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2 of 3 eggs out of box & on ground

14 years ago

Since moving to SC 6 years ago, I have been the proud grandma of 2-3 bluebird broods a year. Thanks to all of your helpful advice and the sialis site also. But this year a problem has come up and I don't know what to do.

For the first time, it appeared that a chickadee had built a next in the box (moss and feathers). Next thing I know, there is a bluebird nest (pinestraw) built on top of it. I started monitoring and last week there were 3 BB eggs. Two days later, there was only 1 egg and 2 were on the ground, one broken. I put the unbroken one back in the nest. That was last Thursday and since then I've seen bluebirds looking in the nest and chattering, but nothing else. Still only 2 eggs. I've got a bad feeling.

Never had anything like this happen before. The pole is baffled. I know the nest is a bit higher being there are 2 on top of each other, but it still doesn't seem high enough for another bird to reach thru the hole. Do you think a pissed off chickadee booted the eggs? How long should I wait before cleaning the box and hoping someone builds again?

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Comments (3)

dzyg
14 years ago
Laura, so sorry to hear about your eggs. To me it sounds like a House wren, do you have them in your area? I would mark the eggs that are in the nestbox with a marker, just put a dot on them to see if they are being moved at all however my guess is the Blues see this as a failed nesting. Once you know the eggs aren't being incubated or moved at all for sure, you can remove the eggs and nest and hopefully they will start over. Sometimes moving the nestbox or just turning it to face a new way is helpful because sometimes they won't renest in a box that they had a failed nesting. However if this was a wren you could have the same problem. Read up on sialis on the house wrens. Oh and it wouldn't have been a chickadee, they wouldn't have done that, they are low man on the totem pole and once the blues evicted them they would have moved on. Next time you could try a 1 1/4" hole reducer if you have a dee nest to prevent the bluebirds from taking it over. Another thought is the House Sparrow, do you use sparrow spookers like seen on the sialis site? They could prevent a House Sparrow attack.

Good luck!!
laura55
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks dzyg. I know for sure it isn't a house sparrow. I don't see those around here like I used to up in MI. As for the House Wren.....hmmmm. Don't know. Looked at one on the Cornell website and listened to one. I know we have some type of wren around here cause I can never believe that such big noise comes out of such a small bird. But it doesn't look like the house wren picture. Wow, I would be totally bummed if the bb's didn't come back! I have come to take them for granted because they are here every year. I do have to say that they have even stopped coming around for the mealworms. Waahhhh. Good idea about marking the eggs. I will do that. Thanks.
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kendra2003
14 years ago
Sounds like what you're seeing is the Carolina Wren. They are harmless, and also would not have done that. It has to be a House Sparrow or a House Wren. House Wrens can be very sneaky. You may not see or hear them until the damage is done. Keep an eye on the remaining eggs. If they get tossed, or get a small hole poked through them, it is probably a House Wren. If any sticks show up in the box it is definitely a House Wren.

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