Bluebirds & Des Moines City Parks Environmental Education
Eastern Bluebird What is a Bluebird? The Eastern Bluebird is smaller than the more commonly seen robin but they are both in the thrush family and both have a warm rusty red breast. The male eastern bluebird is brilliantly colored and easy to spot with bright blue feathers covering his back and head. The female eastern bluebird is grayer in color with blue on the wings and tail. Bluebirds are often seen sitting on top of nesting boxes or in lower tree branches where they can scan the ground for insects to eat. Habitat Female Eastern Bluebird Food Eastern Bluebirds live in open grassy areas that are surrounded by trees with little understory. The open grassy areas offer a place for the birds to hunt and find food. The trees provide cover and nest holes for the bluebirds to raise their young. City parks, golf courses and cemeteries with nest boxes make attractive homes for bluebirds and make them more visible to the public. Eastern Bluebirds eat mostly insects. A large portion of their diet includes caterpillars, beetles, crickets, grasshoppers and even spiders. Short grass helps the birds to locate their prey. In the fall and winter they will also eat wild berries such as dogwood, honeysuckle and juniper. Bluebird Enemies Raccoons live in the same areas as Bluebirds and can climb almost anything. At a bluebird box, they will make a meal of eggs or young birds. House sparrows are cavity nesting birds imported from Europe during the late 1800 s. They are extremely adaptable and compete strongly with bluebirds for available nest sites. They will break eggs or kill baby and adult Bluebirds in the nest box. Snakes are able to climb most poles to eat eggs or young birds from the nesting cavity. Blowflies can be deadly parasites of young bluebirds. The number of fly larvae increases during the nesting season and are more damaging to later broods. Indigo Bunting Blue Jay American Robin House Cats are stealth predators of all songbirds, including bluebirds. Boxes should be placed away from buildings to avoid sneaking cats.
Bluebird Boxes Bluebird Box Locations There are Bluebird Boxes located in Grandview Park, Gray s Lake, Glendale Cemetery, Woodlawn Cemetery and the Richard A. Clark Municipal Service Building. Bluebird babies in a nest box What is a Nesting Cavity? Bluebirds are secondary cavity nesters, which means they need a hole in something to build a nest, but they cannot dig out their own cavities. They depend on holes created by woodpeckers and naturally rotted spots in trees. Artificial cavities such as a bird house box will also satisfy a bluebird s requirements. Without the cavity the Bluebird will not build a nest. What Happened to the Natural Cavity Nesting Sites? Several factors have led to the decline in Bluebird nesting sites. The removal of dead trees because they look unsightly, metal fence posts replacing wooden ones and the clearing of wooded areas for crop production, firewood and lumber have all physically reduced the number of nest sites available. The introduction of the House Sparrow to the United States from Europe has created more competition for the remaining nesting sites. These problems combined, caused a decline in the bluebird population to the point that they were considered uncommon in much of their original range by 1979. Why Bluebird Boxes in Des Moines City Parks? Using Bluebird boxes in Des Moines City Parks allows us to place nesting cavities in the Bluebird s most desirable locations. After installation, the boxes are monitored to help keep House sparrows from using the boxes. The use of Bluebird boxes has assisted in the population rebound of Eastern Bluebirds. Also, establishing Bluebird boxes in the parks creates opportunities for the public to view wildlife they may not otherwise have available. Volunteers Needed If you interested in volunteering with the Bluebird Box program contact ParksEE@dmgov.org Bluebird eggs in a nest box Volunteers Monitor Boxes for Sparrows
Your own Bluebird box Construction These plans are designed for 1 rough sided cedar boards. They will last for a long time and should not be painted or stained. (Details on next page.) Placement Think like a Bluebird. What does a Bluebird want in a good home? Open grassy areas to hunt for insects to eat, not very close to the ground to avoid hungry predators and as far away as you can be from buildings, because house sparrows love to hang out on those structures. One more item, something like a bush or low branch in front of the box that a new fledgling could land on after it s first flight from the box. Care Make sure your box is clean and empty early in March when the males are looking for nest sites. Look in your box weekly to remove anything that does not belong in the box. Do not open the box if there are baby Bluebirds in it after they are 14 days old. Clean out the old nest and leave the box open late in the fall to keep the mice out for the winter. Dealing with House Sparrows Sparrows : Non native birds. They are not protected by US laws. House Sparrows will break eggs, kill the young and even kill adults to take over a nesting box. Nest: Remove House Sparrow nests and eggs from your boxes. Nests are messy, build to the top of the box, and contain anything they can find: trash, grass, string, feathers Eggs: Nickle size, greenish white with brown and gray dots, usually 3-6 per clutch. Other desirable birds that may move in a Bluebird box. Black capped chick-a-dee House Wren Tree Swallow
Bluebird box plans
Look for these signs on some of our Blue Bird Nesting Boxes located in the City of Des Moines Parks. The boxes have provided the cavity needed for Blue Birds to build their nest and raise their young. The boxes are in public areas and many people get to observe the Blue Birds while they raise their fledglings. Please do not disturb this Blue Bird Nesting Box. This box is providing nesting habitat for Blue Birds in Des Moines Parks. Bluebirds have brilliant blue backs and heads with a rusty red chest. They eat insects. Look for bluebirds in this area. This is what to expect at a bluebird box: March Birds arrive in Iowa from winter migration April Nest building, simple grass nest & light blue eggs May Hatchlings, usually 4-5 babies, Fledge by 21 days June/July - Possible 2nd or 3rd nesting in the same box August - Box left open to keep out mice for the winter. This box is monitored weekly during nesting season by volunteers to keep house sparrows from nesting. For more information contact www.dmparks.org
Bluebird box trail Locations in Des Moines Woodland Cemetery 2019 Woodland Ave.
Bluebird box trail Locations in Des Moines Richard A. Clarke Municipal Service Center 1551 East Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway Volunteers Needed If you interested in volunteering with the Bluebird Box program contact ParksEE@dmgov.org.
Bluebird box trail Locations in Des Moines Laurel Hill Cemetery 3601 East Court Avenue
Bluebird box trail Locations in Des Moines 7101 Fleur Drive Gray s Lake Volunteers Needed If you interested in volunteering with the Bluebird Box program contact ParksEE@dmgov.org.
Bluebird box trail Locations in Des Moines Grandview Park 3230 Easton Boulevard Volunteers Needed If you interested in volunteering with the Bluebird Box program contact ParksEE@dmgov.org.
Bluebird box trail Locations in Des Moines Glendale Cemetery 4909 University Ave. Volunteers Needed If you interested in volunteering with the Bluebird Box program contact ParksEE@dmgov.org.