wren guards and other birds

17 years ago

do you think that the wren guard protects the nest from other birds,too, considering that it hides the entrance hole from sight? Do people still have trouble with sparrows with wren guard in place?

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Comments (3)

dzyg
17 years ago
Hey Anita, I thought that too until one day I watched my momma Bluebird go up under the wren guard on the Chickadee nestbox. She was getting a bug on the ground before that and must have seen the hole when she was on the ground. So while it may take a bird longer to find a nestbox with a wren guard I don't think it is fullproof to stop HOSP as they could easily find the hole too if on the ground or by observing another bird going in and out of the nestbox with a wren guard. Just my opinion really but that it how it seems anyway.

Donna
anita55
Original Author
17 years ago
So why does it always stop wrens? I don't know if there's a discussion of why it works I missed it. I know they land on top of the box, but so do all the other birds. Have you ever seen another bird go under the wren guard (besides the bluebird)?
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Comments (5)
Renee, Thanks for the info. I should have mentioned I had read that and I'm still a little uncertain. I found both following statments at that website.... "Bluebirds tend to be more tolerant of box changes, and it may be wise to put up the wren guard as soon as the bluebirds start a nest, since once the House Wren finds the box, the guard is less effective at deterring them." "Put up the guard after the first egg (or two or three) of the desired-cavity nester has been laid. (On occasion, people have put the guard up before an egg was laid, and have had it accepted, especially if the parents are tolerant of monitoring." I know these blues are pretty tolerant, but I just ripped out the nest they were working on (to remove the old nest with unviable eggs). I'm afraid if I put the guard on now, they may have just had enough disturbances to give up. I'm also afraid to wait too long, and have the wrens discover the box, because I'm pretty sure once that happens, the wren guard won't be much help. I was hoping someone could share some personal success that could help me decide how long to wait. Thanks again Renee.
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Comments (5)
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
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dzyg
17 years ago
If a wren was on the ground and could see the hole of a nestbox with a wren guard on it, it would find it too. I think cause they normally are on top and try to look down if you have a wren guard with sides on it, it won't see the hole. No I haven't seen any other bird other than the bluebird go under it, that was a first for me. Since HOSP are such nasty things that nest anywhere I could see one following another bird under one, not sure if that is true or not but I wouldn't put anything past them.

Donna

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wren guards and other birds

Comments (3)

dzyg

anita55
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wren guards and other birds

Comments (3)

dzyg

anita55Original Author

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dzyg

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anita55
Original Author