We have bluebirds that hang around all winter and I have had them at the suet feeders for 3 winters in a row. But they always take off in the spring after a cursory tour of our 5 houses (hubby researched it and made them). We were so excited that a pair decided to stay and she laid 5 eggs mid-April. We noticed a pair of HOSP using one of our birdbaths shortly after the BB eggs were laid and discovered that they were nesting across the street in a neighbors yard about 200 feet away.....and I was worried. My husband went over and talked to them about the HOSP because he wanted to trap them. They were reluctant to let him do this but then after thinking about it for a few days, they decided to just take the birdhouse down. Two days later, we started finding dead baby birds in the yard.....3 of the bluebirds, 2 chickadees and 3 others that I could not ID. I guess the HOSP went crazy and went on a rampage. We checked the bluebird box again today and one of the remaining 2 was dead....it seemed OK 3 days ago when I peeked in after the HOSP attack. The one that is left is healthy and beautiful and I expect it to fledge over the weekend if all goes well. We have a trap inside of a box in my neighbors yard and I am hoping that we can catch, at least, the male HOSP. I did so much reading before I decided to put up the houses and thought that we'd be OK as I rarely see either cowbirds or HOSP...so this has been hard to take. The bluebirds seem to be taking it all in stride and take the worms at the scheduled times and are still very involved with the nest. I am absolutely amazed at how much human interference they tolerate! They perch 2' above my head when I check the box but don't dive bomb me.
Will they attempt a 2nd nest?
first year bluebirds have used one of my boxes....
Interesting story. I am sorry to hear of your loss. I know the sorrow and disappointment you must be feeling with all of this.
The quick answer to your question is yes, they probably will nest again. But to me, the larger question is what is killing all those babies.
It does NOT sound like HOSP to me. They usually kill because real estate is in short supply and they want that nest box. They do seem to like to taunt the bluebirds sometimes, perhaps because the bluebirds chase the HOSP so relentlessly, but I have not heard of them acting out like this in retaliation because a human in another yard took away the nest they had been using.
I would like to know more about the condition of the babies you found dead. Were they mauled, or did they appear simply to have dropped over dead? Was the nesting material in the bluebird nestbox disturbed? If the killer was a HOSP, the dead nestling would most likely have been severely pecked, especially in the head area, perhaps to the point of decapitation or near decapitation. Hard to imagine that would happen and the other baby left untouched.
I have a few more questions. You may answer them here or if you prefer, send me a D-mail.
You say you peeked in on your bluebirds shortly after the HOSP attack. How, when and where did this HOSP attack happen?
The other babies, especially the bluebirds and the chickadees, were they found dead in their nestbox or on the ground? What was their physical condition, especially around the head ?
Have you seen house wrens in your yard?
Dave
I am wondering why in the world tear down a HOSP nest across the street? they were certainly then not a threat to the Bluebirds. that just seems cruel to me and unnecessary. A Hosp spookier could be put up to keep away from the BB house, but all birds have a right to nest , especially when disturbing no others. JMO
Birdie, unfortunately, just across the street IS too close. HOSP do not respect fences or property lines and HOSP multiply at an alarming rate. When nesting areas become scarce, (and that will be sooner than one might guess), they will certainly cross the street. HOSP are the enemy of many cavity nesting songbirds, and especially bluebirds. I love all living creatures too, and I especially love bluebirds, but if I can not protect them, I will stop hosting them. I would never allow a HOSP to nest in any of my nestboxes. I certainly will take them down first.
I do not want to be too graphic here but let me simply say they will trap and kill the blues (Mama and her babies, in the nestbox, and Papa too if he tries to defend them). It happens every day. And I have never heard of a bluebird winning a fight with a HOSP.
It sounds like you may have an ideal situation where you live and may not yet have to deal with this threat, but odds are, sooner or later, you will. They are very smart and adaptable. I spend most of my time worrying about HOSPs. I figure at the rate they are multiplying in my neighborhood, this may be my last year hosting bluebirds.
The harsh reality of it is, anyone who would host bluebirds MUST have a plan for HOSP control.
Dave
OMGosh, I didn't realize it was that bad.! Thank you again Dave for sharing your knowledge.
What exactly describes a HOSP? Do Finches fall in that category? I hate to sound stupid, but I really dont know one of the plainer little birds from the other. I have the Crimson headed finches and Carolina Wrens that I can ID, but then there are some others that I'm not sure of.
OH my!!!
I need to check my Id books for House sparrows I guess.
This message was edited May 14, 2009 11:20 AM
edited to change CF to C Wren
This message was edited May 14, 2009 11:21 AM
Hi Dave,
The bluebird hatchlings that I found on the ground were severely pecked about the head and the wings looked broken also. The dead hatchling that we had to remove from the box was simply dead...it did not seem to have any damage. The chickadee hatchlings and the other species which I could not identify were not pecked but strewn all over the yard. The nesting material in the bluebird box did not look very much different after I found the hatchlings dead but the chickadee nest was ripped up and they have left. I still see them at the feeder a few times a day though. I had a small group of cow birds here in March which is the only time I ever see them. They stop in the yard for a week or two and then move on. I haven't seen a house wren since last August....we had one show up late in the month and proceed to put sticks in all of the boxes in the yard but the other birds were done with them by that time. I have a pair of Carolina wrens that live here year 'round and nest behind my shed but they don't use a box and I have read that they aren't a threat anyway.
I work mornings and my husband is home all day recovering from surgery so I feel that we have a good amount of supervision. All of the boxes are within 20-25 feet from the back deck and I can see all of them from the windows of my house. This is why I am baffled and thinking that it is the HOSP....although I agree that from everything that I have read, it does NOT sound like a typical HOSP attack. But the HOSP do come in the yard and I have seen them sitting on the box that the tree swallows are occupying which is the closest one to the neighbors property.
I don't know exactly when the attack happened as I only open the box to look every 3 days (Cornell Lab guidelines) but it was between day 5 hatched and day 8. I am checking every 2 days now but am afraid that I will discourage the BB. I think that this last baby should be fledging sometime over the weekend so I think that I will look today and then wait for he/she to come out.
On a happier note, they are quite used to me and perch by the slider if I am late bringing out the worms. I have never had such a wonderful encounter with wild birds ever and I am hoping that I can to the bottom of this pest problem or I will have to fold the operation. I don't know if I can handle another attack! The odd thing is that I have had chickadees, white-faces nuthatches and titmice using these same boxes without a hitch but.....I had never seen HOSP in the yard other than in early Fall at the feeders. I don't serve what they want so they usually move on.
Thanks for your kind words, Dave. I know that you have a lot of experience with BB and value your input.
Alison
I am finding The HOSP eat what ever I put out. I only put out BOSS, Finch mix and safflower right now. They are in the caged feeder all day eating the finch mix. I am wondering if they will prevent the buntings from coming in..
This message was edited May 14, 2009 2:47 PM
A HOSP is strictly a House Sparrow.
Sorry to hear this sacar!