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HOWR problem and a question

18 years ago

Down at the park near us where I monitor five nestboxes we have had two nestings of Blues fledge from two different boxes. One on day 19 and the other on day 16/17 - four in the first and five in the second. I have cleaned out the boxes and in one of them I had found a stick a couple days later. Yesterday I checked it again and there was a layer of sticks, then thin layer of what looked like a Bluebirds nest and then a layer of sticks and I saw a wren flitting about scolding me. So I emptied the box and left the side open. How long do you think I should leave it open for that wren to go find someplace else to nest? The babies in this box fledged a week ago today so I am sure the Blues will be nestbuilding again soon. Would rather them find a safer place than one with a wren wanting the box though but I am sure they will want to renest here again. Would love to let them nest here too if I could be sure the wren is gone. What would you do?? Thanks!

Donna

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Comments (3)

bluebars
18 years ago
You can be sure the wren is gone when they migrate south for the winter!
Depending on how often you can monitor, you can just keep removing sticks, Or you can leave it open a day or two or three. IMHO leaving the box open eliminates all the birds.
But if the HOWRs get to the point of the nest center or eggs, it has to be hands-off, legally.
When the bluebirds return, they will have to fight it out. In my backyard, I can remove sticks several times a day if I want to, but they just keep coming back until the bluebirds chase them off. And even then, sometimes the bluebirds lose eggs or young to the HOWR. But they have to learn. We can't do everything for them.
Bluebars
dzyg
Original Author
18 years ago
Well, I went down and shut it this afternoon. We will see what happens. I won't let the wren get as far as a nestcup or eggs. To me it looked more like a dummy nest actually, there was no ring of sticks like in an active nestbuilding box, they were just like dumped in there and the layer of bluebird nesting material looked weird in the middle of it. I have never seen a wren put that kind of material in like that so I am assuming it was the bluebirds. I will check it again tomorrow afternoon and see what if anything is up in it.

Donna
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That would discourage me too. House wrens are not good neighbors. They will pierce eggs and/or remove them, and toss young from the nest to die, as well as filling all nearby cavities with dummy nests to prevent competition. If the bluebirds are outnumbered, inexperienced, or just happen to be away at the moment, their nests and young are often doomed. Are you intentionally hosting house wrens? If so, then don't endanger the others. Either take the extra boxes down, or use hole reducers so that bluebirds cannot enter and be tempted into nesting with a false sense of security, and wasting precious time and energy only to have their young killed. Then, you can at least hope that the bluebirds can find safe accommodations elsewhere. They DO have time for another nesting! Or, perhaps you could find a more suitable location for bluebird nestboxes, well away from the HOWR territory. Bet describes HOWR territory on her website linked below. Bluebars Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.sialis.org/wrens.htm
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Wow sorry Linda, I hear your pain. We have HOWR here every summer and we did lose 1 egg (of four) in July 2007. But I don't think our wren situation is as difficult as yours seems to be. We see them nearby occasionally, and often hear them not too far away. But we chase them off if/when any come on our property. And our parent Blues (Missy & Mr.B) both discourage them ferociously if they ever come near Missy's box. This pair has successfully fledged 41 baby blues in the past 3 seasons (8 completed nests with a 9th underway), without a single loss of either egg or chick to the wrens. We've made our decision not to use a wren guard for reasons we are comfortable with. And frankly we've heard just too many accounts of HOWR destroying nests in boxes that had wren guards installed. We know that many bird lovers willingly allow and even encourage House Wrens to nest and breed, and this can lead to their forcing many other songbirds out of a habitat completely. (The same could be said of the House Sparrows). So, I'm not sure how to offer you specific advice or comfort. I fear it will be up to you and your Bluebirds to overcome your local HOWR problem. Best luck to you and your birds, Kenn Here is a link that might be useful: Kenn & Temple's Bluebirds
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dzyg
Original Author
18 years ago
I had shut the box again on Monday. Tuesday afternoon I went down and there was a wren nest, cannot believe how quickly she built that thing. As I was removing it I noticed there was a spot for a nestcup but there was not any nestcup material in it as of yet. I already had it half way out anyway at that point. I shut it again afterwards though and momma Blue was watching me. Today I went down and there is a Bluebird nest in it, not finished but almost. I didn't see or hear the wren so I have no clue if it went elsewhere or not. There are lots of natural places in the woods down there for that wren so hopefully it went elsewhere and won't wreck havoc on the Blues nest.

Donna

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