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Bz
I have pondered this question as well! I have 3 pairs that have 2-3 clutches annually. After watching fledglings closely for more than a dozen years I have concluded this:
Almost all hatch and fledge.
2-5 fledglings usually survive (though without banding them there is no telling for how long into adulthood)
Immediately upon fledging they scatter in many different directions. This is their greatest vulnerability. If the parents cant locate them and or food is scarce, they parish.
Generally after about two weeks they start to appear at their feeding stations and bird bath on the porch.
Now if it is early in the season, the dominant male will usually drive the fledgers away as the next brood grows. However if it is late in the season the male will tolerate the fledgers during the winter. BUT only his offspring.That is until spring, then he drives everyone off. If he is an aggressive male he sometimes vigorously defends his food source from the other two mating pairs and their offspring.
So during that two week or so fledge period it can appear like they’ve all disappeared. Are you providing plenty of mealworms and fresh water? If not they may be going elsewhere and only using your nest boxes.Chris
Rochester, NYN
Meredith
I certainly understand your concern, I would consider two things…
Quite often I have noticed adults coming back to the box after all have fledged. No one has been able to offer an explanation for this behavior. Perhaps a home base of sorts in case all fledglings haven’t been located?
Second- I can’t imagine a problem with a baby, inside the box, that you could really help much, unfortunately.
I know that I have to keep reminding myself that we can really only provide the basic necessities for them to help give them a chance. We can not and should not treat them as our children. Nature’s natural process must take its course. And we need to be happy with that and that we’ve helped with the ones that thrive, in my humble opinion, of course!Chris
Rochester, NYN
Serena
I would take the spooker down. Most likely once the eggs hatch mom and dad wont be scared off by it.
I dont use them, instead….
What works best for me is- if you have another box put it up near (with in 50-100’) the current bb box, where it can be most easily monitored. The greedy hosp will try to occupy it. This is your opportunity to witness his presence. I have that “decoy”box already fitted with a Van Ert trap unset. As soon as the hosp appears- set the trap and your good. Just beware the bb may also inspect the decoy box so do NOT leave the trap set if you can’t continuously monitor it!Chris
Rochester, NYN
I too feel your pain, as Ive had this happen, like so many others here.
Something I learned from that was…
to put up more boxes than you think you need. This gives the hosp more time to select (compete for) a vacant box. This may spare a nesting pair of blues. But also give you time to identify hosp predation and trap them.Otherwise you generally dont know this is occurring until after its too late. And even if you happened to witness an attack in progress- how would you catch the hosp without locking out the bb?
Since I adopted this I have not had any more bb fatalities.
Btw- it is against our very nature to terminate a seemingly innocent creature. Only the first hosp termination stings. I just vividly remember that rage of finding my first entire family of bb brutally murdered just as you described. It helps and gets easier. But there’s always a little guilt.Chris
Rochester, NYN
In upstate New York- we have two boxes full of blue eggs and a third nest with a pair of newly weds putting the finishing touches on their nest!
But remember the best way to attract blues is to feed them all year! Then you are guaranteed to host them in the spring!!!
https://bluebirdnut.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-monalisa/icons/BlueBirds-baby3.gifChris
Rochester, NYN
Dave
This is outstanding….
I am very interested in this. May I ask: what camera are you using and is it wireless or not. Also how or where are you recording the feed?Chris
Rochester, NYN
Renee, I realize there are several different varieties of Dogwoods. Ours is Koosa and the berries have never been eaten in the 10 years we’ve had it. Along with several different ornamental cherries. All the fruit eventually falls to the ground and returns to mother earth!
And we have tons of every berry eating birds. However… we did plant a hand full of service berries. The Waxwings devour those before they’re done growing. Such a delight to observe.Chris
Rochester, NYN
It is interesting that this comes up right now. For the last two days I have noticed a “brown-ish bird” shadowing one of my male blues, especially when he comes to the porch for worms. Today I got a fairly good look at it but only barely long enough to focus on it before she flew off, tailing Mrs blue this time. I’m about 90% sure it is a female HOSP.
This is particularly troublesome as the Blues have a clutch only days from fledging.
(This seems to be THE time that the HOSP attack here, coincidence or not?)
It IS hard to tell for sure as I have noticed so many different birds seem to engage in this chase activity constantly. I’m not sure if this is a territorial practice, or play or what?
If it turns out to be a Hosp… it could be quite telling. It would make sense that a HOSP would tale its prey and get to know its habits before they ambush attack and destroy it.I have also learned this year- about Hosp. I had a Hosp couple take over a Tree Swallow box. Their eggs hatch even while I was monitoring it. Sounds impossible. But it happened. Swallows’ nests are so well covered feathers and such- I couldn’t see the eggs (or even the young) And every time I approached the box the bird would fly away, where it couldn’t be seen ever. Very very elusive. This was my biggest clue. Think about it… all other species hover while we inspect their boxes. Swallows practically attack you doing so! Finally after obsessingly watching that box a male Hosp emerged. The previous day something destroyed all three new Bluebird eggs in one box and two eggs in another tree swallow box.
The HOSP pair was eliminated and the Blues and Swallows restarted (both in new boxes)Chris
Rochester, NYN
Sparrows, wrens and tree swallows ARE the nemesis of Bluebirds. If any of these birds are present near your yard the bluebirds will likely leave (and for good reason).
What I am going to say next will make others here uncomfortable, but is an undeniable fact.
Most know SOME of what Hosp can do. They must be eliminated at all cost. Wrens are just about as bad, destroying and removing eggs, but easier to deal with. A simple small wren box with a Van Ert makes “relocating” easier without the worry of accidentally snagging a bb. I know everyone loves swallows… they are a beautiful bird and marvelous flying acrobats.
BUT make no mistake- I have witnessed countless times swallows ganging up on bb, during every phase of nesting, harassing to the point of exhaustion. If the bb dosent have eggs in the box, they may just leave. AND if there are young or eggs the swallow’s harassment opens the door for Hosp and wrens to attack and devastate.
I keep putting up boxes so there are always at least 2 empty ones for the predators to occupy. That is my narrow window to catch or “relocate” predators before they begin to dominate and destroy the blues.
This not an estimated opinion… I have 6-10 boxes spread over 9 acres around my home, for more than 10 years. I watch them all with binoculars. I keep my blues (in western NY) all year long!
If you doubt my conclusion- look at the ratio of swallows to blues on your trail!
I do not allow tree swallows on my property.
For me you are all in for Blues OR you are enabling their death and suffering at the hands of these 3 predators.
Now will come replies from nasyers from those who have not personally witnessed this behavior !Chris
Rochester, NYN
To add to my post of 6 eggs… all of them are white-ish to a very light pink.
Again I have never previously experienced this either. A little research revealed this is “normal” in about 4-9% of Blues. And hens that have white eggs typically bare all of her eggs white in color. And this is simply a pigment issue in egg formation, not affecting color of the chicks inside.
Now I’m just hoping that all 6 hatch, especially during these upper 20 degree evenings.Chris
Rochester, NYN
Thanks, Carol (and David)!
Yes I have ample supply of live and dried mealies, as most of my Blues stay year round. At least until the dominant male chases the rest away! I had over two dozen again through the winter.
My biggest problem is Hosp., by far. I always have 3-4 boxes outfitted with my best ally- Van Ert waiting for them!
I fully appreciate your posts to others regarding being ready and able to properly combat the viscous, despicable killer sparrows to anyone who chooses to offer nest boxes.
It is worth repeating:
IF YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO MONITOR NESTBOXES AND PROPERLY DISPOSE OF HOSP- TAKE THEM DOWN PLEASE. An unmonitored box IS a death trap for Bluebirds.Chris
Rochester, NYN
Thanks for reiterating that point Tammy. Tres WILL evict eabl. At the very least they annoy and harass eabl.
I realize many on this forum are all for tres. But I thought this is a BLUERBIRD forum!!
For the above reasons I have a zero tolerance policy for tres. I have witnessed helplessly droves of tres gang up and dive bomb eabl trying to defend its box, even when there where other empty boxes available. This was a by product of letting them nest in years past. This year no tres allowed. And behold- a record amount of eabl nesting, 4 pairs.Chris
Rochester, NYN
Tammy
I found an early fledger on the ground last year. (Turned out a Wren killed her siblings in the box) after I figured out the situation- I collected the little one and returned it to the box, minus the siblings. But he hopped right back out, even though he couldn’t yet fly, before mom and dad could find him. (He survived just fine)
So you are right- I guess once they leave, they wont stay!
I am curious though… does your nest box door open up or down? It is my biggest pet peeve-supposed dedicated “bluebird” boxes that open at the bottom. I modify all of my boxes to open top down for just that reason. You can carefully peek without escapees jumping ship.Chris
Rochester, NYN
I feed lots of mealworms (10k monthly). A couple of years ago I too learned of this calcium deficiency, potentially caused from live mealies.
I Found out two things:
Blues will only get 10-20% of their daily intake from us.
Exotic nutrition has a fairly inexpensive solution- calcium fortified food for mealworms. It is made to gut load your mealies a couple days before you feed them to your blues. The worms love it!
I have been monitoring all our blues, very closely, while they lay there eggs each day. There have been not one problem with egg issues or early hatching. None, for 3 years.
I personally believe that providing worms at the time of fledge is the best possible help for at least the first few days, especially for the first clutch of the year.Chris
Rochester, NYN
