I have a pair of bluebirds who like to come and check in on me from time to time whose tale needs to be told.
About four years ago, I had my first mating pair of Eastern Bluebirds come and make home in one of the two bluebird houses I have in my back yard. I’d had others come by in late winter, take a look quickly at both houses and never return. Chickadees have nested in those boxes every year since I started putting them up and I love them. I didn’t feel bad because I knew the Chickadees had a bunch of places near me they could use for a nest. Plus, I was excited to see I would finally have some of these birds I heard needed our help to increase their population.
Soon the nest building began and it was obvious they weren’t merely condo shopping. The eggs followed shortly after that and I was truly psyched. I made sure to order the meal worms and made use of a pass through bluebird feeder where I put some homemade peanut butter suet. I was ready.
I was again thrilled when the eggs started hatching. Unfortunately, things didn’t go well from that point on. Don’t worry-they weren’t attacked by sparrows or snakes or any predator. Mother nature had just dealt this pair a bad hand.
The first thing I noticed is that all of the eggs wouldn’t hatch. Keep in mind, I had been in contact constantly with Julie Zickefoose, a noted author, artist and bluebird expert and I was very careful not to disturb them more than two or three times per week. Sometimes all the eggs just don’t hatch. Not really anything to get worried about. She had me test one of the unhatched eggs and it revealed it was not viable and indicated a reproductive problem with the pair. Not what I wanted to hear.
Fast forward to the end of the season and the total count was out of 10 eggs only 5 had hatched and of those only 2 fledged. I felt awful for the pair. They still could be seen after mating season here and there so I would put out food for them when I saw them. They never left completely.
Each year since then they have returned with the same results. The running total is around 6 fledged birds from about 35 eggs. This past year they didn’t even build a nest. I figured one of the pair died or they just got tired of being disappointed.
Two days ago I looked out into my back yard and saw another pair going from house to house and looking around. It was definitely a male and a female. Whether or not it is THE pair I won’t know for some time. There are a lot of birds moving about this time of year and they could have come from anywhere. My gut tells me it is THE pair and they are just making sure the houses are still there. Only time will tell.
How about you? Have you had bluebirds nest in your houses every year who have been less than successful at increasing their numbers? Do they come during mating season and leave when they are done or do you see them from time to time all year?
Leave me a comment below. I’d like to know how common or uncommon my experience has been.
Nice to find you on the Net, Jeff! I find your experience so interesting, so unusual–this is a pretty good data set for one pair of bluebirds having reproductive trouble. I hate to say it, but I hope somebody has died or remarried in this unfortunate pair.
An interesting question: if the male is infertile, the few fertile eggs could have resulted from the female sneaking around for extra-pair copulations. Bluebirds do it! And it’s another way to think about the whole scene.
Hi Julie,
Thanks for taking the time to comment here! I had to make sure when I wrote this that you got your props, as they say.
I hope your theory is correct because somebody in that pair needed to be having fun just to cope-LOL!
I also hope this pair includes a new partner if not a completely new pairing.
Best,
Jeff
PS-I owe most of my bluebird enthusiasm to you-Thanks!
I have an unusual problem. I have four bird boxes in a field in Garrett County in the mountains of western maryland. Two years in a row, black birds have attacked boxes containing nestlings. All boxes are mounted on steel posts about 4 feet off the ground. Last week a big bear completely bent a post down to the ground and tore open the box. How can I protect the birds from further predation when bears can be so strong as to push over 10 foot pine trees (which also happened recently)?
.-= Dan ´s last blog ..Birds Of Europe Field Guide Review =-.
Dan,
I have to admit having no experience with nestboxes placed so far away from my house. Even in the suburbs, I have to keep a close eye on them to make sure the birds I want nest there and that they are not predated by roving animals. Is there any way you could just move them closer to home?
If not, I would google Julie Zickefoose who has more experience with multiple boxes that I don’t believe are very close to her residence.
I’m afraid I have no suggestions about the black bears and blackbirds(i’m assuming either grackles or starlings)except that neither likes messing with stuff too close to humans.
Sorry I couldn’t be more help. Please let me know what you decide to do.
Jeff