Bluebirds in 1999!!! and now again in 2002 :-)))

Raccoon Guards on Bluebird houses

6 inch plastic pipe experiment -- 2000 season
As of the spring of 2002 I have found no nests raided by the racoons so the plastic pipe is the only prevention I have found that works (apparently 100%).
I don't think this pipe will prevent a bull snake from climbing to the nest but so far I haven't noticed a snake problem.

	My 1997 Experiment
Last year the raccoon found the birdhouses and raided the Tree Swallow nests. Fortunately most of the baby Swallows had left the nests.	This year I am trying this circle of ¼ inch rods to see if the coon can climb around it.

I have noticed that the male Tree Swallow or Bluebird will perch on these wire rods while the female is in the nest so it is a good idea to have a place to perch for the males.
These rods seem to do the trick and allow the male to be close to the house to keep watch.

The rods are 14 inches in length.	I welded a ½ inch pipe union in a piece of 3 by 4 inch channel iron and then welded the rods on the channel iron.

Back to my Arbor Page

Back to my Birdhouse Page

Shortcut to my Homepage