OMG Lisa, what an awful fine. I have no clue what could have done that without leaving a trace of evidence! So sorry that happened!

Donna

The only thing I can think of is possibly an Owl? Looking at the bird , there are some feathers a little ruffled. I did put the new nest pretty high up so the baby would not have to spend so much energy trying to peek out the hole. Oh God I feel like this is my fault. I am sick.

The little bird could have just stuck its head out and any kind of predator could have been there and grabbed at it. I've seen a mockingbird land on top of the house and I've read they can do damage if they perceive the birds are in their territory. Because only the head was damaged, it sounds likely. You did the best you could with what you know. Don't be so hard on yourself. There are many little birds you have helped to make it to adulthood that otherwise wouldn't have made it. Try to think of the good you've done. I think I would be sick to have seen this. As bad as my snake story. With all we do, we can't do everything.

Baby birds poke their heads out. There is nothing you could have done about that. And with the reducer on, nothing could have gotten in there. The poor thing must have had its head poking out when a predatory bird tried to grab it. There is absolutely nothing you could have done to prevent this. It was purely bad luck/nature.

Lisa, I am so sorry! It's not your fault, I don't know what else to say.

OMG I keep thinking what If I DID shut it in the box???? I placed that baby in the back of the box and slowly shut the door. What if it made a run for it at the very last second. I keep replaying it in my head. That baby was so calm, I had been caring for it all day and it would just sit in my hand and peep away. I am just sick, my heart hurts and I can't stop crying if there was even the slightest possibility I might have done this. I mean it would have screeched or something right?

We always second guess ourselves with the what ifs, but from the injuries you're describing I find that "closing the door on it" scenario just doesn't fit. Yes, it would have made a ruckus if you were catching its head in the door. You didn't slam the door, you closed it slowly. Also you would have noticed something wrong about the way the door wouldn't close right. I am positive this accident was absolutely not your fault.

Thanks kendra, I remember even pushing some of the dried grass back so it would close. I am thinking it did not like the hole reducer and may have been letting out distress calls because it could not get out (it had jumped out 2x), attracting something to the box. This is such an awful feeling. The only way I can console myself is that he may have lost his battle with being to weak or too young to fly anyway and died of starvation (was day 19 or 20)so maybe this was a quick death instead of a long painful one. The nest was soaked and there was a dead nestling that had been dead quite some time. The first baby out of the box hit the ground and took several hours to get to the trees NOT the way TRES are supposed to fledge. I didn't see the others go so I don't know if they are OK. I think the horrid weather and wet nest weakened these babies. So all I know for SURE is that one baby made it to the tree tops. They are gone now. SOB.

Oh Lisa, I am so sorry :( you did everything you could to help that baby. It sounds to me like it was peeking and something tried to grab it like you said an owl. I agree with Kendra..if you had shut the baby in the door...you would have heard fluttering like it was trying to get loose. I don't know for sure what could have happened....just know you didn't do it. BTW, there was an egg in the nest box so all 4 made it and one didnt hatch.

Karen

I'm happy to hear that Karen!!!!! Sorry I didn't call you back I was just too heart broken and didn't want to be bawling in your ear.

after I read your post...I knew why you didn't call :(

That really IS horrible! I'm so sorry you had to see that. Poor baby. You did everything you could.

Isn't it amazing Lisa how we do just about EVERYTHING possible to protect them and things STILL go wrong?

Sounds like bad luck as the others said. One year I had a female BB taken away by a hawk right in front of my eyes! My neighbor also trapped a female BB in his martin house when I was bed ridden and sick.

Things like this will happen. We try our best but sometimes it just isn't enough. But with how many Robins (babies) I find dead, we know nature has it's balance. TRES and blues seemingly have the same problems but it's usually the TRES who have all the luck but even I've lost several of them by predation. Bound to happen from time to time. Sorry about your loss!