Bluebird question

[Guest]

Last year I had a pair of bluebirds that nested in my bluebird house. After 10 days or so I decided to open the hinged door to count the eggs. I closed the door and from then on the birds did not return. Is that a normal reaction?

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

That is not normal at all...I try to build my houses so that I don't disturb the nest when I open or close the door...I had one house where my neighbors daughter checked on the bluebirds a few times every day, and they abandoned that nest...Did you scare her real bad? was she in the box when you opened it?

My bluebirds have sometimes been sitting on the eggs, so I gently closed the door and she never moved...

[Guest]

I waited until the birds were out of the house before I opened the door. I have previously checked the young birds without causing any problems and that's why I was asking. Thanks for you help.

[Guest]

With BB boxes, it is best to have the box open from the top; a hinged roof. Boxes that open from the side or front can somethies cause the nest to shift. If the nest is built high enough, this kind of boxes can crush eggs liek Emil said.

Could be a predator drove them off. For whatever reasons, sometimes BB's (and birds in general) abandon nests. All you can hope to do is try your best to protect them from predators. If your BB box is monted on a tree or post, take it down and get a (6-7ft) "U" mounting post to put it on and make sure you have a predator gaurd (PVC pipe) aronde the post so something can't climb it.

[rickluc]

lou


Most bluebird house designs show the front hinging with a couple of nails from the top. This is were the hole is. I've had a few like this where the bird is still in the nest and startles me and has the chance of hurting the bird as they bolt in a hurry. In the past few years I have started hinging the side of the box from the bottom. This way the bird still has the familiar exit hole, I think they can navigate this ok. Put by hinging from the bottom with a couple of nails it has a less chance of disturbing the nest.

I do tap on the box everytime before opening. Then again I have had a few that will just sit there and look at me, must be some old timers. Thanks

[CUL Lou~Mich]

Lou. You ask if this is normal. From my view point and experience. NO. I've got a Peterson BB House that is hinged on the bottom, ie opens from the top. I've had many times where one or the other (either male or female) would sit on the nest, and never move. I do talk to them. I start when I round the corner of the house, and keep talking until I've left the area. Don't have to be anything in particular, just something to let them know I'm coming closer, and approaching the nest. The first few times in the spring, they'll come out, fly to the power lines above, and sit there watching me. I always talk to them, and when I leave, I say good by, see you later. They seem to recognize that or the fact I'm walking away as their cue to re enter the house. After a few times, they won't even move. Once they start sitting tight, I watch to make sure they've left, then walk out. I don't want to have to move them, but I do want to know what's going on. I'm sure there was something else that happened at the same time at your place. Possibly the female was killed somehow, and the male couldn't manage the babies by himself. I've had that happen, with BBs twice, and with house wrens once, over tha past thirty five plus years. I live on a main road, and I've always wondered if they might have got hit by a car and killed. Good luck to you and your BBs this coming summer. CUL Lou

[Guest]

Thanks for all the help.