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How long do you let the BBs try to adapt to the wren guard?

12 years ago

After the first pair of blue birds lost their eggs to wren (I think), the second pair finally built a nest in the box nearby and laid an egg yesterday. I put up the sparrow spooker right away, and they had no problem accepting it. Then I put on a wren guard. They had real trouble to adapt to it, they couldn't get to the hole on the box. Since I made the guard out of cardboard, I lifted up the guard, so it was more like an extended pitched roof. It still didn't work. Later on, both birds would try to get to the hole, failed and went to the box nearby and looked into the box through the hole there. I got really worried and took down the wren guard.

This morning the 2nd egg was laid. Should I try to put the guard on again? How long should I let them try to get used to it before I give up? What else can I do?

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Comments (5)

dzyg
12 years ago
They shouldn't of had a problem with the guard if you had it up like an extended roof, do you have sides on the guard or just the front part? That being said I did one year have a pair of Blues not accept a guard. I couldn't watch but I put it up during egg laying and when there wasn't an egg laid the next day I took it off and she laid her egg in the afternoon instead. Figured I couldn't jepordize the eggs and left it off. Somehow we got through that nesting without the wren bothering them. They both wanted to box at first and I was freaking out! I say try again with it just up, if you see them go in (it may take a bit as they will be very wary of it) then put it down but maybe shorten it at first so it isn't as long as it should be, once they accept that then make it longer. If they won't accept it when you have it on but just up then maybe they won't accept it at all. Once she begins incubation though I wouldn't mess with it anymore as she needs to stay on those eggs. Good luck!

Donna
Sara_in_philly
Original Author
12 years ago
Thank you Donna for sharing your experience! The guard I made has no sides, just the front part.

Taking your advice, I put the guard back like a extended roof, but with less extension than before. They accepted it with no problem. This evening(around 7PM), I extended the 'roof' a little bit more. The male got into the hole with no problem, but he went to the nearby box afterwards and looked into the hole there. I guess he is not happy. It all depends on weather the female will lay egg tomorrow morning. Hope it will work. Keep my fingers crossed!
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Hi Sara, You are definitely in a sticky situation. I would be hesitant to remove the wren sticks or leave the box open unless you installed a wren guard. More information can be found at the link below. Can you put up a third box for the blues? If not I would install the wren guard on the TRES box and leave the wren box open and see what happens. Are the boxes located near lots of trees? Maybe you could move it out in the open more away from trees. I believe a wren was the culprit for removing nearly all the eggs from my chickadee box for no known reason at all. The third TRES is probably another male searching for a cavity to nest in. I have witnessed multiple TRES come to a box to help other TRES when they are in distress like a HOSP fighting with them. They gang up on enemies sometimes which is cool. Please read below on the wren guard. I just found that forum recently. Do this first and then check back here for others advice. Good luck! http://bluebirdnutcafe.yuku.com/topic/5332/How-to-make-a-Wren-Guard
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Rebecca, Good idea! It would be very durable and quick to install. My cardboard ones have sides, so if you figure out a way to do that with a tag I would be very interested in your result. With cardboard, I always put the "decorative" side toward the box so as not to possibly spook the birds. I think I would also do that with a tag and leave a 2.5-3 inch gap between the guard and the box. Please let me know how it turns out if you give it a try! I'm glad you started a new thread on this subject. The other one had gotten sooo absurd. That's partly why I resorted to Latin in that one. But Latin strains my brain and I am so glad to be typing in English again!
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Unless someone else has more ideas, here's my plan. I'm going to move the current empty egg nest and pole away from trees, about 15' aways. I'll equip it with hole guard, wren guard, and preditor guards.. hopefully the move will be accepted by the birds. As soon as I can, I'll erect another house as far away from the trees as possible. If the wren has ruined this nesting there will be another spot to nest. Without trees near by my biggest concern then will be heat. I may remodel the house with heat guards. If this all fails, I may just give up on expecting 2nd broods here. To tell you the truth, I'm a bit discouraged and frustrated.. how in the heck do these birds ever reproduce!!
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Hi Michelle, I responded on the other thread that you posted on. If the wrens have already found the nestbox it may be too late to do anything about it this year. You need to make a wren guard and use it before the wrens find the opening to your bluebird nestbox. Go to www.sialis.org to learn how to make and use a wren guard. For this year I'm afraid I would tell you to give up and either take down the nestboxes or open the doors so that they can't be used. I'm sorry you are having a problem but you can try again next year.
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Sara_in_philly
Original Author
12 years ago
4 eggs have been layed so far, Wren guard is not fully in place, it's in between an extended roof and a real vertical guard state.
dzyg
12 years ago
You should probably put it down before incubation starts. Put it down today and then make sure there is another egg laid tomorrow. If not put it back up. You don't want to mess with it once incuabtion starts or she may not be able to sit on the eggs like she should be. Good luck.

Donna
Sara_in_philly
Original Author
12 years ago
I have put down the guard more. It is still not completely vertical, but the female still has to try a couple of times to get in the hole each time. So I am leaving the guard as it is. I got 5 eggs so far. And I think the incuabtion has started.

BTW, how do you feed them mealworm? I have been trying with no success.

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