The Barn Owl Box's Innovative New Bluebird House Achieves High Occupancy and Repels House Sparrows
I purchased four of these new plastic bluebird houses in early spring. After an easy setup on my property, I had renters within two weeks-three out of four nest boxes were occupied with bluebirds throughout the summer, producing multiple clutches. I highly recommend this bluebird house!" - Tom Sedenka, Lisbon, Iowa
VENICE, Fla., March 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Perhaps there is no better loved bird in North America than the bluebird. And perhaps no conservation effort ranks higher in success than that conducted on this beautiful songbird's behalf.
After suffering perilous declines in numbers into the 1970's, bluebird societies were formed in almost every state, and dedicated bluebird lovers installed thousands of bluebird houses on "bluebird trails" that devotees monitored each season. Within three decades, bluebird numbers rebounded dramatically.
At the heart of any bluebird conservation effort is a well-constructed nest box.
"Bluebird enthusiasts are extremely loyal to their favorite bird and very discerning about the kind of nest box they use for attracting them," says Mark Browning, a biologist who designed the new house. "So when we launched our heat-resistant house for bluebirds, many an eyebrow was raised in terms of the white color and plastic material. As it turns out, the nest box has proven to be a superior home for bluebirds to raise their young. The result is a nest box that will far outlast wooden ones, is extremely lightweight, and features a number of useful innovations."
Perhaps the greatest innovation of the new box is its repellant effect on one of the bluebird's greatest enemies, the house sparrow. "We made the nest box bright white for two reasons: to keep the box cool in full sun, and, very importantly, to repel house sparrows."
It turns out that house sparrows, which take over bluebird houses and destroy nests, shun the bright interior. Moreover, another pest of the bluebird, the blackfly, is known to be attracted to dark colors and to shun brightness. "A house that resists occupation by two major pests of the bluebird can have higher occupation rates and more successful young," says Browning.
The wide ranges of the three races of the bluebird, the eastern, western, and mountain bluebird ensure that no matter where you live in the United States, bluebirds are native to open fields in your region. Attracting these beautiful, insect-eating songsters is as easy as putting up a nest box.
Browning's company, The Barn Owl Box Company, produces the highly popular Barn Owl Box which has been featured on a PBS segment of America's Heartland, and is now in use by biologists in numerous states, several Audubon Society chapters, and thousands of vineyards and orchards. They also make innovative houses for screech owls, kestrels, and songbirds.
For more info on The Bluebird House and other products, go to www.barnowlbox.com
Media contact:
Mark Browning
412-874-9403
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160321/346378
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160321/346379
SOURCE The Barn Owl Box
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