If you’re starting out with bluebirds, chickadees and tree swallows, you may have also investigated different ways to protect your nesting birds from predators, and in learning about different predator guards, you might wonder if a Noel Guard would be useful against snakes.
This is a great quest, especially since Noel guards are very cost-effective, especially compared to a baffle.
Noel guards will not prevent snakes from invading a native cavity nesting songbird house or nest box. Snakes are able to maneuver through the guard, and the prongs from the hardware cloth won’t deter them.
If you’re not quite sure what a Noel guard is, these are mesh devices made of hardware cloth. They fit around the nest box entrance and create distance from a reaching predator and the nest box entry. We have a helpful video about Noel guards that give a great overview of what they are and how they work.
Noel guards do not offer a lot of broad protection against a wide range of predators. But they can be effective in preventing raccoons, cats and birds of prey from reaching in.
What Does Prevent Snakes from Nest Boxes and Birdhouses?
The best way to prevent snakes from entering your native cavity bird nest boxes is to use a large stovepipe baffle. At the very least, this baffle should be 8 inches in diameter by 24 inches tall.
However, a lot of experienced bluebird trail monitors and tree swallow landlords are recommending baffles that are 60 inches tall or close to it.
We have more resources on this topic. The first article talks more about what baffles are and how they protect your nesting birds, while the second article is more specific to snake prevention and even has resources about making a baffle if you wanted to go that route.
How to Tell if a Snake Entered My Nest Box
An indication that a snake entered your bluebird nest box and ate what was inside is if you open the bluebird nest box and discover a very intact, clean nest with nothing inside – no eggs or nestlings.
Snakes are able to carefully and fully slip into a nest box. As they enter, nothing inside the box is able to escape. They can move slow and strategically without disturbing the nest itself.
So if you one day discover your eggs or nestlings missing, but the nest completely intact, it was likely a snake. And more specifically, it was likely a rat snake.
Will Other Birdhouse Entry Guards Prevent Snakes?
Along with Noel guards, there are other devices that fit around the nest box entry hole that create distance between the entry hole and a reaching predator.
These usually come in the form of a plastic or decorative tube, and creates a sort of narrow hall that make it harder for reaching predators, but can still allow birds to enter their nest box.
Just like a Noel guard, these types of guard do not protect from snakes either. Snakes are skinny enough to fit through these guards and enter a nest box.
What To Do If You Find a Snake in Your Nest Box
When it comes to monitoring nest boxes, it is very important that you are aware of your surroundings and remember that you are working with wildlife. There could be a whole number of surprises inside the nest box.
Always approach your nest box with caution as you prepare to check inside. Gently tapping the box to allow anything inside to leave is always a good idea.
Slowly, and carefully open the box. If you discover a snake inside the box Do not harm it. Native snakes are protected and play a valuable role in the ecosystem. It is very important to remember that predators serve a critical role in keeping the ecosystem in balance.
As wildlife stewards, our goal is not to disrupt the balance of the ecosystem, but instead restore and maintain it. This is also why we work to host bluebirds.
The safest thing you can do is leave the box open for a while, exposing it to light and walk away. The snake will likely leave to find a darker hiding spot.
If you happen to catch a snake in the act with some intact eggs or nestlings, you can remove the snake. However, you would want to use a thick gloves. And while rat snakes are not poisonous, we still do not recommend this approach because in the event that what you have is not a rat snake but something else, you could expose yourself to incredible harm.
Should you go through with safely removing the snake, your next step would be to call a wildlife or songbird rehabber for further advice on the nestlings. If nestlings are very young looking – very pink – it is possible the snake ate the mother bird. A rehabber, therefore, will have the best advice on what to do next.
Do not attempt to rear bluebird nestlings on your own. This is not legal to do, and without proper training and licensing, you might be setting the birds up for longtime failure after they’re released into the wild.
Ultimately, a Noel guard is a good protective device against birds of prey, keeping them from reaching into the nest box, but it is not broadly protective against many other bluebird predators, and will not prevent snakes. Your best alternative is a very tall baffle, at least 24 inches, which is commercially available, but a 60 inch tall baffle is your best protection from snakes.
