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What is killing my....or your birds?

Konrad___far_north

17 years ago

Yesterday I found a dead Eastern Phoebe in grass, abut 1/3 body missing, today I checked this one chickadee house

I posted not long ago, [moss picture] because I didn't see any activity, only half of the body inside the house, [lower part] a bumble started a nest in the moss,...I guess that's a plus.

One good news, the red breasted nuthatch have hatched.

Konrad

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Comments (6)

rachel_frome_ky
17 years ago
Another rival bird could have killed the chickadee..do you have House Wrens or House Sparrows around? The Phoebe could have been killed by a predator
Konrad___far_north
Original Author
17 years ago
Thank you Rachel,
Yes, HS and House Wrens are around, .. yesterday, the first time I have seen several tree swallow eggs laying around half broken, not far from the house, suspect the wrens cleaned it out.

Konrad
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elke444
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It's a bird eat bird world out there! Even blue jays will kill others' babies to feed their young. Squirrels can jump into nests, too. I've had it happen. They eat the eggs, the hatchlings, and the adult birds, too. Racoons will climb, jump, and eat (etc.,all) the same! Snakes will even climb walls and eat them, (etc.,all) too.

Ravens are big pigs at robbing all sorts of nests, nestlings, eggs, (etc. all) TOO. The hawks use humming bird feeders for snack bars!

We have to realize it .. it IS a bird eat bird world out there. Many birds 'just do it' !!!

We can never change this natural behavior. too bad!

It makes ya' sick, but what are ya' gonna' do? Nuttin!
rachel_frome_ky
17 years ago
Actually, there are many things one can do to help protect the song birds using our nest boxes; baffles to stop climbing predators, enlongated openings to prevent a predator reaching in, NOT feeding cheap food on open trays to encourage and attract Starlings, Grackles, House Sparrows, etc., or peanuts to attract Blue Jays, etc., planting plenty of cover for the feeder birds so they don't become hawk snacks, etc.
bbcathy
17 years ago
Lets not forget the sparrow spookers. An EXCELLENT tool for cavity nesting birds against the non native hosp.
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james_m_clark
17 years ago
Yes, we should shift the odds in favor of the songbirds, but we can't completely protect them, so like it or not, the predators will always get some 'snacks'.

BTW, I've found that sparrow spookers can not only deter HOSPs, but also larger birds like grackles and starlings because of their larger wingspans.

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