>Anna Coles here again, still about bluebirds. *Now* my husband says that
>the suggestion to trap/transfer bluebirds to the Kitsap Peninsula was
>given in jest. However, we were wondering how likely it would be for
>bluebirds to find boxes put up for them many miles (across a large body
>of water) from where they usually occur.
>Is there anything else we could do to attract them to our area?
>
>Also, is there a way to tip the balance for use of the boxes by bluebirds
>instead of English sparrows or starlings? I guess height is
>one--bluebirds will nest in boxes not too far off the ground, while the
>others prefer higher nests? We noticed some strange-shaped boxes on
>fences this summer: tapered till the bottom front met the bottom back.
>Were those for bluebirds? I didn't see how *any* birds could make a nest
>in those boxes! Any Tweeters have experiences with or know of those boxes?
>Thanks again! --Anna Coles, Seattle/Kitsap County acoles at u.washington.edu

Anna, I can't answer any of your questions, other than that it's easy to
keep out starlings by the size of the entry hole, but you will still have
to worry about house sparrows (but not out in the country), tree swallows,
chickadees, and perhaps house wrens. As most hole nesters are limited by
nest holes, even if bluebirds don't colonize your "bluebird trail," you
will be helping the other species the numbers of which are also constrained
by modern logging practices.

Perhaps George Walter can help you. He's the guy who has very successfully
rehabilitated the bluebird populations on Fort Lewis. His address is 8015
Walnut Road NE, Olympia, WA 98506, phone 206-459-8220 (can you believe it,
he's not on e-mail).

Dennis Paulson