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.

It could be that the bluebirds are trying to take over the nest. I haven't heard of them eating baby birds, but chickadee nests get invaded often. What is the diameter of the hole? Eastern bluebirds typically need a 1.5" opening to get in & out of a nest box. Chickadees can go as smal as 1 & 1/8". Many people put hole restrictors on after Dees have laid their 1st egg so that other birds can't get in. You may also want to monitor (open) the box to make sure babies are ok. Do you see the parents feeding the babies? Hope it all works out!

I'll have to check I out, gaz! The other day I was trying to post my observations of the parents bringing their babies to the feeders. I watched Papa Downy bring his baby and feed it as it sat in the privet bush. The baby kept trying to land on the suet basket but never made it. Papa fed him then suddenly flew off leaving baby to screech. Baby finally flew after him. All the birds have given me a great deal of pleasure this week.

What a great post/spring reminder! Yes, birds and gardens go hand in hand. Cudo to those who hand feed baby birds. Its work! I have parrots. When I was in college in AZ, I adopted a baby Severe Macaw that was still being fed formula. My dh traded off syringe feeding. He did ut while I was in class. We had to check the temperature of the formula so it didnt burn the crop. My Yellow Naped Amazon was a few yrs old when we got him, luckily we didnt have to syringe feed him. He had been abused from the previous owner. He had lived on a large perch his whole life and his feet had contractures. He is a great joy and is quite a character. He has his quirks and we respect that. Lordy, I should have never let him watch South Park (my oldest son's doing when an older teenager)! That's all I can say on here about his language but he is hysterical. He speaks fluent Spanish and English, and likes to imitate animal noises, especially pigs lol. He likes to call the cats..here kityy kitty, then bite them and laugh wickedly. Any new cat learns quickly who the boss is and becomes wise to his calling. He loves my youngest son the most, who has many learning disabilities and they have a very strong bond. We had a Conure, lovebirds, cockatiels, parakeets, and finches in the past.