Spring Cleaning our Bluebird Homes

Unlike some other birds, bluebirds won’t typically clean out old nests themselves. So, it’s up to us to play landlord and get things tidy. At the very least, you should clean out the boxes by mid-February. But honestly, if you’re hoping for multiple broods of adorable bluebirds, the best practice is to clean the box out after each brood has fledged – that’ll encourage them to stick around for another round. Brian and I grabbed a few supplies before going outside: a ladder to reach the box, a screwdriver to open it up, a bucket of plain water with a rag, and a brush to help us remove the old nesting material. Some people like to use a diluted bleach solution (about 1 part bleach to 10 parts water) to disinfect, but that’s optional. Just remember, if you do use bleach, rinse the box really-well afterwards so no chemicals are left behind. And one last important thing: when you’re disposing of the old nest, toss it somewhere away from the bluebird box. You don’t want to attract any predators to the area.  

…..Woodpecker Sleepovers? Squirrels?

Brian and I found strange, deep scratches inside one of them! We are totally stumped. The entrance hole was only chewed a little bit but there were deep gouges in the walls. While we’ve got chipmunks, they’re snoozing underground right now. We also considered squirrels because of their personality. The hole in this type of bluebird house is 1 3/8 in wide and 2 in tall. Could a squirrel squeeze inside? Today, I read about downy woodpeckers. Apparently, they love to use bluebird boxes for a warm, safe place to sleep during the winter. They’ll sometimes peck at the entrance to make it a bit bigger. So, those mysterious scratches? Maybe our little woodpecker friend making some winter renovations! This is still a mystery to us!

Our Bluebird Box Upgrades

Brian’s giving the bluebird houses some modifications. He’s putting metal entrance hole protectors on the houses to stop them from getting chewed bigger—think of them as tiny, bird-sized door frames. And since we found those weird scratches inside, which were a bit of a head-scratcher, we’re thinking of adding a stove pipe baffle around the pole. Basically, it’ll make it much harder for anything to climb up. We want to make sure the bluebirds have a safe and cozy place to raise their families.

“The Little Gardener” (above) and “As Time Goes By” (right) were photographed on a feeding platform in our backyard. They are our wild bluebird residents. I create little scenes from vintage objects, moss in our woods, and flowers. The birds are used to finding food on the platform. They hunt for hidden snacks. They get food; I get photos and every birdy’s happy! See more photographs of our bluebird residents at AzarElGreetings.com.