Is nesting in 90 + degrees weather normal?

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  • #4829
    Dene
    Participant

      This is our 1st year and we had already a 5 bunch that fledged back 26th of May, now we have a new egg as of yesterday?
      The temperature around here now in Texas is between 97 and 100 every day and probably going to get hotter. Can eggs not cook in that temperature? The male is hanging around more than I see the female since she made the nest again last week when it was some cooler. Is this normal making more babies in this much heat and will they be ok? I will check later today to see if more eggs.
      Thanks

      #4830
      dogsandbirds
      Moderator

        It’s normal because the food supply is probably abundant.

        Is the box shaded at all? This bunch might need some heat shielding or they will for sure get too hot.

        Gin
        Atlanta, GA

        #4831
        Lisa
        Participant

          Mine are doing it too in southern Alabama. We are not as hot as you yet. I put up a styrofoam heat shield today as it got 91. For mine, it seems as if they keep trying after a nest failure. Their first nest was attacked and the remaining died. Second nest fledged 5. I’m expecting hatch of this last batch any minute.
          I never had this behavior until last year. Usually they start here in February and are long gone by now. Last year I had June babies and was worried to death.
          This year is even later. I figure July 5th before fledge. It will be way hot then. I put on a makeshift heat shield today out of styrofoam raised up from the lid. It worked last year. I’ve heard of people doing umbrellas but we have a ton of snakes and I would hate to try that.
          Keep me posted!

          #4832
          Lisa
          Participant

            Lots of good heat shield ideas on Sialis.org. Mainly from our Texas friends!

            #4834
            Carol – Mid-Mo.
            Participant

              Listen folks – Styrofoam heat shields are inexpensive & can be used for years. After 8 seasons I just this winter purchased a full sheet (4’x8′) of 1 1/2″ Styrofoam for $7 I believe at Lowe’s. I made 4 new shields for my 4 boxes and still had over 1/2 sheet left over. The shields are put on the top, west and south sides of the box. MOST important is to be sure to have dead air space between the foam & wood, at least 1/2 to 3/4″. It isn’t worth worrying about the heat cooking your precious eggs or killing babies in 90+ degrees heat with no shade (like mine). Stats show a box can get 10 degrees hotter than the outside temp. PLEASE PUT SOME KIND OF HEAT SHIELD ON WHEN NECESSARY. Yes, Sialis.org does have good info on this. I am going to try to post a pic of my shield the very 1st year of birding. The back of this box is on the west & heat shield on it, also. Notice the space between form & wood on the side – I use push pins for this.
              Carol'sHeatShield

              #4836
              Dene
              Participant

                Thanks all it is suppose to be over 100 heat index today, so will get the shield foam later, but have a umbrella I think I can use till get the foam. Hope that doesn’t scare the birds, we have 2 eggs now as of last night.

                #4837
                Dene
                Participant

                  I put up the umbrella and looks like they may have decided OK? All 3 of these birds in the photo went to the entrance hole and looked in then all left, then the male came back a few more times and the females did to, so hope this will work for now? 6-17

                  #4838
                  Lisa
                  Participant

                    Awesome!!!!

                    #4844
                    Dene
                    Participant

                      I don’t know if this worked or not No more eggs tonight? Still just the 2 same as yesterday. Is it normal to not lay as many after the first batch? Or did the umbrella maybe cause it?

                      #4846
                      Carol – Mid-Mo.
                      Participant

                        Not sure, but that looks kind of spooky to me, and maybe to the birds – don’t know.

                        #4847
                        Lisa
                        Participant

                          Later broods are smaller in the south. No worries…

                          #4848
                          Lisa
                          Participant

                            I can’t do the umbrella because of snakes. Or I guess I would have to do a Krueger guard on the umbrella pole. But if you dont have a snake problem I think your setup looks fine!

                            #4870
                            Dene
                            Participant

                              I have never seen a snake in our yard (“Knock On Wood”) and the birds are doing well with the umbrella up, plus we take it down before dark and back up next day before the weather hits the 90’s and that doesn’t seem to bother them either and sometimes while one is in nest or looking in the hole there are a couple more on top of the umbrella looking down under it to see what is going on. All seems fine and we are going to look and see if any more than 2 eggs after the shade from tree comes and we can take umbrella down for the night.

                              #4871
                              Carol – Mid-Mo.
                              Participant

                                Dene, sounds like they have accepted the “improvement” on their box. That’s great. Hope you find another egg soon.

                                #4897
                                dogsandbirds
                                Moderator

                                  Sometimes a female will skip a day during egg laying. That could be the case here. Guess we’ll just wait and see.

                                  Gin
                                  Atlanta, GA

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