Tidy nest after two months

16 years ago

I have just watched my first bluebird neighbors settle into a box, build a nest and (I assume) have eggs and babies. It's been over two months since they moved in and now they're gone, but the nest is spotless--no mess. It looks brand new. I never saw babies, but Mr. and Mrs. were constantly taking food in and Mrs. spent most of her time in the box. Is it possible that they are super tidy, or could she have not laid eggs? A mocking bird was giving them trouble, could that have messed up the home-making...? Any ideas? They are still in the yard and checking out a different box. Should I clean out the old one or leave it... I have no idea, please advise!

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Comments (7)

lisa11310
16 years ago
HI! Sorry, Babies do not leave a clean nest. www.sialis.org.... read up on Blues and other cavity nesters. Your first nest failed. Read and learn then come back for us to help. Don't feel bad, most folks here came because they had a nest fail and they start looking for answers. I'm glad you are here, we can help. The Mockers should not have stopped the Blues nesting.
Blessings,
Lisa
User
16 years ago
Lisa - I just had a pair of bluebirds and their fledgling (I only ever saw one) leave a perfectly clean nest.
dzyg
16 years ago
lydia2pin, did the nest still have a nice neat cup or was it flatten but clean? I have had a nesting of four bluebirds one year that while the nest no longer had the nice cup shape it does when it is first built, it was clean as a whistle. I have never seen such a neat nest before that or since then but it does happen. If your nest was flattened and cleaned then the babies probably fledged however if it was a nest still with a nice deep cup, chances are like Lisa said it failed. Hard to say for sure though. Like Lisa also said sialis.org has tons of info on offering nestboxes to Blues and other cavity nesters, with info on how and when to monitor to prevent problems and help the birds. Good luck!

Donna
lisa11310
16 years ago
Well OK! Thats a new one on me! In 7 years I have never found a clean nest, but hey, in the Blubird world as we say the only thing you can be sure of is that you can never be sure of anything!!!! I will make a mental note of this. Thanks for the info!
craftylady6
16 years ago
My last brood left an AWEFUL mess! Such a stench too! I scrubbed and scrubbed!

If you go to blueboys blog he states that he leaves a whistle clean nest every year!

Here is a link that might be useful: Blueboy's blog/website
bigmatt
16 years ago
Could it be possible the chicks fledged,and she built her second nest getting ready for round 2,and this is what you are seeing.

Matt
lydia2pin
Original Author
16 years ago
Thank you all so much for your input! Yes, the nest was flat, not much of a cup anymore. Maybe I'm just hosting particularly neat birds... I have also never seen this before, all others have been pretty gross. They are getting settled in box #2 so we'll see how it goes.
Thanks!