Western Bluebird Nest from my Bluebird Trail
Oak Titmouse Nest from my Bluebird Trail
These are photos of a Western Bluebird nest and an Oak Titmouse nest from two of my nestboxes on my bluebird trail. When monitoring a birdhouse or nestbox trail it is important to be able to identify the birds and the nests that you find being built in your birdhouses. It is also important to note when eggs are laid and when the hen begins to incubate those eggs.
Even if you only have one or two birdhouses in your yard it is important to monitor them and it’s fun too! You get to see the birds and eggs close up and you help prevent any problems before they occur. Another reason to monitor your birdhouses if you live where there are House Sparrows or European Starlings is to make sure these two species don’t claim one of your birdhouses for themselves (click on the link above to read that post).
My friend Bet has a great website with loads of information on nest and egg identification and monitoring here: Sialis.org
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Hi,
I have a hanging bird nest in my orange tree in Sacramento, California. Any idea what type of bird this nest is built by. They have abandoned it because I have 4 cats.
Thanks I like your website!
Marla
What kind of trap would you suggest for trapping sparrows who invade the bluebird houses in my yard?
Hi Marla,
Cats are a definite deterrent for any nesting birds. They are probably the number one killer of backyard birds. I would love to see a photo of the nest in your orange tree. You can sent it to me by email to: webmaster@BackyardBirdman.com and I will try to identify it for you.
I am getting ready to take a trip down Sacramento way in about three weeks to visit another trail monitor. I will have loads of information to report when I get back.
Larry
Hi Linda,
I would recommend either of two traps depending on if you want to attach them to your nestboxes or put out a general trap for large numbers of house sparrows. The best trap for placing on individual nestboxes is the Van Ert trap that you can find here: http://www.vanerttraps.com/universal.htm .
If you want a general trap to place out where you can trap many house sparrows at once, get a Deluxe Repeating Sparrow Trap here: http://www.sparrowtraps.net
I wish you the best of luck with your house sparrow problem but it can be tackled with diligence and persistence!
Larry