Expert: Miguel Rodriguez - 5/15/2009

Question
I have been feeding birds for several years and have a birdhouse for the Eastern Bluebirds.  They have nested in the past with no problems, but about a month ago while they were building their nest I noticed another type of bird continually perching on the fence a few feet from their house.  Suddenly, they deserted the house and never returned so I moved the house about 50 feet away.  They are building again, but the other bird is hanging around again.  I found out from a picture it's a House Sparrow.  I've been reading how they will kill the bluebird and sometimes even build in the house on top of the dead bird.  Is there any way to protect my bluebirds from them?

Answer
I don't exactly know what the size difference between the two is, but if the bluebird is smaller (which is my guess), then the only solution is to make the nestbox hole smaller.

A more drastic one would be to poison the house sparrow. These birds are introduced pests and readily feed on garbage and refuse. Contact local animal control agencies or a pest control company for tips on how this could be done.