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Bird Family Death, What Happened?

10 years ago

A family of house wrens nested in a nesting box for bluebirds on a wooden post in my neighbors yard. One day,while taking the puppy out, I noticed two baby birds on the ground about a few days old (eyes were still closed had no feathers) . I didn't see any apparent marks of a struggle. Could they have fallen from the nest and died? The five days later the mother or father was laying on the ground dead. He/she looked half eaten, but I only saw a glance before I ran away sad. :( What happened? The neighbor might use pesticides, but I'm not sure. This is so sad and I want to know how to prevent it in my yard.

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Comments (15)

calliope
10 years ago
Other birds will predate those boxes. Seen it happen, had it happen, even with the entrance guards on. Also had raccoon reach in and pull out nestlings, one by one.
eric580
Original Author
10 years ago
Now that you mention it, a male house sparrow has been hanging around the box. Do those little birds kill other ones?
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Thanks, everyone! Gail, that's an incredibly interesting website. We never knew that house sparrows will enter another bird's house to destroy eggs and kill babies -- and we have tons of house sparrows around here. We've guarded against snakes, raccoons, and other birds such as crows, but the house sparrow threat is new to me. Thank you so much for recommending that website! Back to the drawing board! Attracting bluebirds was easy...we just put up a house and they found it. We've since put up several more around the property. How strange that your nest holds only one baby, Gail. One of the interesting things about bluebirds is that the first batch of babies each year hang around and help the parents feed the second batch of babies. I hope you have good luck! Sorry to hear about your babies, Natal. It's been a dramatic spring for our birds all around. Barn swallows had built a mud nest under the porch roof for years and this spring a phoebe took over that spot and built her nest there. (The mud nest collapsed last summer when the babies fledged by pushing off from the edge.) This morning I looked out and a barn swallow was asleep on a perch near the grass/moss phoebe nest, her head tucked into her wing. The turf wars continue, I guess.
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MarcusFinch
10 years ago
As far as I know House Sparrows aren't known for killing other birds, it might have kicked the young out but taking on another bird isn't really their style, from the sounds of it a larger predator has been at work here.
eric580
Original Author
10 years ago
Hmm do starlings kill? They been in the yards, but I havent seen one by the box.
rebeccah_2009
10 years ago
I don't know if it's true or not but when I was reading info on Purple Martins, It said Starlings and English Sparrows are very aggressive and do kill adult and baby birds to take their nests.
Elly_NJ
10 years ago
Maybe someone used poison for insects?
dzyg
10 years ago
House Sparrows kill other cavity nesting birds and their nestlings/eggs every day! They are very aggressive birds. But then House wrens poke holes in other cavity nesting birds eggs and throw the babies from the nest boxes too.
eric580
Original Author
10 years ago
I have seen blue jays around lately too. Maybe they did it when I wasn't looking. The blue jays do like to hang around in the willow tree 10 ft away from the box.
rebeccah_2009
10 years ago
Apparently House Sparrows have lots of young. I have way too many around right now! I love birds but these are hogging the feeders!
GoldfinchGuy
10 years ago
House sparrows are extremely prolific and a single pair will lay several clutches of eggs throughout a season. They will nest in just about any nook or cranny they can find, even if it belongs to another bird to begin with.
They're an absolute terror at feeding stations. They'll chase away and even attack other birds at feeders. I once saw a goldfinch in my yard get brutally mobbed by three of them. Luckily he escaped with only some missing feathers. The saddest part about it was that they never really used the feeder he happened to be feeding from.
surya55_gw
10 years ago
I am so sad to hear this. It could be the bluejays since I have seen them kill robins' nestlings here in NY. I used to love them until I cried my eyes out two years ago on Mother's day of all days! The also attach the mourning doves nests here as well.
eric580
Original Author
10 years ago
So sad :( My grandmother had a nest on her wreath on the door a few days ago and one day the little babies were gone ,and their nest was on two pieces on the ground :( Poor babies they must have been eaten.
catherinet
10 years ago
It can be a cold, cruel world in nature. :(
surya55_gw
10 years ago
I totally agree!
eric580
Original Author
10 years ago
I agree too! But ,the lives balance out the deaths I guess. I am putting up two birdhouses to help :)

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