[va-bird] Re: killer bluebirds?

on 5/26/02 7:42 PM, Tim and Alyce Quinn at twoquinns@xxxxxxxxx wrote:

NOT EVEN OVER-TERITORIAL, JUST PROTECTING HIS OWN! [sorry about those caps!]

Bluebirds like any other nesting bird will attack the local bird that they
perceive to be in their territory.  that is why on a trail we recommend 100
yards between boxes or hidden from each other with a hill or a copse of
trees between.  

In your yard it is best to have them out of sight of each other.  On
different sides of the house, and if you feed mealworms in only one spot
look for arguments and these can lead to the destruction of the competitor's
nest and family. If boxes are too closely set together the birds waste their
energy on territorial fights when they should be out hunting food for the
family.  It's a shame to put them thru that when it can be avoided.

 Bluebirds are not always as we like to anthropormorphize them.  That bird
of happiness with his sweet disposition!  He is that, but when he is
stressed he can be just as aggressive as any other animal.  And without that
streak of aggressiveness even our building of boxes and trails for him would
not have done the trick.

Bluebirds will behave just as the house wren and the house sparrow do...I
guess his fuse is just not as short!  At least not on a properly laid out
trail.

Barbara Chambers

> 
> Larry,
> 
> My husband and I are in our fourth year as co-chairmen of the Roanoke Valley
> Bird Club's three bluebird trails, and I've been the County Coordinator for
> the Virginia Bluebird Society for three years.  The only similar incident
> I've heard about was last year when one of our club members reported that a
> chickadee on eggs was killed in the nestbox by a male bluebird.  She
> believed the bluebird was one that already had a clutch in a second box in
> her yard.  I don't know if that means he was greedy and looking for a second
> house or just overly territorial.
> 
> Alyce Quinn
> Roanoke, VA
> 
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