Hi Kathleen- I'll address you since the other posts are old. I am so very sorry that you have experienced this. Did you read what the responses were to the older post of one that lost a bluebird on the nest? I would just repeat everything that they said. If absolutely no sign of injury, I would suspect lawn pesticides, but considering what happened to the 1st person that posted & didn't see signs of injury on her bluebird, it did turn out to be house sparrows. I would highly suspect this. Do you think the female is dead too? If so, again I would be suspicious of HOSP. Answering your question, the male would not starve himself, nor is he able to brood eggs. If the female died too, the eggs wouldn't have hatched because the female is the one to incubate the eggs. She has a brooding patch on her lower abdomen that the male doesn't have. If she is alive, she may not be returning to nest because of the failed nest situation, especially if there was foul play. Make sure you know that she is not returning before removing the nest & eggs. If she is alive, she will probably try to find a new mate. Without repeating too much, make sure your birdhouse is on a pole with a baffle & put a sparrow spooker up after the 1st egg. If you know for sure that the nest has been abandoned & you don't get any activity, you may want to change the location of the box (birdhouse). If you immediately get a house sparrow setting up shop, then you'll know that was most likely the culprit. Again, if female is not returning, now would be the time to get a Van Ert trap for your house to trap the male & female HOSP. If you do, make sure you are monitoring every hour if possible so you don't trap a native bird. They can die in there if without food for too long. One of the previous posts left a website for the Van Ert trap. Again, the previous posts left great advice for your situation. This site is not as active as it used to be for bluebirders, so you may want to post to bluebirdnut.com. Lots of bluebird experts are on that site like this one used to have. That's where I go whenever I need advice. BTW, I lived in Atlanta for ten years (live in AL now). Very sorry to hear about your bluebird tragedy. Hope you'll have another pair come for a future nesting, but definitely get that sparrow spooker!

Mom has not abandon it if it is a healthy bird. It is not unusual for a baby to need and extra day. You can read up on Blues at www.sialis.org Have you peeked in the box to be sure it's not stuck in something? Call a rehabber first thing and get instructions on what to do if a parent does not return tomorrow. I have one that fledged today, 3 are still in the box. Mom has not been back this evening but I know she will be in the AM. I am one that will do everything I can even if it's stretching the law a bit when it comes to saving babies. I have been know to bring them in (in the nest) and feed them when I knew they were starving (done with a rehabbers instructions). I am not suggesting you do this , just letting you know there are things you can do other than just let it die. HOWEVER I bet Mom is there bright and early! Let us know!

A pair of bluebird has become Interested in and started building in a best box. The male stood guard as the female went out and placed nesting material in the box, but after the first visit the female left for the final time and hasn't returned, the male stood guard for a few hours and now he has left too, he has returned a few times but without the female. Has she abandoned the best box or what?

We have had bluebirds in two nesting boxes for over a decade. We always have several broods each summer. Replaced the old ones this past winter with nice new Audubon boxes and put those little block covers on the holes to keep critters from gnawing at the holes. We were so proud of the new boxes but the birds won't go in them. They flutter around the hole but thats all. Its really bothering us. Whats wrong? Just saw a male fluttering this morning. We know the birds are around as we see them on the ground all over the yard. Thanks