Swallows hanging around other nest? (1 Viewer)

Greetings!

For the past two days, we have noticed a male tree swallow frequently sitting on top of our nest box, and just as frequently looking inside the box, but not entering. we did see a brown bird exit the box. It looked more like a sparrow than like a female swallow, because the breast was brownish too. The nest inside is short, and made of loose grasses. The nest started to appear two weeks ago.

The question: is it a swallow nest or something else? If it's another bird's nest, why would the swallow be hanging around it? Can a female swallow look so brown like a sparrow? Is it too early for sparrows to nest in Upstate New York? Aren't sparrows' nests rather tall than squat?

Many thanks.

Hi, redbarn! I see this is your first post, so let me extend a warm welcome to you from all of us on staff here at BirdForum.

Afraid I can't help with your question as I know absolutely nothing about nestboxes or bird behaviors in/around them. But I'm sure someone will be along shortly who can.

Look forward to your participation here. :t:

Would you kindly tell us, what kind of nest box it is (size, hole etc.) ?

See follow link : http://www.shawcreekbirdsupply.com/plans_tree_swallow.htm

Hannu

I am willing to bet anything you have a House Sparrow attempting to nest in the box. Your Tree Swallow is a lone male scoping for a home. The females are just now coming and the battle for the boxes will begin in earnest very soon. Here in Minnesota, the Tree Swallows start to nest end of April to the beggining of May (usually after May1) I have the same thing happening now, but I have a few boxes up in the yard to help lessen the species competion. I am looking for bluebirds and tree swallow mainly, so I really try to control the house sparrow from occuping anything more than the one box set for him, and then two other PVC boxes that the tree swallow and bluebird nest in. I monitor everyday. I recommend care and monitoring if you are putting up boxes and you might want to add another one a good 25' from the one that is up for the tree swallow.
shelley

Sparrows indeed, have set up other box

Thanks much for your replies. The box is a standard bluebird-type box, 1 1/2-inch hole, 1 foot-ish high, and 5' off the ground on a lone wooden pole at the edge of a field. Indeed, two sparrows were sitting atop the box and appear to have made a nest inside. I've set up another box 30-40' away to try to lure the tree swallows. How might I keep sparrows from the new box (or at least try to) without scaring off other prospective bird residents?

Thanks,
Redbarn

If that house sparrow has claimed that box, he'll not give it up with out a fight. It is my experience to let him have it. Here is where many people have varying views of this situation. It is only my experience that I am suggesting that you monitor the boxes, get them on a metal pole with a baffle (to stop predators from raiding the boxes....easy to climb wood). If it is just a male house sparrow, I remove his grass. He gets bewildered, but won't give up on the box, he just keeps at it. It's more important to him then a girlfriend. Hopefully the tree swallows will check out your new box and claim that one. They will defend an area around the box if the House Sparrow gets to close. If you have a bad HOSP problem, I would recommend NOT wooden boxes, but the round PVC boxes, they are second choice for a HOSP or I would not put boxes up at all if the House sparrow is too aggressive and are overrunning any native species.
Oh, one more thing....I plug up my holes in winter and will not open them up until I see bluebirds OR the last week in April (this is when the female swallows join the males). This, I think has been key....as the more aggressive/dominant males have already had choice pick, the supposed weaker ones (or the ones less likely to invade another occupied box) are what are left.
Hope this helps
shelley