THE SIGHT OF Jap bluebirds charges excessive on my happiness scale, so I say carry them on. However what makes a spot appear to be inviting habitat to those charismatic birds, encouraging them to possibly stick round throughout breeding season? And in case your web site meets with their approval, and a pair maybe shacks up in a nest field you supplied, how will you then be an excellent bluebird landlord?
These and different bluebird-centric questions have been the subject with professional birder Julie Zickefoose, a author, artist, naturalist and wildlife rehabilitator who lives on an 80-acre wildlife sanctuary within the Appalachian foothills of Ohio. She’s a contributor to “BWD Journal,” previously “Chicken Watcher’s Digest,” and can be the creator and illustrator of a number of books, together with “Saving Jemima: Life and Love with a Onerous Luck Jay,” “Child Birds: an Artist seems Into the Nest,” and “The Bluebird Impact: Unusual Bonds with Frequent Birds.”
Plus: Enter to win a replica of her bluebird e book by commenting within the field close to the underside of the web page.
Learn alongside as you hearken to the Feb. 24, 2025 version of my public-radio present and podcast utilizing the participant under. You’ll be able to subscribe to all future editions on Apple Podcasts (iTunes) or Spotify (and browse my archive of podcasts right here).
welcoming bluebirds, with julie zickefoose
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Margaret Roach: So welcome again, Julie.
Julie Zickefoose: Effectively, it’s so nice to listen to your voice. Thanks.
Margaret: Sure, sure, sure. Effectively, I simply thought I’ve had sufficient of winter. Let’s discuss bluebirds [laughter].
Julie: I used to be out simply this morning listening for them on a sunny morning like this. They need to be singing and goofing round, however I didn’t hear them. I did hear a singing cardinal, which buoyed my spirits tremendously.
Margaret: Oh. It’s humorous, the place I’m within the Northeast, I do see them in winter, the bluebirds—that’s, they generally even present up on the feeder for a minute. So I wish to discuss somewhat bit about their life historical past, their life cycle, and so forth. However first I ought to say that you just and I are in Jap bluebird vary. There’s two different native bluebird species, I feel, in america, the Western and the mountain, I consider. So there’s bluebirds in most locations within the nation, I consider.
Julie: Yeah, you may often discover bluebirds you probably have the appropriate habitat. I wouldn’t name mountain bluebirds notably frequent, however they’re there. And oh my goodness, in the event you’ve ever seen one, they simply take my breath away as a result of they’re completely cerulean blue. The male, simply no brown on it. It’s simply superb. And the feminine is subtly lovely as properly. I’ve such a fond affiliation with them in New Mexico. I simply love seeing them.
Margaret: And bluebirds are thrushes, sure?
Julie: Sure, they’re. Yeah, we do have the three species, and mountain bluebird is definitely bigger than the opposite two, and truly takes one other eighth of an inch on the entry gap of a nest field as a result of it’s so broad-shouldered, it might’t get right into a one-and-a-half-inch gap.
Margaret: Oh! Effectively, we’re going to speak somewhat bit about nest bins and so forth and matching the appropriate one to the appropriate chook in a couple of minutes. So let’s say we’re within the East—and once I say the East, I don’t imply simply the East Coast. I imply the Jap bluebird is unfold fairly far into the nation, I feel.
Julie: Oh yeah. Yeah. It really crosses the Mississippi and heads on over into the Nice Plains.
Margaret: Yeah. So what sort of habitat, if I’m an Jap bluebird, what am I in search of? What sort of a spot am I in search of?
Julie: Yeah, that’s attention-grabbing. A lot of folks affiliate them with pastures. Anywhere the place the grass is saved brief, whether or not by animal or by machine, and it’s because they’re visible hunters; they’re nonetheless hunters. They’ll perch up on a excessive perch and search for crickets, grasshoppers, spiders, and caterpillars down within the grass. After which they plunge, dive down, to go get them.
If the grass is simply too lengthy and thick, they will’t see what they’re doing. So the humorous factor that goes on the place I’m is that they nest fortunately in hayfields, however just for the primary brood, earlier than the hay will get so excessive that they will’t see what they’re doing. In order that they actually type of rely on mown areas or grazed areas. And whereas a faculty taking part in area generally is a mown space that they’d be interested in, a cemetery, a golf course for higher or worse. So it truly is all about brief grass for the bluebirds, and open areas.
Margaret: Alright, good. Yeah, as a result of my uphill neighbor has much more open house. I imply, my place is on a hill and it’s type of tucked in and surrounded by forest edge. And naturally I planted a number of vegetation the final 30-something years [laughter]. Oops, sorry.
Julie: Think about.
Margaret: Yeah, however they’re at all times right here, and particularly within the spring, they’ll come and so they try the nest bins, and so they at all times lose out to the tree swallows. The tree swallows at all times take the nest bins. However I do know the place the bluebirds go, they go up the hill to my good friend Deb, as a result of she’s bought the right spot and he or she’s bought tons and much and many bins out. And yeah, she’s an important bluebird landlord [laughter].
Julie: In order that’s actually, that’s your solely weapon with tree swallows, is to simply put up, saturate the world with bins and hope they work it out.
Margaret: And I like tree swallows, too. I imply, they’re aerial acrobats and so they’re enjoyable. And the noise they make if I head within the route of a field and so they don’t need me to [laughter], it’s like some radar sign or one thing, some digital sign. Yeah, it’s loopy. O.Okay., in order that’s what they’re in search of.
And also you informed us type of what they eat. In order I stated, even within the Northeast, I see them in winter typically, however I feel folks affiliate them with spring, as in the event that they migrated and got here again. However identical to folks consider robins that approach, but it surely’s not precisely the case. What’s their sample?
Julie: They’re what’s referred to as facultative migrants. In order that they don’t have a set migratory path that they take yearly with out fail, the best way, say. a Cape Could warbler would. A bluebird goes as far south because it must, to search out meals and open water. And what occurs right here within the mid-Ohio Valley is in harsh, harsh climate, they’ll desert their regular haunts, which would come with my ridgetop, which is a giant meadow. And they’ll go to the water programs. You’ll discover them alongside the banks of rivers the place they will forage, the place they will discover any remaining fruiting vegetation, dogwood berries and issues like that. And they also will restore to these areas when the climate actually clamps down. After which on a pleasant day, a sunny bluebird day as we name them, they’ll commute again on up and begin speaking about nesting.
Margaret: And that’s a type of hilarious time. I at all times love watching, and I consider it as a nest-box show or one thing. The males will come and so they’ll do that showoff routine [laughter] by the nest field; it’s like, “Hey, have a look at me, I’m good-looking. Hey, don’t you wish to mate with me?” You realize what I imply? It’s this humorous, very, very, very showy… and I like watching it. In fact, they would favor that the feminine bluebirds liked watching it somewhat than me.
Julie: Yeah, it’s an important factor. It’s referred to as the wing-wave show [illustration, top of page], and so they’ll increase the far wing, not the one closest to the feminine, and so they’ll flap it partially prolonged nearly as if it’s not even linked to their physique. It’s simply this crazy-looking factor. And I really did a portray of that, and I’m ready for a print that I simply ordered of that portray of a bluebird on an previous, weathered nest field simply waving his wing like loopy, as a result of it’s simply such a signature sight and sound of spring.
Margaret: So if she says sure, she wins the prize, which is that she will get to construct the nest, proper? [Laughter.]
Julie: Yeah. Birds, they’re nest site-limited birds. And the nest cavity is the factor. If they will discover a good protected nest cavity and it has ample foraging space round it, they’re golden. And he or she’s a fortunate woman. It’s laborious to search out the correct of nest cavity, and bins actually assist that.
Margaret: However she does numerous the liner of the nest, doesn’t she? She prepares the nest itself throughout the cavity,
Julie: The entire thing. He’ll carry payments full of fabric and type of stick it within the field, however he doesn’t actually do the constructing. She does all of the type of squiggling down and shapin the cup and all that. And he or she does many of the work, however then he kicks in as quickly because the infants hatch; he helps feed them.
And he or she’s the one one who’s geared up to brood them and preserve them heat as a result of solely she varieties a brood patch on her stomach—a featherless space with a lot of type of congested blood vessels that actually transfers the warmth to the eggs. And the male hasn’t developed that. So I’ve really, as a rehabber, obtained a few broods of bluebirds to lift as a result of the feminine was killed.
Margaret: And the male can’t do the job as a result of the feathers are on his stomach there?
Julie: Right. He can’r preserve them heat sufficient. Yeah. Now, after a sure age, if the feminine is killed—that is type of morbid—but when the feminine is killed after the infants are about seven to eight days previous, they will survive, as a result of all they want is meals at that time. They’re thermo-regulating, they’re feathered, and a male can end elevating the brood.
However this will get to a complete factor for me, which is protecting notes. Whenever you’re taking good care of your bluebird bins, I don’t care how trivial it appears, write down the date it occurred since you’ll be so glad you probably did. I preserve somewhat log e book. All my bins are numbered or named, and I preserve somewhat log e book. Each time I go to the field, I observe the climate, the time, the date, and what’s occurring within the field. And that approach, since I do know that the incubation interval is 12 to 14 days, I do know when the eggs will hatch, as a result of I’ve been there and I’ve seen after they have been laid.
So I can’t stress sufficient the significance of writing down in an organized method what you see within the field, as a result of there are set durations for incubation, and for the nestling interval, and a set time after they fledge. And if you recognize when these items occur, you’re actually on prime of it and you may type of be there for the miracles.
Margaret: Yeah. So that you stated “all my bins.” So confess, what number of bins? [Laughter.]
Julie: Oh, I run about 26.
Margaret: I’m a kind of individuals who I’m going to the backyard facilities and in addition see on-line the adverts served as much as me of those so-called chook homes or nest bins. They usually’re like, I dunno, anthropomorphized—I imply, they’re like fairly homes for miniature doll homes or folks homes. Chicken homes, it’s a distinct matter of what they need, the size and the structure. I like that web site, what’s it? Nestwatch.org, I consider, a part of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology suite of internet sites, they’ve All About Chicken Homes, the entire part, and it tells you species by species, the size and easy methods to construct the appropriate field and so forth.
Julie: Yeah, and it’s fairly particular stuff. And also you’re proper, there’s rather a lot in the marketplace that’s simply completely unsuitable. Like typically you’ll see a extremely cute a-frame field with the opening proper down on the flooring degree of the field. So it’s bought all this house overhead that the birds can’t use, as a result of the entry gap is within the backside.
So yeah, there’s an important web site, North American Bluebird Society, and so they have pages with right here’s a correct field dimension, right here’s what they appear to be, right here’s what it is advisable to have within the field. And I feel the one most necessary factor, after a one-and-a-half-inch entry gap, is you could open it from the aspect or the entrance, so you will get in there and assist after they need assistance.
Margaret: O.Okay.
Julie: And you may as well get in there to wash it out in between broods and may, God forbid, a child die in there, you may take it out and defend the opposite infants that approach. So there’s many, many causes to open the field and to be messing round with the contents.
Margaret: In late winter, I at all times go round and clear out the nest bins that I’ve on the property, simply take out every part that was in there from final yr. I imply, I assume we begin clear. Sure?
Julie: Sure. We begin clear. And if you’re critical about working bins and taking actual excellent care of those in your yard, I like to recommend cleansing it between broods.
Margaret: Oh. So if there’s going to be a number of broods, O.Okay.
Julie: Right. Yeah. So once you see the infants go away, get in there, clear it out, mud it out with like a paintbrush. Typically if there’s a mite infestation, I’ll sprint it with boiling water, which is a wonderfully non-poisonous approach to kill all of the mites in there, after which go away it open till it dries or swab it out with paper towels. There’s a lot of issues you are able to do to make it good for the following brood. And I feel it’s higher to wash between broods, as a result of it removes the parasites that may construct up over the season.
Margaret: So what about protection towards predators? So that you’ve bought, probably, these eggs after which these little helpless creatures in there, with Mother taking care of them. I see about baffles and I see about every kind of different sparrow-spookers, these units to scare away home sparrows. So what’s your predator-proofing contain?
Julie: Sure. So all people’s intuition after they get a chook field is to nail it up on a tree. And that’s the worst factor you are able to do, for lots of causes. It’s like a predator freeway. If a raccoon is climbing up the tree, why isn’t it going to stay its hand into the opening on the field? And they’ll. Earwigs go up the tree trunk and gather behind the field the place it’s damp, after which go into the nest. And also you don’t wish to open a field seething with earwigs. It’s disgusting. There are simply so many causes to not put them on timber, or on fence posts. I solely mount my bins on steel conduit with a stovepipe baffle that’s snugged proper up beneath the nest field.
And that’s one thing you could make by yourself for most likely round 25 bucks. You will get every part at Lowe’s; it’s principally a 2-foot size of galvanized stovepipe with a fitted cap. I often use a 5-inch diameter range pipe, and I’ve a suspension system that you just use to droop it. And what I’m attempting to consider is how we will get this data to individuals who want it. There could also be stovepipe baffle plans on-line [below, from a BWD Magazine colleague of Julie’s], however an important factor is to be sure that each field you place up is on a steel pole and is remoted from overhanging limbs and is protected by stovepipe baffles.
Margaret: O.Okay. In order that’s important. When it comes to placement, many people have… You’re in a protect, so to talk; you’re 80 acres, so it’s much more alternative of the place to place them. However what could be the perfect siting in a smaller place—essentially the most open spot, and as you have been saying earlier than, the place there’s mown space beneath or alongside or no matter?
Julie: Sure. And most necessary, they don’t actually care precisely the place the field is relative to the foraging space. So long as they will get to a foraging space, bluebirds will nest on the woods border after which commute to a close-by hayfield to feed. That’s not an enormous deal. However in the event you’re placing up a field in your yard, the necessary factor is to maintain it at the least 15 ft away from any vegetation, shrubbery, something like that, {that a} black rat snake or one other predator might use to type of hitch over onto it.
So in different phrases, you don’t wish to put a field underneath a tree with overhanging limbs. That invitations predators to climb down onto it. See ,what you’re doing once you’re placing up a field is you’re placing up type of an advert that claims, “Hey, there’s sweet in right here.” [Laughter.] It’s fairly apparent; any predator that’s paying any consideration in any respect can see the birds going forwards and backwards feeding the infants. So that you’ve bought to… you owe it to them to be sure to defend it and make it laborious or unimaginable for predators to get to it.
Margaret: How excessive is the field on the pole?
Julie: Effectively, I often put it so I can simply see into the nest. So I’m 5-5, so my eye degree and somewhat above, the upper the higher. And I say that via laborious expertise. I’ve these 5-foot pole mounts. And what has occurred over time—I’ve lived right here for 34 years—is the black rat snakes have gotten previous and massive [laughter] and they’re now 6, 7 ft lengthy. They’re huge. So what’s occurred is a few of my bins are literally brief sufficient in order that the snake can coil itself across the steel pole and loop that 6-foot physique up over my baffle and clear out my field, and it’s most heartbreaking. So when this begins occurring, you bought to mount them on a taller pole and better so {that a} huge snake can’t loop up over them.
Margaret: Proper? Oh my goodness.
Julie: I’m type of residing in a lab right here, Margaret, the place I’ve been watching these processes for therefore lengthy, and I’ve seen all completely different sorts of predation, and it’s consistently altering. Guess what my most feared predator is now?
Margaret: I don’t know.
Julie: It’s extraordinarily cute and nocturnal. There’s a touch.
Margaret: Extraordinarily cute and nocturnal? Cute. That’s a humorous phrase. As a result of I imply, nocturnal right here is opossums, and raccoons come out.
Julie: Yeah. Yeah. I don’t assume they’re cute in any respect.
Margaret: No, that’s why I didn’t know who you thought was cute [laughter].
Julie: No, my worst predator is the flying squirrel.
Margaret: I used to be going to say the flying squirrel is actually, actually, actually cute, however actually, actually, actually small. That’s fascinating.
Julie: Yep. They will get within the gap and so they can fly to the field.
Margaret: Wow.
Julie: So baffles imply nothing to the flying squirrel. So what I’ve needed to do is relocate all my bins to farther than a squirrel can glide from the closest tree. And that’s tough. Sure, I’ve 80 acres, however discovering a spot the place there isn’t a tree, the place a squirrel can’t launch onto it, is changing into a problem.
Margaret: That’s actually attention-grabbing. See, I’ve by no means considered them as predatory for one thing like eggs or nestlings. You realize what I imply? It simply didn’t compute in my head that that’s what they’d be out doing at night time [laughter]. I’ve seen them and so they’re hilarious; oh my God, they’re so lovely. These eyes and the little ears and-
Julie: I do know. I’ve one sampling Zick Dough [homemade bird food] in somewhat feeder by my studio window, and I about died of the lovable once I noticed him, however they’re very rapacious. They’re blood-thirsty like chipmunks.
Margaret: I didn’t know that.
Julie: They usually’re main nest predators. And what lots of people don’t know is that in some components of the nation that’s the single most ample mammal.
Margaret: See, I didn’t know any of that. And once more, I’ve had them right here on a regular basis. I simply didn’t know that was their deal, as a result of I’ve by no means had an encounter such as you’re describing with them that I’ve noticed. So aside from predators—let’s overlook about them for a minute.
Julie: It’s all predators for me [laughter].
Margaret: I do know [laughter]. All people’s bought to eat, Julie. All people’s bought to eat. So: Cavity nesters. ,I stated firstly that often the tree swallows win out and get the bins, and the bluebirds don’t right here the place I dwell, and that’s superb with me. For those who put up a nest field, possibly you don’t get a pair of bluebirds, however who else may you get—do you ever get different birds in any of your nest bins?
Julie: Oh, sure. Yeah.
Margaret: So inform us about a few of them, as a result of I feel it’s fantastic whoever decides to make use of them.
Julie: Certain, certain. Inside purpose, there are some who I don’t allow [laughter], however right here, the gamut of birds that I can get is Jap bluebird, tufted titmouse, tree swallow, white-breasted nuthatch (the holy grail), and home wren, which I don’t love, and home sparrow, which I completely don’t allow to nest within the bins.
Margaret: Proper, proper, proper. Yeah. I’m going to admit: You simply stated home wren, which you’re not thrilled by. I preserve one field, a really previous little humorous handmade field, proper on the aspect of my home, actually connected to the siding not removed from my door, the principle door that I come and go out and in of. And it’s at all times a home sparrow [wren]. And actually, it’s a humorous factor. It’s identical to it’s the worst place to have the field as a result of she or he’s simply screaming at me on a regular basis and I’m irritating her or him on a regular basis. You realize what I imply? And it’s simply this hilarious dialog yearly. However that’s type of what charms me as a result of they’re so humorous and so small and so bossy. They’re so bossy.
Julie: Yeah. You’re speaking a few home wren now.
Margaret: I’m sorry, I didn’t imply home sparrow. I meant home wren [laughter].
Julie: Since you stated they’re nice little birds, very spunky. They usually solely have one Achilles’ heel. And that’s when the male is prospecting for a nest web site, he goes to each cavity in his territory, which might be somewhat massive, and he’ll pierce and throw out the eggs of every other chook nesting in that space.
Margaret: Oh, O.Okay.
Julie: I feel that’s nice that you’ve your own home wren field proper on your own home and hopefully a long way away from the tree swallow nest.
Margaret: Sure. A whole lot and a whole lot and a whole lot and a whole lot of… Yeah, 2 acres away. Sure.
Julie: So exhibiting what an important eggslayer he’s a part of his breeding factor for the feminine. “Look, I eradicated the competitors for you.” [Laughter.] So I really had a home wren come via my place, come up my driveway and exit my meadow throwing the eggs out of each field that was there.
Margaret: Oh my goodness.
Julie: And I heard him singing within the morning and I assumed, oh my Lord. And certain sufficient, that’s how he spent the day, and all people needed to relay, after which he moved on.
Margaret: Demonic. Oh, it was horrible. I’ll by no means have a look at one the identical once more.
Julie: Vilified.
Margaret: Julie, I’m at all times glad to speak to you, and thanks for the recommendation about bluebirds and the right lodging, ought to we be so fortunate as to host a pair within the spring forward within the breeding season forward.
Julie: I at all times love speaking with you, Margaret. Have an important day.
(Illustrations and images by Julie Zickefoose; used with permission.)
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MY WEEKLY public-radio present, rated a “top-5 backyard podcast” by “The Guardian” newspaper within the UK, started its fifteenth yr in March 2024. It’s produced at Robin Hood Radio, the smallest NPR station within the nation. Pay attention domestically within the Hudson Valley (NY)-Berkshires (MA)-Litchfield Hills (CT) Mondays at 8:30 AM Jap, rerun at 8:30 Saturdays. Or play the Feb. 24, 2025 present utilizing the participant close to the highest of this transcript. You’ll be able to subscribe to all future editions on iTunes/Apple Podcasts or Spotify (and browse my archive of podcasts right here).
