Backyard Bluebirds provide countless hours of fun and photograph opportunities. With a little commitment just about anyone can be successful hosting bluebirds. A proper bluebird nestbox mounted on a metal pole with a baffle to protect from predators and proper monitoring is the key. The House Sparrow, first introduced to North America by European settlers, is a key competitor that has been linked to a decline in the bluebird populations over the last hundred years. Anyone interested in hosting bluebirds needs to be prepared to deal with them if they want to help the bluebirds and not lead to further decline.