I'm adding this to Outdoor Wednesday. Please visit Susan at her blog. They had a surprise visitor in their town!!
The Culprit!!
I thought I saw a little wren sitting atop my blue bird house when I was outside today. He was too fast for me to catch a photo of him though.
Sure enough, when I looked in the house, it was filled to the brim with little twigs. Sure sign of a house wren. It is illegal to destroy an active nest of the wren as they are a protected native bird. But the male wren will build several "dummy nests" around. A real active nest with have cushiony stuff at the bottom like straw, lint, spider web silk. I carefully felt down in the back and there was none of that.
So I pulled it out. Yes, it was just a "dummy nest". If you let them take over a blue bird house even one season, they will always be there. And then, no blue birds. Although they are the cutest little birds, they will destroy eggs of other birds and even kill the little just hatched birds to take over a box!
You can read all about house wrens here if you're interested.
Yes sir . . . there's a lot of drama going on out there in the "wild" that we are unaware of.
I hope my blue birds come back.
Shirley
wishing your dream come true,
ReplyDeleteyour blue birds will come back...
That was interesting to read. I didn't know about that.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that either. I want some bluebirds in my yard so bad.
ReplyDeleteI would love to have bluebirds but I don't think we have them where I live. They are most beautiful! I am happy this was just a dummy nest and you were able to clean it out as you wait for the bluebirds!
ReplyDeleteAdded note: There was a blue bird sitting on top of the house today : ))
ReplyDeleteI didn't know wrens did that either--had no idea they make dummy nests--how interesting!
ReplyDeletethat was very interesting! I have to tell you that I love your header!
ReplyDeletea real bird sleuth!
ReplyDeleteVery interesting post! I also had a 'house wren' working on her nest, in a hanging flower pot. Then two days later, "no one to be found"?
ReplyDeleteI need to read more of your blog.. looks nice!
Sandy
http://thewondersofdoing.blogspot.com/
So interesting! I had no idea!
ReplyDeleteI hope your blue birds come back too! I was just telling a friend I live in the "wild kingdom", I had a baby bird, baby rabbit and crazy squirrel all at my front door within days of each other!
ReplyDeleteVery interesting, Those little birdie are savages! I've heard that fire ants will kill blue bird babies too.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog!
I hope your blue birds come back. Very interesting information about the wrens.
ReplyDelete