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Why Is Daddy Blue Removing Nesting Materials?

17 years ago

So sorry for another post so quickly, but here's something else I've never seen. Just a few minutes ago, the parents were back at the box. While Mom perched on top, Daddy went into the box and removed some pine needles! Can you shed some light on the meaning of this odd behavior? Even though this is just my second year to host the blues, I've had other cavity nesters as well and have never seen either parent remove nesting material once they start building.

Gee, yesterday two males fighting, today Daddy removing pine needles....makes me wonder what will happen tomorrow!!LOL!

Donna

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Comments (4)

dzyg
17 years ago
Hey Donna, I recall someone else saying the same thing this year that while the mom was building the dad was taking stuff out. I have/had Blues nestbuilding for the last week, started a week ago Sunday. I thought the nest looked done by about Thursday but saw her taking stuff in yet on Saturday but not anymore after that. I did see the Dad go in there on Sunday and take a blade of grass out and then sit on the top of the nestbox pecking at it. I think he is getting impatient for eggs or something. LOL! I saw him do this twice now where he went in and then came out with just a tiny bit from the nest in his beak. I was thinking maybe I had an egg today as they are staying pretty close in the yard for once but not yet. Of course I am gone tomorrow and that will probably be the day, I want to get that sparrow spooker up asap as I keep seeing a female HOSP in the yard however I haven't been able to get any shots at her with the bb gun. I did however get Dad to find the dish of mealworms today, it is just on the grass under a tree. He has come and eaten a few several times but so far hasn't shown or shared with mom. Oh and I have TRES babies today!! I looked so quickly I am not sure how many hatched but there were six eggs and now there are only one or two and a pile of hatchlings. The Dees should be hatching any day now too.

Donna
kenn3d
17 years ago
Hi again Donna :)

This too is common I think. We've seen Mr.B do this on several if not every nest they build. He also offers Missy some few pieces of grass from time to time as she works. Others have suggested that this behavior is his way of telling her to pick up the pace! LOL

I'm not sure why the males do this really, but they do.

Kenn :)
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Where are you putting the dish with the mealworms in it? To train the Blues to come to a feeder or any dish really you need first to see where they normally perch and place the dish on the ground under that spot. Blues are drop feeders so once they see movement they drop down on it. Once they know that dish contains mealworms you can slowly move it to where you want it. They won't just come to a dish of mealworms because you place it outside, they don't search out food that way. They watch for movement below where they perch. You also need to have active worms in the dish. One year I had older worms that had been in the fridge all winter and they just didn't move too much so I bought some crickets and used them (after the hind leg was removed) and the Blues found them immediately. I slowly moved the dish from the ground to my feeder and then slowly moved the feeder from the lawn to the deck. Good luck! Donna
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thanks and they are back this morning, first time i have seen them at the nest box since the babies fledged. they are both in and out, in and out. i look for her to starting building again very soon! **happy dance**
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Thanks for the responses. We have a baffle... but our yard is small so even with our efforts to space well who knows what could have leapt from where. We too thought a Racoon or snake would have taken the eggs. To be honest, in 16 years we've never seen a racoon - day or night. We know that doesn't mean there aren't any around but we think it unlikely. We had thought about cats, there are plenty of those around but the cat would have had to have got on top of the box somehow and in its condition it may not have withstood the weight/impact. This box has been here a loonnngggg time hence it's condition - we planned to take it down this season but procrastinated and the Blues beat us to it after having their original box borrowed by the Flycatchers. This is the first time anything has attempted to nest in it (other than a few strands of something placed in there last yr by a chickadee). It's part of the 'scenery' and the 'area' squirrels pay it no attention --- or if they happen to come too close in their travels they are dive bombed by Mama and Papa. We've pretty well stared at the box all day between the two of us! No sign of either Mama or Papa. We figured if something had happened to one the other would still be around?!?! If Mama was spooked would Papa follow her with a brood about to hatch? The weather this afternoon has been awful - bad storms and rain so most likely we wouldn't see them anyway but it's stopped now and still no sign -- no one came for their evening meal worms. We've checked the nest and eggs. The nest is dry, no mites, blow flies etc. The eggs are intact - no damage. There were no feathers/dead birds around in either our or adjacent yards. With the cooler temps from the passing of the storms we fear the eggs are lost even if Mama should return. So depressing. We've been scratching our heads all day - obsessing, maybe it's this, maybe that. Hubby's putting the worms out now just in case. Guess we'll leave it a day or so and see what happens. If nothing, we'll take this one down..box and all.
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Comments (2)
Either last year or the year before I had a Bluebird and a wren trying to build a nest in the same box. First the wren and I removed the sticks, then a Bluebird started her second nesting and the wren added sticks on the layer of grass, which I again took out. I did this for a few days when finally the wren must have given up cause the Bluebird went on to finish her nest, lay the eggs and all the eggs hatched and fledged. This box was at a park near our home so I couldn't add a wren guard as I couldn't watch to make sure it was accepted. I worried all the time about them but apparently the wren must have given up. This year the BLues down there fledged their first nesting about two weeks ago. I keep checking for the next nest but so far nothing. The daddy Blue is always there when I check the nestbox though so I know they are planning another nesting only thing is I hear a wren right in the area too singing away so I am afraid he wants that box too but so far no sticks in there. Good luck, hope your wren stays away from the box now. Donna
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donnalovesblue
Original Author
17 years ago
Wow, Donna...you sure have lots of activity in your yard...TRES babies today and dee babies to come! The TRES are absolutely beautiful birds, but unfortunately, we don't have them in our area so I love the stories and pics of them.

Thanks again Kenn...I do remember that last year, Mom was pretty swift about building the 2nd nest. Daddy Blue is now in his observation mode and leaving well enough alone while she builds. So it's back to normal for now! (whatever that is!!!!)

Donna
dave_in_va
17 years ago
It is one of several ways they communicate. In this case he's telling her to keep working on the nest.

Another thing he will do is fly down to the nestbox with worms in his beak when he knows she is not in there. He may even look inside as if he expects her to be in there, even though she was right beside him at the meal worm feeder when he gathered the worms. In that case he's telling her to get back on those eggs.

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