"s. Some of you may have already known this but I have to admit I did not see the credit on p.21 of Zickefoose. If I had I would certainly have noted it because we found the guard easy to make and mount in every other aspect. With this slight adaptation it still works in exactly the same way.

As for which predators I am trying to guard against - snakes are not my primary concern here in NY although I have been told that the black snake may be a problem. I have never seen one though. My main concern is racoons and possums. We have many of the latter and used to have many of the former but have heard there has been quite alot of rabies amongst them recently. I did see one at night just down the road a few days ago however. All the boxes (four) are mounted on 1' conduit six - seven feet high. They all have wood hole guards too. But I had read that these things alone might not be enough against coons etc. so I decided to put the pole guards on to. I figured as much as possible in this woodsy area was a good idea. However R C Walshaw writes that "expeience in Northeast Oklahoma ... is that these definitly inhibit use by cavity nesters". I had not heard this before and hope that it is not the case here. I am new to this and will just have to see what works best. EABL have been showing interest in two of the boxes.

Best wishes to all
Jane, Pound Ridge NY

Bill Darnell, Savannah, TN
Lat: 35:18:32.407N
Lon 88:10:31.368W
Elev 420', aprox.
Windy, 60*

The question was brought up sometime lately, if the dangling type predator guard bothered the nesting birds. It certainly looks like it does not, even in the least. I have it on all the nest boxes I checked today. Even when I was banging around, running the DeWalt cordless removing the lid screw, most of the time the bird was still sitting there, glaring at me. The Bluebird never ceases to amaze me. Can't keep from liking them, can you?

Bill

Bill & Gang - Dan McCue Camden, TN 70 due west of Nashville Sunny and 65 deg.but windy.

Thought I would throw my 2 cents worth into the dangling predator guard on pipe or steel fence line posts. I definitely feel that the bluebirds do not mind them. It is almost if they understand the need for them and concur. Bill, I understand your feeling of confidence in this manner as I have seen some of your trails and know that if it were a problem or you felt it might be, you would look for another type of predator guard. Dan

...

What are you guarding against? Are you having raccoon problems? I have not seen the need for them here in northeast Oklahoma. My problems are blacksnakes and house sparrows. From previous Messages you know of the success that I have had this year with the house sparrows, but the snake issue is such a hit and miss thing (5 losses out of 80 houses last year and with one exception there were no repeat locations from the previous year) that I have not tried to put guards on the full line. I would be interested in any quick and easy method. Thanks.

Bob and all - I use the PVC guard in place of the stove pipe guard.6 inch PVC thinwall pipe 24 inches long with a cap at top with just enough hole to pass the guard down and hang on a hose clamp. This allows it to swing freely. Coons and ferel cats or squirrels can't or won't climb past it. Snake can not get thru it and I hope not around it since it is 24 inches long. I only use these on my pipe mounted houses and it is just below the nest box.

If I observe or find out that they do not work, I will change to something else. Most of my boxes are on wooden light poles.

Dan Mc Cue from Camden, TN in west TN

...

Yes, coons! The boxes are located near a large creek here in Tennessee, and have had no problem yet. I can't tell if a coon has tried yet either! I know a snake will eventually get one or more, but I know of no completely snake proof protection.

Bill Darnell, Savannah, TN
Lat: 35:18:32.407N
Lon 88:10:31.368W
Elev 420', aprox.

...

I use the same as Dan, except that my pipe is 4" PVC, 24" long. I may have picked up the idea from a post of Dan's; somebody posted the idea months ago. Also the hose clamp idea is a great one which I use. All of mine are mounted on 1" OD (outer diameter) pipe or conduit, hammered into the ground 18". The pipe is cut to 7' lengths, with a single 1/4" hole drilled 1" from the top. Nestboxes are mounted with one bolt, the bottom secured with a pipe clamp. So far so good.

Randy Jones
Allentown PA

...

Haleya Priest Amherst MA

2 incubating EABLs and yet another snow/ice storm - or something approaching.

I just viewed the Stokes new bluebirding video. They use T-bars for posts and then have PVC pipe the length of the post for a predator guard - although it looked like they didn't have anything on top of the PVC to keep birds from getting in. I might be wrong about that - but am curious if others use this method. It sure looked easy. Thanks in advance. H

Haleya, was it round PVC or square on the post?   I saw this on a feeder a couple of years ago (at  the New England Flower Show, I think) and I  remember wondering if it would work on boxes...  but never got beyond wondering (duh). The square  was supposed to work better at keeping squirrels  from climbing. Bet a few wraps of duct tape at  the top would keep curious birds out.

Rhonda
Wilton, N.H. (where the boxes are beautiful and all the EABLs  are above average, because they've been smart  enough not to lay yet!!)

Back again, Haleya! The feeder post guards that  I saw had a much bigger PVC pipe, I'm guessing  4" . And, as I said, square. I doubt that would  discourage a coon much, but (thanks be) we  haven't had too much problem up here since the rabies epidemic. I wonder, though, what the 4"  sq. pipe would do about snakes?? And I'm guessing  it would be next to impossible for mice (who killed  a chickdee on her nest of 6 eggs 2 years ago). I'm  sure glad you brought this up!

Rhonda
Wilton, N.H.
(snow/rain mix. Yuck.)

Hayela/Rhonda

I plan to try this but with netting or hardware cloth on top.. This trail doesn't have round poles just the normal green fence posts.. too many to replace right now. One post a long time ago dealt with tree tubes.. and birds somehow getting stuck in them.. so tops should be covered anway mine will.. Let me know how it's working for you. We could go other routes but have an offer for pipe.

Kathy Clark
New Cumberland, PA

Haleya--

Yes! Yes!! YES!!! That sounds exactly like what I saw as a feeder guard! It would fit just right on the metal posts I use. Knock on wood, I haven't had problems with anything but mice, just the one time. No snakes, no coons. But you never know. I might even be able to get a *good* bulk price since I use some PVC for jump rails.

Rhonda
Wilton, N.H.

Rhonda
Wilton, N.H.

Someone mentioned the difficulty of a *working* squirrel guard on a hanging feeder. I jury-rigged a hideous but rather effective contraption which works 95% of the time.

1. Hanger is one of the long aluminum rods with a hook on both ends.

2. Cut a hole or slot in the bottom of a 5-gallon, straight sided bucket and slip the bottom of the hanger rod into it, with the bucket upside down as you will hang it. A few wraps of duct tape on the rod will keep the bucket from sliding off. (yes, Im a duct tape junkie.)

3. Get one of the cheap plastic 'coolie-hat' type guards and add that to the closed end of the bucket, which of course is now on top.

4. Hang one end of the rod on tree or whatever, and hang the feeder on the bottom, so that it is just visible below the bucket guard.

5. Sit back and enjoy the fun. Mr. Squirrel will come down the hanger rod, land on top of the "coolie-hat", try to catch himself on the edge of the bucket, then on the side of the bucket, but there's not much to grab!! (If the feeder is too long, so it hangs well below the bottom of the guard, some squirrels will manage.)

I actually enjoy the challenge of squirrels and feeders. But I get nasty and put out D-Con when they start in on the feed bins in the barn.

Hi,

Yesterday I posted a question about whether to add a wooden block to a box that is a little into the woods where bluebirds have started a nest, and if so when is a good time. I have had no repsonses. I can think of three reasons for this 1) for some reason it was a stupid question (quite possible for me) 2) no one has any opinions (unlikely on this list 3) it is controversial and no one wants to address the problem (also I think unlikely on this list). Looks like my own stupidity is the most probable. I am perfectly willing to accept this but would someone explain why. I know some people DO use theses and some DON'T. I also understand that NABS no longer recommends them.

The reason I am considering the block is that the box is just into the woods and I am worried about racoons (I have only seen one recently though) and opossums in particular. The box is quite high (about six feet), and has a stovepipe guard on. Is this enough? I realize the blocks may make the box more attractive to HOSP. So I am unsure what to do. I have consulted my books and some say use them if there are signs of predation (not yet but there are no eggs yet) some say they are pretty useless. Would it be better to move the box? At what stage?

Am open to any responses/ideas even if they are just to explain that I am being dense about this somehow, and why!

Jane
Pound Ridge NY

Keith Kridler Mt. Pleasant, Texas

One of the reasons NABS does not really endorse the "predator block" is that it is very in effective at stopping raccoons & snakes. Raccoons have a very long wrist and they still can reach into and then down with the extra 3/4" thick wood block on the front. Depending on box style the extra block can make up to 23" difference in how low a cat can reach into a box. It will stop starlings, jays and grackles from being able to reach the average nest in say a NABS style box. I would not add this extra guard at this point for fear of scaring off the pair of bluebirds. Any changes to the box even caulking a crack should be done between nestings. I have seen this twice (bluebirds losing legs) out of thousands of trips into boxes with cracked fronts so pointed this out as to one of the "minor" threats that we can all eliminate very easily. If I have seen this twice then there were probably others! The Ron Kingston type stove pipe guard will work far better at all climbing predators than will the extra wood block. Especially on thin boxes or oval holes the extra depth is needed so use this block on these.

As far as house sparrows liking the extra depth remember aluminum martin houses made with very thin sheet metal! Also if the rectangular entrance or slot box were as sparrow proof as claimed then there would be no need to "invent" a sparrow trap for this style as someone posted the other day. The same goes for the PVC boxes as Steve Gilbertson has sparrow traps for these style boxes. These birds are very adaptable and often will only take a year or two to begin nesting in every style of nest box. This is why I fear that feeding birds in the "bluebird" feeders will create problems down the road. I did backyard research with wild raccoons here at my house about 10 years ago using poles, guards and real nest boxes.....Training them to come to dog food filled nest boxes.....Yes you guessed it! Raccoons wiped out almost every box within about five miles of my house that next year. A neighbor trapped 37 raccoons at one trap site that fall and I have not had loses from coons again. Nobody on this list has done some of the really stupid things to their birds that I have. KK

I have stopped using them here as they seemed to inhibit the bluebirds. However I have had no problems with raccoons. Bluebird Bob, NE OK.

Hello all. I have a predator guard question. After some unknown predation last year (probably coons or a snake) an additional wooden entrance block was attached to all of the 50 boxes I monitor, making the entryway 1&1/2 inches deep. I am hearing on the list that this is generally thought to be inadequate for such predators. Could a tube type guard be attached to the entrance hole now with the eggs having been laid and incubation begun or will that traumatize the parents too much?

Thanks for any advice.

Vishnu Hopland, CA (110 miles north of SF in the chaparrally Coast range)

...

Thanks, Randy.

My major worry is raccoons - no snakes here that I have ever seen, and no climbing cats that I know of. Unfortunately the box is on a tree - a large tree - and circling the tree with a metal sleeve is impractical for various reasons. So it's the tube or nothing. The chickadees are in a hanging box, which I think was meant for wrens, suspended from the branch of a crabapple tree, not more than 4-5 feet off the ground. Here too, a tube would be the only option. I wonder if the risk of frightening the parents by inserting a tube is greater than the risk of raccoon predation?

Katherine
Weston, MA
-------------
kate"at"nirvana.ziplink.net

Some confusion last night...........my signature appeared unattached to a post regarding the tube type guard.

I had intended to respond to this post:

Could a tube
type guard be attached to the entrance hole now with the eggs having been
laid and incubation begun or will that traumatize the parents too much?
Thanks for any advice.

Vishnu Hopland, CA (110 miles north of SF in the chaparrally Coast
range)
***********

I did post back channel to the individual, but intended to also copy to BLUEBIRL. Here is the post intended for BLUEBIRDL:

Since you mentioned a "tube type guard", I am taking this opportunity to repost Dorene Scriven's post to BLUEBIRDL of Sun, 17 Oct 1999.

COPY OF OLD POST RE: TUBE-TYPE PREDATOR GUARD

From: "Dorene Scriven" scriv001"at"tc.umn.edu
To: BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu
Subject: Re: Predator guards

Regarding the cylindrical, perforated cone manufactured to be attached to the front of bluebird boxes: The current issue of BLUEBIRD, the magazine of the North American Bleubird Society, has a long article written by the woman who manufactures BIRD GUARDIAN, the name of the guard Keith Kridler described. AS Keith mentioned, this has been tested by NABS Research Department, and again more recently. At the Atlanta Trade Show (where hundreds of bird house manufacturers congregate) the results of the NABS experiments were given.(People were NOT told to not use it - the results of that experiment alone were mentioned) Bluebirds and tree swallows refused to re-enter the boxes after the guardian was attached, even if they already had eggs in the box. This has been my experience also. (The manufacturer says to wait at least three hours, then try it again and again - who has time for this? Undoubtedly there are exceptions to this, and the manufacturer has pictures to prove it.) The article in BLUEBIRD was run because the manufacturer threatened to sue NABS if we did not print her side of the story.

So, o.k., the predator guard may work for some cavity-nesting birds. If you cannot mount your boxes on poles or pipes which are climbing-predator resistant, then try the Bird Guardian but be absolutely sure the female will reenter the box. Chances are that if she will not after 15 minutes or more of fluttering around it, she probably will abandon. She will be more likely to accept a Noel Predator Guard, but that, too, should be watched carefully. -Dorene Scriven, Chair, Bluebird Recovery Program of Minnesota (I happen to be a current NABS Board member, but I am speaking from personal experience and not as a representative of NABS)

*********
Ann Wick
Black Earth, WI

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

After some predation problems, I now routinely attach a Noel predator guard as soon as I find bluebird eggs. The bluebirds readily adapt to the attachment of the Noel guard, and for a numbers of years now seems to have prevented predation by raccoons and cats. The Noel guard tunnel should extend out at least seven or eight inches. I realize the best predator protection is provided by a cone mounted under the box, but my boxes are mounted on farmer's angle-iron fence posts where I cannot mount such guards.

Dale

Hi again,

One last thing before I go to bed tonight.

I was asked if my PVC guards worked well for me here in CT. Yes they do, and I will explain how......

With 200 boxes, most mounted on wooden poles, (I am replacing many with mettle) I must look for simple and cheap. The best guard I have seen is
the Stovepipe style as shown in Julie Z's BB book, but it is costly and complicated to build and mount.

Most bluebirders it seems look for that 100% perfect, foolproof box, pole, guard or whatever. I say, mother nature never allows for this % in
her doings, and I shouldn't either. I look for the best I can do, and if it gives me a better than average edge (from the natural % that is) than I feel I have accomplished something. To expect anything to work 100% is unrealistic, and the effort to accomplish this is far too much for me to spend my time on. So after 15+ years of doing this, I settled on the PVC pipe guard.

Yes, a smart, large coon can sometimes get up this pipe, but that happens very rarely, and the odds are much better a coon will not get
up. Here is what works best for me............

I now cut my 4" PVC pipe 3' long or longer. This helps a great deal from having the coon (or cat) jump past the guard. And yes, some large coons
seem to be able to get a claw into the pipe, but not many. I counter this by mounting the pipe with one wood screw loosely fitted to the post. If a ground predator does get a grip with its claw, or its arms around the pipe, the looseness will knock him off..Usualy. How usually? Well with 200 boxes mounted with PVC pipe here in CT, I will get no more than 1 coon past the guards a year. Not bad odds for such a simple and cheap style of guard.

Yes, others are better, but I feel mine are more than good enough, by comparing the results.

Hope this helps some of you out there.......Paul from CT

Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2000 06:40:18 -0500
From: "Bill Darnell" bdarnel3"at"bellsouth.net
To: eemmuu"at"att.net, "bluebird bluebird" bluebird-L"at"cornell.edu
Subject: Re: PVC Pipe

I am getting the same results from the PVC here in a severely coon infested area. Mine are used on an 8' steel fence post, with the support hose clamp just under the box. The 4" PVC is two feet long.
Bill Darnell, Savannah, TN
Lat: 35:18:32.407N
Lon 88:10:31.368W
Ag Zone 7-8

...

Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2000 06:53:35 -0500
From: "Keith & Sandy Kridler" kridler"at"1starnet.com
To: "BLUEBIRD-L" BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu
Subject: clarify PVC guards!

Keith Kridler Mt. Pleasant, Texas
Paul and Bill Please clarify EXACTLY how your guards are mounted, sealed at the top, height of the guard off the ground, size of PVC pipe, (grease used?) ETC. We have a lot of new members on this list and this PVC pipe guard though not as good as the Ron Kingston 8" stove pipe guard does work very adequately for large trails for use to repel four legged animals. A 40" tall 4" PVC pipe mounted where it touches the ground will not stop snakes from getting to the nestbox in the south. Also some form of fire ant barrier needs to be used as they will go through a 1/16" crack to reach a nest! Plumbers and city water departments throw away thousands of miles of PVC pipe every year! give them a call! KK

Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2000 07:31:43 -0500
From: "Bill Darnell" bdarnel3"at"bellsouth.net
...

OK, here is a better detail of how I am at present doing mine. As I stated, I am using a regular steel fence post, purchased at a local farmers
co-op.

The guard is made from a two foot long piece of 4" diameter PVC DRAIN pipe (costs much less than the schedule 40 type) with an end cap glued on one end. This end cap has a hole drilled just large enough to slip over the fence post.

I first drive the post to what I feel is an adequate depth, depending on soil type and condition, to hold the box securely. I then put an adjustable
hose clamp (the little band clamp which has a screw to tighten it) on the post just an inch or two below where the bottom of the box will be and
tighten it there. Then I slip the guard over the top of the post. The clamp will act as a stop, and the pipe guard will "dangle" when touched. I
fix the box to the post with wires threaded through four holes I have drilled before hand in the box.

Some cons: I have not figured out a good way yet to make the hole in the cap which goes over the post snake proof. The hole is round, and the post
is "T" shaped. Yes, I know I could go to a round pipe, and might do it. I am not sure the pipe will stop a determined snake anyways. As for fire ants,
so far, so good. I either make sure there is not a hill close by, or I carry the Amdro granular poison and sprinkle any hill close by. Works slowly, but surely. Later, I will keep a one gallon sprayer of Lorsban or Orthene 75S handy for the same purpose. For use only on the hill! Tanglefoot would even be safer applied on the post.

Pro's: So simple to build. Post, PVC, cap, all total about $6 per post if you have to buy it all. I finally got it through my hard head that it is better to have less safe boxes than more that are unsafe. As someone stated, nothing is 100%. If I can help further with this, please write. I will try to post pictures soon.
Bill
Bill Darnell, Savannah, TN
Lat: 35:18:32.407N
Lon 88:10:31.368W
Ag Zone 7-8

Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2000 08:46:12 -0400
From: "D.H. Snook 40:53N 81:35W" dhsnook"at"sssnet.com
To: bdarnel3"at"bellsouth.net, BLUEBIRD-L BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu
Subject: Re: clarify PVC guards!

Mine are exactly the same except for 2 points.
1. I put 2 coats of carnuba car wax (Kit Wax) on the post.
2. I plug the gap between the post and cap of the PVC pipe with heavy duty Reynolds Aluminum wrap. It may not be ant proof, but will keep snakes out.
Doug Snook
Canal Fulton, OH (NE)

...

Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2000 14:29:30 EDT
From: HeatonPG"at"aol.com
To: Bluebird-L"at"cornell.edu
Subject: Regarding pole guards

Pam Heaton - Atlanta, GA

I just bought a pole guard at Wild Birds Unlimited here in Atlanta. The guy in the store suggested wrapping barb wire around the pole to deter snakes. Have any of you thought about or tried that? Any opinions ? Thanks

Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2000 22:01:50 -0400
From: The Carriers eemmuu"at"att.net
To: bluebird bluebird bluebird-L"at"cornell.edu
Subject: PVC

Hi all! From cold Harwinton CT, 1,000' and still cold!

Keith K asked about how I use the PVC guards, and here it is....

But first: It must be mentioned here, that all areas of this country have many different problems to overcome. We all must experience and find what predators and pitfalls are present in our own areas to contend with. So I have listed, in order, what I have found to be my most difficult problems; And I bet for you in other areas of the country, you could add to this list, or have them in a different order..........

1st -cold......eggs freeze, or abandoned,....also no food for young.

2- raccoon....many here, but most can be deterred.( Lately, the rabies has reduced them much).

3- Mice.They occupy, fill boxes thus no vacancy....occasionaly eat the young or eggs.

4- House wren....destroy eggs, occupy nests, or build dummy nests.

5- House Sparrows.... not many in country, but will move out from the farms.

6- cats....I don't put boxes up in home yards, but occasionally will get one as a problem.

7- snake.....once or twice a year.

8- ants......once or twice a year.

9- mowers......off & on.

10- Vandalism.......hunters with shotguns, and people wanting a box in their yard!

11- Fishers, Mink, Bears, Weasels.....all once each I believe.

12- Other.........Insecticides and other chemicals.... vary from year to year...one year I had 5 boxes at an apple orchard..lost all 5 broods to
spraying! Live & learn!..You never know.!

So this is what I am dealing with here in NW CT.

Now for one more point to consider when it comes to Bluebird trails:(please bear with me!)

I always feel that if I am to pursue this interest, and realistically HELP these birds, than I must beat the natural odds of a successful fledging. Here is what I feel (my experience only), that the odds are, here in CT, for fledging a brood of birds.

Natural fledging success rate....................................40% +-
Man made box on a pole..unprotected......................25% at best
" w/ wood entrance guard....30%
" " and 5" overhang roof..40%
" on a pole w/ 4"PVC Pipe guard-3'.....60-70% -my personal results
" with maximum possible protection.....70-80%

So my choice is the use of inexpensive 4" PVC pipe, and lately, I have been making boxes with 5" overhang to the roof; I think it helps a bit.

One other final consideration here......We sometimes place boxes in areas that just don't have any natural nest sites, and this by itself is a very big point that helps the birds.

How I mount PVC:- Having many wooden posts to mount on (all given to me free in past) I pull the 4" pipe up under the box, screw the pipe loosely to the post. When I can, I found by stuffing mud and grass into the top openings, it will last the year, and deter mice & snakes very well. Of 200 boxes, I get only a few failures from ground predators with this method. You have to go with what works for you, and this system has worked very well for me for years. I am changing over too mettle poles more each year, and this is a good improvement as well.........good luck all, and thanks for reading this long post..if you did!

.............Paul from CT

Nestbox Guards (Part 2)