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Dad abandoned Mom and babies!

9 years ago

Has anyone had any experience with the male bluebird abandoning the nest? This is our 3rd brood since March and we try observe everything we can, 2 to 5 hours a day. We can hardly believe that this 3rd brood has produced babies as the temps here in Northeast FL have been wicked. We have heard little chirps and they should be ready to fledge in about a week. Three days ago the male disappeared. "Mom" is doing all the feeding by herself. The first brood produced 4 babies (that we know of) and the 2nd brood produced 5 (that we know of). One of the babies, hours after fledging got picked up by a hawk and I'm wondering if Dad met the same fate. If not, is it possible he just abandoned the family?

Posted by Jan

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good advice for moms and dads
Q
Comments (4)
I would aaaah!funny ~but not funny,i hang mine off our banister so mine cant reach them because if he could he would also rip them out.. he tries to swipe them when he passes them,but cant reach YET!Im sure you know already but Plumerias ,the milky sap are poisonous!i got some sap on my finger then touched my face one day and it burrnned ALL day..Ya! wont be doing that again.
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Dad, Mom and babies.........
Q
Comments (1)
Nice, clean, sharp pictures Donna. The color seems right on. Dave
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Day four - still no Dad, mom incubating on her own...
Q
Comments (8)
Thanks everyone! I really don't think the male was just being scarce. I had been watching this pair for a week and a half before they started laying eggs. I would always see them together and I would always see both of them. If the female was in the nestbox, Dad sat outside watching. For all four eggs (being laid) Dad was there. If I went near the box I got scolded by both the male and the female. Then that one day as I was watching Mom just acted funny and that was when I realized I hadn't seen the male. Today was day five of not seeing him. I realized I could have missed him when watching but I really think if he had been around when I went down there he would of scolded me too, not just the mom. Now an update from today. I was watching and I saw a male BB! Watched them for a LONG time, lots and lots of wing waving going on by both but mostly the male. Mom would go in the nestbox, peek back out and then fly to the male who was in a tree near it, then she would go back in. She did stay in after awhile also and the male went to the nestbox at one point and peeked in. I went down during this and set some crickets out. Mom immediately went down to eat, male just watched and wing waved. When I went down there mom scolded me, the male did not. I think this is a new male but I guess I won't know for sure unless the eggs hatch and I find out if he feeds them or not, either that or if he gets her to start a new nest. What do you think?? I am going to post this question in a new thread too as I am curious what everyone thinks as to if this is a new male or not. Does wing waving happen during incubation by an established couple?? Donna
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Tree Swallow , mom and dad feeding!
Q
Comments (4)
Neat! That little beak is just waiting for another bug/worm.
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