Mama blue attacking fledgelings

[Dana]

Hi all. I’ve noticed whenever the fledglings from the previous broods try to eat at the mealworm feeder the mama bluebird attacks them or chases them off of it. They just started doing this recently. My questions are:

1) With 12 day old nestlings now in the nestbox could they be chasing the older siblings away from the mealworms inorder to feed the current brood in the nest?

2) Could these fledglings be the young from a different pair of bluebirds that have discovered the mealworms?

It’s the first time I’ve witnessed parents going after fledglings. Sometimes the male bluebird will go after the fledglings too. It’s disheartening to watch. Any ideas?

[Lisa]

I’m pretty sure they are trying to ensure food for the nestlings. It must be super sad to see! My favorite thing is watching papa feed the fledgelings and their clumsy attempts at getting in the cage!

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

They are protecting the food supply for the young ones coming up. Right now I wish my pair would do this more, as my babies will be fledging tomorrow I believe (they have been peeking all day). My previous juveniles are still coming to the worm bowl some, but I have noticed parents chasing them off some times, but not enough, as they all are eating me out of house & home. I will just have to ration the worms out more I guess. But sure is fun to watch all the activity!

[dogsandbirds]

Dana, the protecting of the food supply should end in about another month. When there are so many young mouths to feed the pressure is intense. Everybody is going to “play nice” pretty soon.

Gin
Atlanta, GA

[Dana]

Thankyou for the replies Lisa, Carol, and Gin! The babies all fledged Friday morning. But then Friday overnight we had horrible downpours and thunderstorms that went on for hours. I’m hoping the babies made it through the storms. I still see Mama and Papa bluebird come to the mealworm feeder and leave with some mealworms in their beaks. But they don’t come as often as they did before. I cleaned out the nest and hosed out the nestbox and let it air-dry all day yesterday. Not sure if they are done nesting for the season. Time will tell. But it’s been a great summer for this pair of bluebirds overall. Hoping everyone else is having some success as well.

[verachuckdave]

Dana, I live outside of Harrisburg, and the downpours have been awful. Friday night was crazy. My fledglings were only out of the box four days on Friday. I was wondering how they were managing in all of this rain. We have rain in the forecast all day tomorrow too. Poor babies.

Susan
Pennsylvania

[Lisa]

My last brood somehow survived a tropical storm. I was terrified for them but they miraculously made it out healthy and none the worse. I don’t know how they found food in all of the torrential rains. They are tougher than we can imagine sometimes!
One night I went out in the dark pouring rain and mama was sitting under the house on the snake trap. We were both shocked to see each other!

[Lisa]

I’m happy with the year I had despite losing my first nest of five. Fledged 4, then 3, now have another 3 6 days old. Fingers crossed for the last 3. Had an unhatched egg in the last and this nest.

[Author]

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