Tragedy struck this weekend in our bluebird nestbox. While the parent bluebirds were away on Saturday the house sparrows destroyed three of our five bluebird eggs. Although I was able to intervene in time to save the last two eggs, the bluebird parents were too traumatized after losing three of their eggs and they abandoned the other two eggs on Sunday. At the time of this posting it's been 21 hours since the bluebirds have been in the nestbox. There is a very slim chance that the bluebirds might return to the eggs, but it isn't very likely. I am thankful that our first bluebird experience was successful, and I hope that there will be future succeses.
House sparrows are enemy number one of bluebirds, and regularly invade bluebird nestboxes and murder whatever occupants it finds, eggs, babies, and parents. House sparrows are not native to the United States and we're brought here in the 1850s. They are an invasive species and are primarily responsible for the bluebird declining numbers. House sparrows are not protected, and people are encouraged to destroy them. Although I wouldn't be able to bring myself to destroy them, I can at least prevent them from building a nest in my nestbox.
If the bluebird parents do not return after 48 hours I will have to dispose of the remaining two eggs (if the house sparrows don't come back and get to them first). I will also remove the nest and nestbox until next year.
Jericho And Friends
Tragedy struck this weekend in our bluebird nestbox. While the parent bluebirds were away on Saturday the house sparrows destroyed three of our five bluebird eggs. Although I was able to intervene in time to save the last two eggs, the bluebird parents were too traumatized after losing three of their eggs and they abandoned the other two eggs on Sunday. At the time of this posting it's been 21 hours since the bluebirds have been in the nestbox. There is a very slim chance that the bluebirds might return to the eggs, but it isn't very likely. I am thankful that our first bluebird experience was successful, and I hope that there will be future succeses.
House sparrows are enemy number one of bluebirds, and regularly invade bluebird nestboxes and murder whatever occupants it finds, eggs, babies, and parents. House sparrows are not native to the United States and we're brought here in the 1850s. They are an invasive species and are primarily responsible for the bluebird declining numbers. House sparrows are not protected, and people are encouraged to destroy them. Although I wouldn't be able to bring myself to destroy them, I can at least prevent them from building a nest in my nestbox.
If the bluebird parents do not return after 48 hours I will have to dispose of the remaining two eggs (if the house sparrows don't come back and get to them first). I will also remove the nest and nestbox until next year.
4 years ago | [YT] | 8