Expert: Bluebird Bob Walshaw - 5/7/2008

Question
QUESTION: A pair of house finches have built a nest atop our porch light.  If the light gets turned on at night do you think it might emit too much heat to be safe for the birds and their eggs?

ANSWER: I would worry more about your house. Fires are started every year by birds, especially the killer house sparrows building dry grassy nests around lights and light fixtures. I would tape the switch shut and not use the light until after the young fledge. Then remove the nest and then either watch it in the future and remove any starter nesting material until they get discouraged or put up some sort of cover or guard. Bluebird Bob. PS - do you have Bluebird houses?

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QUESTION: No,I don't have Bluebird houses.  I don't think we have bluebirds in our area - (Clinton,Utah).  I have blue scrub-jays that come to our feeders sometimes.

Answer
You may be surprised. You are in the Mountain Bluebird area, and if you have some irrigated areas and are not in a total desert or cheek by jowl in the middle of a lot of other houses in the middle of a town you may have them. You may not be seeing them as they are insect eaters and do not come to seed feeders. Many people are pleasantly surprised when they put up a Bluebird house after never seeing Bluebirds. If you do this be sure to put up a box with a 1 and 9/16 inch entrance, as tha Mountain Bluebirds are a bit bigger than our Eastern Bluebirds. Bluebird Bob.