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Bluebirds Fledged-Wrens Moving In-UGH!

14 years ago

My six bluebirds fledged this morning! Yay. A successful brood. I cleaned the nest out.

Already a darned wren pair are trying to take over the nesting box and have sticks in it. I am cleaning it out, but how can I keep them away so Mama Blue can come back and rebuild for her 2nd brood? I don't want wrens to prevent more blues.

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Comments (3)

bluesoblue
14 years ago
I am still new at this whole protecting our bb houses, I have learned the hard way twice and now IM coming here for some great advice, which I am getting and you will also. I thought someone told me that if you clean the bb nest out after fledging to leave it open for awhile. Mama bb will be busy with her baby's. IM not really sure but I do think this was suggested to me? If not someone will set you straight soon. Congrats on the six fledglings, that is huge!! After watching video of wrens and sparrows raiding and killing bb's IM pissed and ready to rip their little heads off. (oh my) LOL good luck.
mlkbskt
Original Author
14 years ago
I do have the door open but just for the rest of the day yesterday and all day today. I plan to close it up again tonighty after it dries out. (I sprayed it yesterday with 10% bleach solution and then clear water.)

I'm fearful that because the wrens know the hole is there that they will come back and do damage if I get a 2nd brood. Last year they killed the babies of my 2nd brood the day after they were born! I was heartsick, believe me.
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House wrens are only a threat to Bluebird eggs and new hatchlings until they are about 6 days old, after that the wren can no longer pick them up and throw them from the nest which is what a wren will do to baby birds. If you had almost fully grown babies killed in the nest it was probably due to House Sparrows, the wren maybe came afterwards and filled the house with sticks. If you have wrens in the area once the Bluebird lays the first egg you can install a wren guard, but you would need to watch closely to make sure the Blues accept it, some don't. A wren guard is made of cardboard and comes down off the front of the nestbox and down to conceal the hole of the box from the frontal view, sides can be added to prevent a wren on the top of the nestbox looking down over and stills seeing the hole. Info on this is on the sialis.org site. Also to prevent House Sparrow attacks you can add a sparrow spooker to the nestbox once the first egg is laid, it is to be taken down right after fledging. This info is also on the sialis site. Good luck! Donna
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Anita, I have a similar situation in that my bluebirds are back for a second brood. The house wrens didn't bother the box during nest building (and the box had been empty for about a month and there were no sticks). Mama laid her 1st egg this morning and this evening, a house wren took out that egg and smashed it at the base of the box. I think that now I'd say "the rule is that there are NO RULES!" I've had house wrens attack several eggs or several chicks, never just one egg. As far as putting up a wren guard, the problem you have is that the house wren has been in the box. And where there is one house wren, there are usually more near by. The reasoning behind the general rule of putting the wren guard on the box when the 1st egg is laid is that the female is less likely to abandon the nest if she can't figure out the wren guard. It's also hard to say whether your female is 'with egg' and I'd hate to see her not be able to get into the box to lay her 1st egg, if that makes any sense. You could wait till it's afternoon and the bluebird hasn't laid an egg and put it on. If she can't figure it out, I'd take it off till the afternoon of the next day, etc. Good luck, Linda in NW GA...
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Hi Michelle, Congrats on the baby blues fledging!!! Those wrens are a pain!!! They have taken over 2 boxes and I just keep pulling twigs. I put out grape jelly 4 the orioles. I get tons of them. This is the first time EVER I have had 3 orioles nesting in my yard. Last year there was 1 nest. They like 2 build in the choke cherry trees. That's where all 3 of them built their nest. Yesterday I could hear the babies cheeping and I kept watching, but the little buggers left when I wasn't watching. They are a joy to be around, and because they built so close to my house, they can hear my voice and they have become quite tame. I mean they will come to the jelly feeder when I'm standing on the porch. I can't wait for them to bring the babies back. If u have orioles around try grape jelly....they LOVE it!! Best of luck!! Karen
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Glad to hear they are still coming to your feeder. Has your neighbor seen them up by his box at all? Just wondering about them trying to renest or not. Timing is just real iffy right now. Yes, once my pair ran off just the 1st nesting male but he did come back after fledgling of the second nesting. Right now I have three fledglings and one day it took me until 2PM to see if all three were there as they don't always come at the same time. Always makes my day to see that all three are there but mine don't seem to stick together much however they do stick around the area alot. Your other one just may be out hunting more that you aren't seeing it. Hopefully you will see all three of them soon, so you know it is ok though. Donna
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kendra2003
14 years ago
The wrens will more than likely not give up once they know that house is there. Any chance you could put up a second house for the Blues to use? Make sure the entry hole can't be seen from the original house. My Blues never re-nest in the same house. I supply multiple houses for them, and they always choose a new one for their second brood. So I think you'd have a great chance of getting them to re-nest without worrying about the wrens killing their young.

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