I have a pair of mockingbirds living in my back yard and put up a bluebird house one year. The bluebirds did successfully raise one brood of babies. When the mockingbirds went after them the bluebirds held their ground and chased the mockingbirds off. Soon the mockingbirds left them alone. Later in the year the bluebirds tried again, but only had one baby. They decided it wasn't worth the fight, and they abandoned the baby. So sometimes there isn't a happy ending. After that I removed the house from the back yard.

That was several years ago. I have many holly bushes with berries in my back yard which the mockingbirds eat all winter. I will probably always only have mockingbirds. It's best just to learn to enjoy what nature decides to fill your yard with.

I do have a bird feeder, but it is in my front yard, which the mockingbirds aren't interested in. Maybe you could try putting your birdhouse in your front yard?

Ann, I'm going to play devil's advocate here. I would be willing to bet something more than a mockingbird scared the bluebirds away from that house. There may have been something wrong with the baby or perhaps wasps or something. I am not saying it couldn't happen, but I just know that the bluebirds I have seen wouldn't abandon a baby short of thinking their life was in danger.

Vonyon, you may be right. However, when I cleaned out the house later, I found that the tiny, featherless baby had managed to climb from the nest and died clinging to the opening. Truly heartbreaking. I took that as a sign that the baby was healthy. But maybe not.

Ann, I'm really sorry for your loss. I'm sure that was hard. Frequently I have found paper wasp's nest on the roof of a house and that will definitely cause the parents to abandon a nest. Did you see anything like that? I thought of something else.......maybe the pair was young. That may have made them intimidated by the mocker. My blues were more scared a few years ago when they were young. I never saw anything like that, but they did abandon a nest a few times before they had eggs or babies because a HOSP was threatening them. As for the mocker, they are intimidated by it, but they just wait him/her out and go about their business.

No, I didn't see any sign of wasps in the house. It was late in the summer when this happened, so the parents could very well have been young.

By the way, I moved the house away from mocker territory after that, and the next time the house was used was last summer by a pair of tufted titmice. The mother was captured and killed by (probably) a cat and all the babies died. I posted about this when it happened and you, Vonyon, were so kind and sympathetic to me. I appreciated it at the time and still remember it. Anyway, after that I threw away the house. It just had too many bad memories for me and I didn't want to go through another tragedy with it.

I've had resident mockingbirds for a few years now, and surprisingly, they're pretty tolerant of the other birds. Well, as long as they stay away from the suet feeder. Although the last few days I noticed a decline in bird activity (sparrows, juncos), but the goldfinches are out and about. The funny thing is that I believe my mockers like to torment my indoor cat; it drives her CRAZY! They just keep coming back for more; sometimes just hanging out, other times squawking up a storm. 2 of them take turns; one stands guard on the phoneline, the other hits the tree; then they switch places.

Last year:
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I have one that thinks he owns this place .He looks in windows,if my dog walks down the driveway he flys down and pecks her on the butt.same with the cat.Hes been here seems he didnt leaveover winter.

I have a pair of bluebirds trying to nest in our new (sparrow resistant house)--that's a joke--finally had to open up a space for the sparrows so they would leave the bluebird house along.

Real problem is the young Mockingbird which we have fed throughout the winter with chopped up grapes (loves them) and he is one territorial monster!

I moved his grapes further down the yard away from the bluebird house and it only took him 30 minutes to find it and gobble down everything he can get and not let one other bird in there--plan is to move it to the front of the house and stop. Actually, he should be hunting food for himself, but I guess we spoiled him. His parents certainly were a lot more tolerant of other birds--but he is a real stinker.

The bluebirds like the house and are trying to nest and yet I saw the mocking bird land right in between both of them and just dare them to live there--at which time I interceded, but won't do that again.

They have come back again since that episode--so I feel they will nest there--in between the thunderstorms, hail and tornado warnings.

And your advice has been very helpful--last year was my first year for blues in the box, although blues do come to my yard and bathe and show me their offspring, but my first box experience ended in blowflies--cried for a long, long time--felt very guilty and will not let that ever happen again.

Wish me luck as the bluebirds just make me so happy and thank you vonyon for sharing your experience with the mockers so I can let nature take its course.

I have a pair of bluebirds, this is the 3rd year my box has been up, so I am cautiously hopefull that this will be the year we finally have babies. The bluebirds are using the box to make thier nest, no eggs laid, yet. This afternoon I noticed the mockingbirds (that have successfully nested for 2 years, now) back and doing thier territorial thing. I have stopped with feeding the wrens with the cheap birdfood they like, as they would use the bluebird house and scare the bluebirds away (past two years). Now, the mockingbirds are back....they have successfully fledge their flock the last two years, and are probably back at it again. Any suggestions on what to expect? Thanks birdlovers!

So glad I found this site. I thought it was a cat bird that was chasing my bluebirds.. now realize it’s a resident mockingbird. I love bluebirds and had a group of seven most of winter.. and it was a circus watching the mockingbird try to keep them off the feeder. Bluebirds will wait for mocker to leave and then quickly back to the feeder.. it’s been my winter entertainment. Down to one bluebird now.. don’t know why🤷‍♀️