All eggs gone!!!

18 years ago

Finally after years of hoping to get Bluebirds to nest here a pair finally nested. Nest had four eggs and the pair were still active outside the box scouting for food. I did not open the box for a couple of days because of cold and very windy conditions and yesterday when I did, all eggs were gone. I am new at this and heartsick. We have an old farm with acreage. We do have lots of wrens. House sparrows too. Will the bluebirds ever come back and what did I do wrong?

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Comments (8)

janie_may
18 years ago
I'm so sorry. Hard to say what got the eggs but with HOSP (house sparrows) and HOWR (house wrens) those are two good possibilities. What type set-up do you have for that nest box. Is it POLE mounted and RACCOON baffled? If not, a raccoon can easily get to a box, reach an arm in and remove all eggs in a flash. A snake can do the same thing, leaving no tale-tale evidence other than missing eggs. A raccoon baffle will "help" stop a snake from getting to the nest box but not 100% of the time. A raccoon baffle will stop a squirrel or raccoon.

As far as what you can do to keep them as safe as possible, a good set up is the first place to start and from there you'll need to actively trap HOSP in your area.

Here is a link that will offer much more advice and informationl

Here is a link that might be useful: Sialis
anita55
18 years ago
Hi Margot, this is nature, and we can try to keep the nesting bluebirds safe from predators but it's not easy. If you have alot of house wrens and house sparrows it may be almost impossible to keep them away from the bluebirds. There is a creation called a wren guard that you can put on the bluebird house to try to deter the wrens. Is your nestbox on a slick metal pole with a raccoon baffle, too? Do you have a Sparrow Spooker on your box? Bluebirds boxes need to be placed quite far from brushy or wooded area, as well. there is alot to learn if you want to host bluebirds. I think sometimes, especially if you have alot of competive birds around it is a little overwhelming. Check out this great website to learn more about what you can do to have nesting bluebirds on your property.

http://www.sialis.org/

The best thing you can do is educate yourself, and then make an honest decision whether it's possible to provide safe nestboxes for birds. Good luck and please write again.

Anita
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erictammy
18 years ago
I had a nest full of TRES eggs disappear last year on a new box. It was not baffled at that time. I'm suspecting a snake since the nest was intact and no signs of eggs on the ground. But I'll never know. Sorry Margot. The bluebirds might come back if they don't feel threatened. Did you clean out the nest? If not, clean it out and let them start over, but first do all the things mentioned here.
Tammy
margot
Original Author
18 years ago
Thanks for all the input. I suspect a snake. Box is mounted on an old cedar post out in the field. So, the post might be the problem and I will certainly look into baffles. I have been removing as many house sparrow nests as I can get my hands on. They are mainly near the house and away from the bluebird boxes. I did join NABS and have very much to learn. Again thanks and will do my best to make things right for the bluebirds. I just hope they will return.
dzyg
18 years ago
So sorry about the Blues eggs. I suspect if you have it on a post it was a raccoon, they can easily climb a wooden post and get their arms through the hole and grab the eggs.
Switch the box to a slick metal pole and add a stove-pipe baffle. Read the link that others have given you and read up on the sparrow spookers and wren guards too. Good luck!

Donna
margot
Original Author
18 years ago
I just spent a small fortune on predator guards and baffles and will definitely switch from wooden posts to poles. I am still reeling over the loss and reading all I can. I have come to believe the egg thief was a red squirrel but will never know for certain. Have gone to the sialis site and found lots of food for thought. Thanks again to all who have responded.
janie_may
18 years ago
Margot, it is a small fortune but good for you for making those changes! A slick pole with a raccoon baffle will make a world of difference in keeping eggs and babies safe from ground predators. Again, snakes CAN sometimes get past a raccoon baffle but not nearly as well as they could if there were no baffle.

If the nest was perfectly intact, I would guess snake or the possibility of HOSP or HOWR removing the eggs but if you didn't find any eggs close-by on the ground, which you often will with an attack by either of those species, it sounds more like a snake. From what I've read, a raccoon will not only remove eggs or babies but parts of the nest as well so if it were a coon you'd probably find parts of a messy nest left in the box.

GOOD LUCK to you in your future attempts. That info. in the "Sialis" is the best and most helpful I've seen.
donnalovesblue
18 years ago
Margot...so very sorry about the bb eggs...You've gotten some excellent advice from these experts and sounds like you are on the right track...hope a second nesting is successful!

Donna