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I gave the BBs some mealworms this morning and went into my garage. When I came out I saw a big bird sitting on their house. Kinda shocked me, then I realized it was a dove. I was about to shoo it away when I saw the male BB swooping in, I figured he’d chase it off like every other bird. But the opposite happened. He plopped right next to the dove with a mouthful of worms, banged on them then went to the hole and fed the babies. He and the female did this until the worms were gone. The dove even went to the edge of the box roof and looked over the edge at them feeding the babies, was really bizarre. They didn’t care at all. He eventually just flew away. Anybody else have this happen?
Cute!!! They definitely know which birds are dangerous and which aren’t. They treat house finches the same.
Tammy
Tammy is right! Some birds are perceived as a threat while others are not. Only birds I see the bluebirds attack if they land on my nest box are mostly robins, starlings, house wrens, and house sparrows. It’s incredible watching them go after the robins and starlings since they are so much bigger. Both bluebirds will attack them ferociously until either the robin or starling flies away. It’s the same if another pair of bluebirds show up – a fierce battle!
– Dana
This made me laugh out loud! What a sight that must have been! Those doves are so funny. We have song sparrows that nest in the big flower bed out front or shrubs along house, and they spend a lot of time on the bluebird house singing. If they’re singing a territorial song, they usually do it on this tall metal garden art thing in the bed. But anytime I appear in the front yard, they land on the bluebird box and sound a warning. It’s amazing to watch this. If the blues swoop in, they quickly exit, but the blues are friendly to them. Sometimes the song sparrow will sit on the bluebird box and preen. That shows me the blues can distinguish between the native sparrow and the HOSP. They’re smart.
Have to share this! Today sitting at my desk and noticed a bluebird swooping up and down in the front yard. Up to the porch roof, down to the ground beyond the flower bed, so I couldn’t see what was there. Then it just stayed in flight (no landing on the roof) and swooped up and down, up and down in a pretty tight arc. After the 2nd arc, the tree swallows joined in flying in a horizontal circle (perpendicular to and intersecting the bluebird arc). After two swallow circles, the house finches that nest in the porch hanging basket joined in. They have a small flock from two nestings, so there was a flock of 5 little birds flying through these swooping bluebirds and swallows. This went on for a few minutes! I thot for sure there must be a cat out there. Finally I saw what it was: a red-wing blackbird. I have to look up if they are predatory birds—maybe they’re like blue jays. I don’t know, but that was surely wild!
They are cool birds! Smart. Yeah kind of like Blue Jays I would say, corvid. I think they are bird safe for the most part. I think they eat insects and stuff also, maybe slightly bigger stuff like small frogs. But I’m sure they would eat a hatchling or eggs if given a chance, just not sure it’s their first choice.
Great stories!
We’ve noticed that the BBs get along fine with song sparrows, house finches, and barn swallows. They sit on the wire, or the clothes line, right next to one another. It’s very nice. A little bit of harmony in the world.
I haven’t seen them interact with mourning doves yet. (Although, the doves like to eat the millet that I sprinkle on the DRST, so in that sense, they are not helping the BBs!)
I know in the winter the birds form little mixed flocks. I’m wondering if the bluebirds are part of this. Anytime they come to the heated birdbath in winter, there are house finches with them and sometimes goldfinches. Those mourning doves love your DRST, Stebet!! Or they love the millet, I should say…
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