Nest Problems on the Bluebird Trail

Problem with	Clues	English (house) sparrow	deer mice	red squirrel	starling	tree swallow	wren
Nest	Little sticks in box, often up to top, maybe over bluebird nest						*
	Feathers (usually white) on top of bluebird nest					*
	Debris, paper, weeds along with grass nest, often circled high over hole	*
	Shredded bark, leaves, etc. filling box			*
	Shredded milkweed, seed and coneflower seed heads		*
	Coarse grass mixed with green weeds. Eggs robin sized but lighter blue				*
	Note: Nests with moss and fur-lined (chickadee); large grass with bits of snakeskin (crested flycatcher); shred of inner bark, fur, feathers, hair (nuthatch); should be welcome and left alone

 

Egg Problems on the Bluebird Trail

Problem with	Clues	cats	English (house) sparrow	raccoon	red squirrel	snake	wren	chipmunk
Eggs	Bluebird eggs suddenly disappear, nest undisturbed		*	*		*	*
	Bluebird eggs disappear, nest partially pulled out of hole	*		*
	Bluebird eggs shattered on ground or in nest		*		*		*	*
	Tiny holes pecked in eggs						*

 

Nestling Problems on the Bluebird Trail

Problem with	Clues	blowflies	cats	English (house) sparrow	gnats or blackflies	hypothermia	deer mice	pesticide	raccoon	red squirrel	snake
Nestlings	Nestlings gone, nest intact, parents still around		*	*							*
	Nestlings gone, nest partially pulled through hole, Grass below may be trampled, feathers around		*						*
	Nestlings dead outside box, sometimes 1/day			*
	Nestlings suddenly dead in box, bodies unmarked, stomachs full parents still around							*
	Young nestlings dead in wet nest					*
	Nestlings dead in nest, emaciated	predators got both parents
	Nestlings dead in nest, little blackflies around, red welts on bodies, especially under wings				*
	Nestlings dead in nest, large red welts over bodies, black pupae or gray maggots under nest	*  (larvae)
	Nestlings mutilated in nest			*			*			*
	Female bluebird dead in box, head feathers and/or eyes pecked out			*