Fledging and Fledglings - after they leave the nest (Part 1)

In addition to Messages that have appeared in the Bluebird Mailing Lists on this topic, the following are on the Audubon Society of Omaha website: Predators and Problems On The Bluebird Trail

Subj: Fledglings
Date: 5/21/99 10:50:41 PM Central Daylight Time
From: lviolett"at"earthlink.net (Linda Violett)
Sender: owner-BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu
Reply-to: lviolett"at"earthlink.net
To: Bluebird-L"at"cornell.edu

Linda Violett - Yorba Linda, Calif.

Earlier in the week, someone asked about the actual fledging process. I didn't see a response to the List so here's the pattern I saw last year (my rookie year).

* About three/four days prior to the fledge, you'll see the nestlings' beaks reach up for food deliveries. So you know the day is fast approaching.

* About two/three days prior to the fledge, the nestlings will be clinging to the inside of the box peeking out at the hole. Everyone will want to look out and you'll see some jostlings going on inside the box for viewing positions.

* The fledging is within a day or two if you see a nestlings starting to stick its head way out the hole and looking all around but not yet sitting at the hole. When you see this, keep a close watch on the box for hole-sitting.

* When you see a nestling sitting in the hole, quietly get in comfortable position somewhat secluded from the nestlings' view and see if the parents will continue.

Be patient. The parents will start calling and perhaps one will fly to the box with a bit of food in its beak but leaning backward away from the hole to get the nestling into the fledge position. Sometimes the parents will give the nestling the bit of food and sometimes they will fly off to the tree where they want the nestling to fly (always calling unless they perceive any danger).

Nestlings will stick their heads out, look all around, at times sit in the hole and then scootch back down; (similar to our youngsters getting up the courage to jump off a high-dive for the first time). Parents will be calling. If any siblings have already fledged, they will be calling their version of "come on, you can do it". This sequence will be repeated several times. The last nestling to fledge is the loudest of the cheering squad to encourage the next up.

The nestling will be sitting in the hole, will lean way out and take its first flight. A parent will try to meet the fledging in the air and help it toward the tree of choice. If the fledging gets excited and misses the target tree, the parent will fly with it and safely tuck it into the tree leaves and feed it before calling the next nestling out.

If a nestlings doesn't get enough height and lands short of the branches on the trunk, the parent will try to help it up while the fledgling flutters and climbs up the bark.

Since the parents are used to getting a few "hello" mealworms from me, I can get an instant reading of where the nestlings are upon my arrival.

If the parents are taking the mealworms to the treetops, try to get a fix on all the exact locations. If no mealworms are taken to the box, you can be pretty sure all have fledged. Slowly circle under the fledge area and count the fledglings. If any are missing, make a careful search the ground, base of shrubs and along fences for a grey fluff that might need a helping hand into a tree.

This year I changed my trail to two-holed boxes and I think the fledge is more than twice as fast with these because the next one up can sit and watch the whole show before he takes his turn. I'm anxious to verify this theory . . . but no luck so far.

Subj: After leaving the nest---
Date: 1/10/00 7:21:15 PM Central Standard Time
From: bdarnell"at"centurytel.net (Bill Darnell)
Sender: owner-BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu
Reply-to: bdarnell"at"centurytel.net
To: BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu (Bluebirds)

I have not been around the list very long, but I have read most of the posts on "Best of Bluebird_L" and there is something I have not seen anyone mention yet. That is watching the young birds for a couple of weeks after leaving the nest box while the adults are still taking care of and teaching them to hunt.

I have found they usually stay within 50 to 100 yards of the hatching place if trees and grass and food is suitable.

For the first few days after leaving the nest, they stay pretty close to each other fairly high up in trees. The adults continue to hunt and feed just like in the box. They are easy to spot, because the mouth or beak still looks wide and yellowish and the chest is spotted. During a cool twilight, you can find them in a limb crotch piled on top of each other just like they did in the nest.

As time passes, you will notice the young birds coming down lower. I see them sitting on guy wires, while the adult catches food, then flutters on the ground, tempting the young to come and get it. They finally do, and before you know it, they are losing the spots, the yellow "lips" and catching their own food. Then the adults begin a new cycle.

So if any of you newer Blue Birders have never witnessed this, you are absolutely missing one of the greatest, most inspiring shows on earth! I have even been so lucky as to see the young birds make their first flight from boxes a few times. Also saw a young screech owl leave the nest. I am blessed!

Bill
Savannah, TN

 

Subj: Re: After leaving the nest---
Date: 1/10/00 10:17:52 PM Central Standard Time
From: I2LuvBirds"at"aol.com
Sender: owner-BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu
Reply-to: I2LuvBirds"at"aol.com
To: BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu

Bill, that is so very true. We have also had the privilege of watching many fledglings go through all of their training. Last year we watched for over 30 mins as mom and dad EABL tried to convince one of their newly fledged birds to now leave the branch it flew to from the box, to follow them to the woods. The other 3 did so immediately, but number 4 was much more hesitant.

Each adult would take turns flying out a few feet from the branch, then fly back. Several times after one of the adults would fly out a few feet, it would hover, then fly to the woods. A minute later, it was back because the little guy just wouldn't move!

It is quite an achievement to watch them learn to hunt also. Watching so many unsuccessful attempts and then finally, at last, they catch their prey...and
yes, we are there cheering them on.

Edie
Milford, Ohio
N. W. Clermont County

From: Gary Springer [springer"at"alltel.net]
Sent: Sunday, January 23, 2000 4:04 PM
To: BLUEBIRD-L
Cc: Gary Springer
Subject: Re: antother question

Steve wrote" "Thanks for the info Bill. Its not very encouraging to know that the crows will eat the bluebird."

Dear Steve,

That's why I believe its critical to continue using the wooden block predator guards to make the entrance hole deeper, and, to carefully remove nesting material at the bottom of the nest to increase the distance from the hole to the chicks/eggs.

Many people are saying don't use the wooden block predator guard because it's been shown to be ineffecitve in preventing predation by raccoons.

To which I reply, so what. Mount the box so raccoons and snakes can't climb the pole, and at least 7 feet high so cats can't jump up to it. But, since you can't keep Crows and Bluejays off the nest box, keep on using the wooden predator guards which definately helps prevent predation by these flying predators.

I have begun recommending the 7 foot minimum mounting height based on a report by Keith Kridler that a cat snagged a Bluebird off a nest box of that height.

I believe we are making a mistake by focusing on the ability of the raccoon when designing mounting systems to prevent ground based predators from reaching the nest box.

I believe the cat will out climb and out jump a raccoon every time.

Not only is the number of nest boxes in suburban America, where cats abound, exploding, but pet and stray domestic cats and Bobcats are constantly on the prowl throughout rural America as well.

I don't know the percentage of Bluebird chicks reported as fledged in published trail data by experienced Bluebirders but which actually became a meal before fledging. But, based on the high population of all types of predators and how much food is required to keep them all alive, as well as my personal observations of the high predation rates of all types of nesting animals and birds, I believe if you're mounting a standard nest box on trees and wooden posts without at least a greased metal flashing sleeve, your "presumed fledged" trail results are at least 40 percent higher than the number of Bluebirds actually fledged.

Bluebirds put on quite a show during the day of fledging. If you are at home two days per week and have two or three nest attempts per year, you should be able to describe the fledging process based on your eye witness account. If you have been setting out nest boxes for two or three years and haven't seen the nestlings leave the nest box on their maiden flight, in most cases the chicks you presumed fledged are being eaten.

Finding a previously active nest box empty should not qualify as "presumed fledged", but that's exactly how the observation is being reported in trail results.

Given the high predation rates of birds, you could just as well presume the empty nest box means the nest attempt failed.

If I established the criteria for reporting a nest attempt as successful, I would require that the chicks were observed in the nest box 15 days after hatch. If you didn't see the nestlings in the box after the fourteenth day, the nest attempt should be reported presumed failed. Even at this strict requirement the number of nestlings presumed to have fledged will be higher than actual because many chicks are eaten in the final day or two of the nestling phase because the nestlings become more active and more noticable to predators, plus, some are lost in the process of fledging.

If this strict requirement were put in place, however, Bluebird trail monitors would begin learning that many, many nests are empty on or before the fifteenth day, well before they could have matured enough to have fledged. And, hopefully, the knowledge of how many Bluebird chicks were falling prey to predators would result in the end to tolerating the practice of mounting nest boxes five feet high on unsleeved trees, fence posts and utility poles.

Gary Springer

Subj: Re: fledgling numbers reported
Date: 1/24/00 10:50:04 AM Central Standard Time
From: springer"at"alltel.net (Gary Springer)
Sender: owner-BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu
Reply-to: springer"at"alltel.net
To: BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu (BLUEBIRD-L)
CC: Gfrank7"at"cs.com, springer"at"alltel.net (Gary Springer)

Dear Keith and all,

I wouldn't debate any of the points you made in your response to my earlier post about overstating fledgling numbers due to predation of unprotected nest boxes.

But, I do believe that it is important to note that in most cases, when a nest is robbed there is no evidence such as the cat hair you referred to. And, even when there is cat hair, raccoon hair, or other signs, you have to examine the nest box very closely to find it. The evidence doesn't jump out at you. There aren't normally gobs of fur clinging to the box. Many times the evidence is one or two barely noticeable extremely fine strands of fur less than an inch long and it requires close examination of the nest box to find it.

And, snakes, which I believe are responsible for two or three times as much predation of nestlings as are raccoons, all the way from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania down to Atlanta, Georgia, leave absolutely no clue what-so-ever that they had a great meal. All snakes leave behind is a pretty little empty nest that gives most people that wonderful feeling that their little birds flew away.

That is not to say that snakes should be destroyed. Quite the contrary. Snakes are every bit as wonderful and needed as Bluebirds are. Just mount your nest boxes so snakes can't eat the birds you love.

I've inspected a lot of nest boxes mounted on wooden posts, utility poles or fence posts that I spot while driving in the country or which I see in friends yards. If the nest box has been there a year or two, there are nearly always small, practically invisible parallel claw scratches on the posts. If you are mounting nest boxes on wooden posts without the protection of an at least two foot wide, greased sheet metal sleeve, and you haven't seen any claw marks on the wooden posts, please look a little closer.

And, please, mount nest boxes on greased metal posts.

Very sincerely,

Gary Springer

...

Subj: Re: Fledging numbers and banding
Date: 1/24/00 4:26:30 PM Central Standard Time
From: wendyg"at"jps.net (W.Guglieri)
Sender: owner-BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu
Reply-to: wendyg"at"jps.net
To: wendyg"at"jps.net, Warbler5"at"aol.com, BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu

Gary et al:

Please bear with me if this post is a repeat. I think I just lost my post while trying to send.

First of all I want to say that I agree completely with Dee. Without objective data, we cannot know for sure whether or not any particular group of nestlings has fledged, and even if we are so lucky as to actually view the fledging process, we have no data on what happens to the nestlings once they are fledged. Christmas counts and personal observations are helpful, but are incomplete and subjective.

The only truly objective way we have of knowing ANYTHING about the presumably fledged nestlings is with the use of banding.

Case in point: This last nesting season, I removed the female from a clutch of eggs, checking for a band. Sure enough, she was banded. After checking with Hatch Graham, our local bander, I found out that she was a nestling last year from a nest (as the bluebird flies) app. 1./2 mi. from here. So this gives us at least 3 pieces of information: 1. We know for certain that this one female survived her first winter, and through the nesting season, raising and (presumably fledging) 2 clutches in the same nest last year. 2. If we know that this one individual bird actually fledged last year (rather than wondering if she had fledged instead of having been lost to predators between banding time and ASSUMED fledging), we can at least make an educated guess that her fellow nestlings fledged, too. 3. We know how far this female flew from her original home nest to set up housekeeping on her own.

While a thorough banding program is still less than perfect, at least it's SOMETHING! At the least it gives us a small piece of OBJECTIVE data. Another negative is that, while it's fairly easy to check nesting females for bands, the males are much more difficult, if not impossible, except for actual trapping, which I can't imagine as a viable method of checking for bands. But take my one little bit of data gathered on this one little bird, and multiple it by the thousands and thousands. Within a few years, we could build a nice data base of information that WOULD be helpful.

I'd be interested to know how others feel about this.

Wendy Guglieri
Rescue, California
...

Subj: Fledglings/Box Size
Date: 1/24/00 7:43:44 PM Central Standard Time
From: lviolett"at"earthlink.net (Linda Violett)
Sender: owner-BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu
Reply-to: lviolett"at"earthlink.net
To: Bluebird-L"at"cornell.edu (Bluebird-L"at"cornell.edu)

Correction to my previous post . . . So. Calif. fledges about 40% of the state total (Dick Purvis alone is responsible for about 20% of the state total).

Linda V.
 

Subj: Re: antother question
Date: 1/25/00 12:13:11 AM Central Standard Time
From: springer"at"alltel.net (Gary Springer)
Sender: owner-BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu
Reply-to: springer"at"alltel.net
To: BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu (BLUEBIRD-L), jabbest"at"dreamscape.com
CC: springer"at"alltel.net (Gary Springer)


----- Original Message -----
From: Brenda and/or John Best
To: Gary Springer ; BLUEBIRD-L
Sent: Monday, January 24, 2000 7:11 PM
Subject: Re: antother question

Brenda wrote:

I have to disagree with your thinking on fledging success.

You wrote: your "presumed fledged" trail results are at least 40 percent higher than the number of Bluebirds actually fledged.

I really don't believe that my reported fledging rate is 40% higher than actual. Could you explain where you came up with this number?

To which I reply:

Dear Brenda, What I wrote is:

"I don't know the percentage of Bluebird chicks reported as fledged in published trail data by experienced Bluebirders but which actually became a meal before fledging. But, based on the high population of all types of predators and how much food is required to keep them all alive, as well as my personal observations of the high predation rates of all types of nesting animals and birds, I believe if you're mounting a standard nest box on trees and wooden posts without at least a greased metal flashing sleeve, your "presumed fledged" trail results are at least 40 percent higher than the number of Bluebirds actually fledged."


Brenda wrote:
You wrote: If you have been setting out nest boxes for two or three years and haven't seen the nestlings leave the nest box on their maiden flight, in most cases the chicks you presumed fledged are being eaten.


Does this mean I shouldn't put out boxes where I can't see them?! Or, if I do, I should presume all nestings in them failed because I didn't see the actual fledging? And since most of my boxes are where I can't keep a day-to-day eye on them, I don't realize that most of my chicks are being eaten? I think you're giving way too much credit to predators.

To which I reply:

I wrote:
"Bluebirds put on quite a show during the day of fledging. If you are at home two days per week and have two or three nest attempts per year, you should be able to describe the fledging process based on your eye witness account. If you have been setting out nest boxes for two or three years and haven't seen the nestlings leave the nest box on their maiden flight, in most cases the chicks you presumed fledged are being eaten." Sorry I neglected to insert in your yard after three nest attempts per year.

But, no, I am not suggesting you only set nest boxes where you can see them. I'm just saying that if you are seeing Bluebirds coming and going in nest boxes year after year that are near your house where you can observe them several times per week, and have never seen them fledge, then they must not be fledging. How else can you explain not seeing them fledge at least once? If you haven't seen them fledge, and you are using wooden posts, I recommend improving your nest boxes or mounting, not only those visible from your house but also those away from it.

If you are using wooden mounts, please look for small parallel scratches on the poles tomorrow and let me know what you find.

You wrote " I think you're giving way too much credit to predators."

Predators are alive, they are everywhere, they never have to go to Burger King or a grocery store and they don't have guns. They depend on their ability to catch and eat small creatures and robbing nests is their specialty. I think you are greatly underestimating the inteligence and ability of snakes, raccoons and other predators.


Brenda wrote:

You wrote: Finding a previously active nest box empty should not qualify as "presumed fledged", but that's exactly how the observation is being reported in trail results. Given the high predation rates of birds, you could just as well presume the empty nest box means the nest attempt failed.

If the empty nest has not been disturbed in any way, why *not* presume the chicks have fledged? I think a previously active nestbox that is found empty when it is expected to be empty is exactly what should qualify it as "presumed fledged" unless there is physical evidence of predation (i.e. - disturbed nest, feathers on ground beneath box, etc.)

You wrote: If I established the criteria for reporting a nest attempt as successful, I would require that the chicks were observed in the nest box 15 days after hatch. If you didn't see the nestlings in the box after the fourteenth day, the nest attempt should be reported presumed failed.

I would have to check every nestbox on its 15th day? If I check on Day 14 and they're still in the box, and then check on Day 17 and they're gone, I should presume it was a failure? What if there's no evidence of predation? What if I see the fledglings?

To which I reply:

In the majority of cases, the nest looks no different whether the chicks fledge or if they were eaten by predators, especially snakes which normally leave no sign at all and in my opinion, snakes are responsible for more predation than raccoons or cats.

The widespread belief that an empty nest in a nest box mounted on a wooden post represents a successful fledge is exactly what my writing is attempting to dispell. It is this belief that is causing thousands of Bluebird chicks to fall prey to predators every year.

Thousands of birders believe that an empty nest means fledged chicks. But, to come to this conclusion you have to ignore the fact that predators exist. Predators do exist, they eventually eat the overwhelming majority of all birds, and a high percentage of them are eaten before they ever learn to fly.

To conclude that an empty nest in a nest box mounted on a wooden post or tree means fledged birds, you have to conclude that all the experienced birders using baffles, greased poles, and various sundry predator guards are just looking for a way to waste time.

And, yes, if you are reporting nest box data that may very well be used by scientists and ornithologists to conduct studies, I think you owe it to the birding community to monitor your nest box so you can make the right report of fledged or failed instead of basing your report on optimism or assumption, especially if your nest boxes aren't mounted to recommended standards.

Brenda wrote:

Food for thought, Gary, and I have thought about this. I just can't agree with your conclusions. Maybe it's the eternal optimist in me. I'd rather assume an empty nest that is empty at an expected period of time without any other evidence to the contrary means the chicks fledged. I welcome any further discussion you may want to send my way.

To which I reply:

The clearest evidence to the contrary is that the birding community is constantly devising ways to prevent predation. If you aren't using some of them, your optimism is resulting in the loss of many of your Bluebird chicks. Please follow the advice of the North American Bluebird Society.

Don't forget to let me know how your nest boxes are mounted. And, if they are on wooden posts, let me know whether or not your investigation reveals small claw marks all over them.

Sorry if it seemed I was criticising your nest box reporting results. What I was really doing was trying to get people to realize there's a life and death contest at your nest box, your chicks are close to the bottom of the food chain, unless your chicks are protected they may not win, and you can't tell if they've won by seeing an undisturbed empty nest.

Happy Birding,

Gary Springer

Subj: fledglings vs. predators meals.
Date: 1/25/00 11:04:20 AM Central Standard Time
From: wendyg"at"jps.net (W.Guglieri)
Sender: owner-BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu
Reply-to: wendyg"at"jps.net
To: BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu

Greetings all.

Have given more thought to this assumption of some on the List that if you don't actually SEE a nestling fledge, he may have been taken by predators. Made me think. What about the "whitewashing" or fecal streaking that we see both inside and on the outside front of the nestbox after fledging. It's fairly distinctive. Couldn't we use this as an assumption of fledging?

Wendy Guglieri
Rescue, California (where we've been getting our much-needed rain for 48 hrs. straight)
 

Subj: fledgling numbers reported
Date: 1/24/00 7:04:33 AM Central Standard Time
From: kridler"at"1starnet.com (Keith & Sandy Kridler)
Sender: owner-BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu
Reply-to: kridler"at"1starnet.com
To: BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu (BLUEBIRD-L)

Keith Kridler, Mt. Pleasant, Texas So sorry to hear about all of the ice damage......

Gary Springer mentioned that he felt that 40% of reported numbers of bluebirds fledged became predator food...I believe this number is too high...I would put it closer to 25% of all three species since the mountain and western races do not have severe snake, cat, starling, or even raccoon problems like most eastern trails do. Also on the whole the western half of the country uses a deeper and larger box than those used in the east. They do have magpies, crows, ravens, even hawks which prey on cavity nesters and will pull baby birds through the entrance hole like the grackle, crow, starling, hawks will in the east. Just as the babies are about to fledge they can all reach the entrance hole....When the box darkens they expect mama to feed them....The baby with the biggest mouth open near the hole gets fed.....Or jerked out of the box by a predator... Very few of the larger oval holes are used in the western states.

The Peterson box for example has one of it's selling points and "preferred nesting" by bluebirds the fact that the box is shallow enough that the parent bluebirds do not have to enter the box all the way to feed or clean the nest. Normally they can reach all the fecal sacs by just leaning into the box and removing them....Just as easy as grackles, magpies, cats, starlings etc. could....

I have many of my boxes at other people's houses....Many, many, many times I have gone to check a box and seen where the birds hatched on Monday and were gone in 7 days or 10 or even 13.....There is cat hair or other signs of predators having been in the box, after asking the "owners" of the box what happened they swear that their babies just fledged a little early.....NO ONE wants to admit that they lost birds...Especially to their "Tabby cat"...This is failure.....It is far easier to put down five eggs laid, 4 hatched, 4 fledged even if they did this in 7 days.... It would be nice if we all had small enough trails that after fledging say 3 weeks we would report how many young birds are still following the male bluebird around begging for food.....This would be true fledging numbers....

In the southeastern states on unprotected poles at a low height and a shallow box/high nest combination in the normal suburban setting then yes the 40% over reporting probably is about right....

Urban sprawl in California maybe bad but did you know that Atlanta Georgia lead the nation last year of major cities???? They averaged covering up 100 acres a day with houses, streets, malls....This is 36,500 acres or 57 square miles of once upon a time prime eastern forest land....This is only Atlanta's growing city limit and not the whole county....I have looked at the problem of loss of habitat through the window of jets at 23,000 feet....I have seen the culprit, the demon, causing this blight upon the earth and he stares back at me every morning from our bathroom mirror as he brushes his teeth.....KK
 

Subj: Re: fledgling numbers reported
Date: 1/26/00 2:18:26 PM Central Standard Time
From: birdsfly"at"innercite.com (Hatch Graham)
Sender: owner-BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu
Reply-to: birdsfly"at"innercite.com
To: springer"at"alltel.net
CC: BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu (BLUEBIRD-L), Gfrank7"at"cs.com

Hi all: I haven't had time to keep up with this discussion (wrestling with over 300 monitors trying to get their annual reports) but I have to interrupt my other duties to answer: Gary, the point you make about snakes may well be true but doesn't apply to the last week of nestling development. If a conscientious monitor has checked weekly up until two weeks old, then waits a couple of weeks and finds nothing and then assumes they successfully fledged, you can't pull in the
snake theory. Think about it.  A two-week old nestling is nearly as big as an adult; it only lacks adequate feathering. As a bander, I know their legs are actually fatter than adults because they haven't developed the hard scale of the adults.  Can you imagine a snake swallowing 5 two-week old chicks trying to get out of the box? I don't think so

Dean Sheldon has written learnedly on the chitin that accumulates in the bottom of the box as the pinfeathers develop and the chicks grow. This, and the whitewashing others have mention give accumulated evidence of successful fledging.

Having seen many examples of disappearing eggs (undoubtedly snakes), the feathers on the ground, or nest material pulled through the entry (raccoons/cats/jays, etc.), I think I, and other monitors, can judge with a high degree of accuracy whether or not our older chicks made it through to fledging.
Dee Warenycia is right. The high mortality (other than seen in the nestbox) occurs after the birds do fledge. And yes, banding is a good tool to get to the last word.
Hatch
PS: getting much needed rain in the western Sierra.

...

--
Hatch Graham, Editor, Bluebirds Fly! California Bluebird
Recovery Program
El Dorado County "at" 3100 ft, Lat 38°37'43"N, Long 120°37'47"W
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
for the encouragement and conservation of cavity nesters -especially bluebirds- anywhere in the West

Subj: Fledging
Date: 1/26/00 7:18:35 PM Central Standard Time
From: Sialiaman"at"aol.com
Sender: owner-BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu
Reply-to: Sialiaman"at"aol.com
To: BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu

Dick Purvis, Anaheim CA

There have been some good posts on the subject of fledging. I have found that Western bluebirds average fledging at 21 days. It is very rare to get any fledging as early as 18 days. I am convinced that there is a basic difference between eastern and western birds. Rate of successful fledging is also an interesting question. I have been working for 15 years in what was essentially a barren location originally. Each year the number fledged has increased from less than 10 to above 3000. I believe that almost entirely this increase has come from locally fledged birds. If so, the annual percentage increase should be an indication of how
many birds fledge and make it through the winter successfully. That increase has been 40% per year. That indicates that out of a pair of bluebirds and
their average 7 offspring, about three birds return to nest the next season.

 

Date: Thu, 30 Mar 2000 13:07:43 -0500
From: "Bruce Burdett" blueburd"at"srnet.com
To: "Lin Ashland KY Towler" lin"at"realtor.com
Cc: BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu
Subject: Airworthy?

Lin Towler, et al,

Baby Bluebirds are able to fly surprisingly well on ther first flights, and their instincts tell them to head for one of the highest trees within sight of their nestbox. This they almost always manage to do, often flying some astonishing distances before grabbing a branch to perch on. Normally they'll stay put up there for a couple of days, keeping out of sight of predators and moving very little, while the parent birds feed them industriously. You'll find them very difficult to spot up there in the leaf cover, but if you follow the flight of the adults carefully, they'll lead you to them.

Bruce Burdett, NH Bluebird Conspiracy, Sunapee NH
blueburd"at"srnet.com

Date: Thu, 30 Mar 2000 12:58:28 -0500
From: "Randy Jones" randyj"at"enter.net
To: lin"at"realtor.com
Cc: "Bluebird Listserve" bluebird-L"at"cornell.edu
Subject: Re: Second Egg!

You'll find that they make an amazing maiden flight of 50-100' depending on how far the closest tree or bush is to the side of the nestbox the hole faces. It's important to face the box so that they have a safe target destination. An experienced bluebirder visiting me and walking my trail with me pointed out that one of my boxes was facing a county road and needed to be turned. I had not noticed. I turned it the following day, and now it faces trees about 50' SE.

After they make their maiden flight, they will hop from branch to branch until they get well up in the tree where their parents will come to them with food for quite a while. They will also make short flights from branch to branch, then tree to tree, and gradually learn to hunt, finally becoming self-supporting after 3-4 weeks following fledging.

Good luck!

Randy Jones
Allentown PA

...

Date: Thu, 30 Mar 2000 13:54:35 EST
From: RRCRLEP"at"aol.com
To: BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu
Subject: Re: Second Egg!

Lin

I witnessed two baby bluebirds fledge from our nestbox. Both of them went down to the ground. The fledglings had many places to fly to if they had wanted to.

Renee
Hayden, Idaho

Date: Thu, 30 Mar 2000 18:36:58 -0500
From: "Brenda Best" jabbest"at"dreamscape.com
To: lin"at"realtor.com, BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu
Subject: Re: Second Egg!

Lin,

In the video, Bluebirds Up Close, there is footage of a chick fledging. It made a tremendous flight. The problem was landing. It tried in one spot and didn't succeed, so it continued flying and landed in another tree. I don't know if its wings were getting tired or not, but I felt tired and sore just watching!

Brenda
--
Brenda Best
Durhamville, NY
(between Syracuse and Utica)
jabbest"at"dreamscape.com

The Nature Club of Central New York
http://natureclubofcny.8m.com/

...

Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2000 15:33:22 -0400
From: "birdlady" birdlady"at"netstorm.net
To: Bluebird-L"at"Cornell.edu
Subject: Fledglings of 4/10 made it!

Betty Nichols, Middletown, MD 45 mi. nw Washington, D.C,

Hello All:

Our late Dr. Laurence Zeleny (The Bluebird) stated the first 48 hrs. of a fledgling's life is the most dangerous time of all. I am happy to report a daily check of their antics including venturing across a wide field w/a tail wind of 20 m.p.h. must have given them quite a thrill! They have returned now to a protected area, parents still feeding mealies and p-nut butter mixture when the mealies ran out. They are sitting in practically bare trees which can be hazardous but are huddled close together like they were in the box.

It was worth the stress, numerous trips to the trail and fighting cold winds & bad weather. Just to see those little beauties all healthy and having fun gives one great joy.

Date: Sun, 7 May 2000 21:15:40 -0400
From: "caren wagner" carenwagner"at"sprynet.com
To: "Bluebird - L" BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu
Subject: Re: Sher's successful fledge!

Congratulations on a successful nesting! My nestlings also fledged over the weekend (one Friday night and the other five Saturday). The pair of EABL parents that nested are the same pair as last year. It was so much fun to watch. Last year the father taught them to hunt and to take food to the mother who was busy building a new nest for the second clutch. When the next clutch of eggs hatched the first fledglings helped the parents feed the second clutch. It was absolutely wonderful to observe. I offer mealworms and one of the fledglings was seen with the father in the feeder today although still dependent on Dad to feed him. A good chance they may do the same as last year. Parents remain very observant and protective of the nestbox. I cleaned out the nestbox last night. The nest was in good condition (pine needles) and no blowflies! I am hopeful they will renest even after having to chase these little beauties around. I had two clutches last year and one so far this year and mine have always fledged just before dusk. I don't know if that's typical or parent's choice. Anyway I hope you continue to enjoy the Bluebird experience!

Caren Wagner
Lewis Center, OH
...

Date: Sun, 07 May 2000 21:29:10 -0400
From: Haleya Priest/Thom Levy hpandtl"at"crocker.com
To: BLUEBIRD BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu
Subject: Amherst report

Haleya Priest Amherst, MA

First fledge of 2000 here today at 6:05pm. Looks like the rest are going to wait till tomorrow. We had a record breaker of around 90* here today. Yesterday I wished for the 14 some eggs I had to hatch BEFORE the HOWR showed up, but today I hoped they wouldn't hatch because of the heat - I figured they were better off in their shells. Fortunately, HOWR are still 30 miles south. 2 females were incubating their eggs today when I came to monitor. Most likely they were keeping the eggs COOLER perhaps than the ambient temperature in the box. The warm weather that rushed in in the past few days brought an incredible wave of neo-tropic birds. Just a few days ago it was barren. We identified SEVENTEEN different species of warblers on Sat morning. Unfortunately didn't see a Blackburnian. But 17 warblers! Always good to be with experts who can just hear the calls and know exactly what we are hearing and then the best eyes to find all these birds. It was also a day for Blue Jay migration. Probably saw a 150 or so pass over! We also saw about 20 Baltimores and at least that many Redstarts, etc and never stopped hearing most of the rest. It was amazing. Warbler heaven..... Tonight Thom and I went to put up a box at our niece and nephew's house. This was the Chem lawn that I talked about earlier. Turns out they only spray once an herbicide (she doesn't know what kind - will find out) and one fertilizer application. Anyway, all five kids and mom huddled around the box while we told bluebird stories, etc. and taught them how to monitor.

We drew in a fake hole on top of the box - they called it a "vacancy" sign-and in fact, we wrote on top of the box, "Vacancy, "Cheep" Rent - for BBs only". Surely that will do it!!!

And yes, this hot weather will slow many things down, so keep patient. Also, for those wondering about seemingly "unoccupied nests" and whether
they are abandoned. I've got one that's been in the wait for TWO WEEKS now, but as Betty pointed out, no one else has taken the nest over. AND I bring my binos and look carefully for the pair. Yesterday I saw them - so that is another way to tell if it is truly abandoned. But I don't see
them sometimes - keep your eyes open at all times for your birds when monitoring -this could be valuable info down the road.... I know the old-timer bluebirders have also said that some of the inexperienced/first year mating bluebirds don't really always know WHAT to do, and some don't even lay the first year. One more thing - how about wearing garden gloves or pig skin gloves when sticking your hands in the nest to lessen your chances of getting stung by wasps, etc....
Happy bluebirding. H

Date: Mon, 08 May 2000 10:17:36 -0400
From: "Mary Jane Thomas" mjbt"at"epix.net
To: Eaton bird list mjbt"at"epix.net, BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu
Subject: Bluebirds - fledge

Our babies fledged yesterday (Sunday). These were the eggs I was afraid would freeze earlier. We had watched them looking out of the nest for a couple of days. Yesterday, the female was on the railing of the porch of our house making a commotion; when we went outside and looked up we saw one of the fledglings on the roof of the house. He eventually took off in the direction of his parents. There was a total of four fledglings.

So now we'll wait for the second nesting.
--
Mary Jane Thomas
mjbt"at"epix.net
In the beautiful Finger Lakes Wine Country of New York State!

Date: Mon, 08 May 2000 12:34:26 -0400
From: Lynn Emerich lemerich"at"epix.net
To: "BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu" BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu
Subject: First Fledge of the year

Today 5/8/2000, at 11am, I watched 2 of my 5 babies leave the nest. Graceful they are not, and the first landing in the tree was not the best either. This is the first time I have actually witnessed the first flight. They always seem to evaporate while I'm not watching. Mom started incubating on 4/5 or maybe 4/6, so these guys are right on schedule. I won't check the box for another few hours, but I have my video camera watching for me. Dad sticks his head in the box now and
then, so I'm sure there is at least one more. Hot here, around 90 now, but 93 yesterday. When I clean out this box, I will do something to insulate it. I lost a few to the heat last year.

Had one hummer made one real fast pass thru the yard yesterday, but didn't stop at the feeder.

Lost track of the Baltimore Oriole - should they be in here now or am I rushing things.

Lynn near Reading Pa -

Date: Mon, 8 May 2000 18:16:24 EDT
From: Lisagm1970"at"aol.com
To: Bluebird-L"at"cornell.edu
Subject: First Bath!!

Lisa Miller Murfreesboro, TN

This is the cutest thing I have ever seen!!! My bluebirds fledged today, at least I know for sure that three of them did. (17 days old) First one fledged at 11 am. As of an hour ago, two were left, but at least one of them has now fledged. I know this because I just saw dad and three babies in my birdbath, taking their first bath!! How cute are those little guys, anyway? :) Mr. Mockingbird was bothering them quite a bit at first. The little #$%!!! Before you start writing to me, I love my little mocker, but he was being a pest when those little guys were trying to leave home. Let's face it, everything and everyone can be a pest sometime or another. (Except these adorable little guys in my birdbath!!!!) I'm going to go out in about an hour and peek in the hole...don't worry, without opening the box...and clean the nest if everyone's gone. I am so excited, but a little sad too. I feel like it's *my* kids that have left!

Date: Mon, 08 May 2000 23:11:21 -0400
From: Haleya Priest/Thom Levy hpandtl"at"crocker.com
To: BLUEBIRD BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu
Subject: tonal qualities in EABL call/song

Haleya Priest Amherst MA

One of the fledglings landed right in front of my front door and I opened it not having a clue it was there. It took off into the corn field and landed god knows where. The father flew over to it, but it wouldn't fly and so he took off to help the other babies in the trees. Some time later (15-20 min) he come back and called so sharply and firmly to the baby as if to say, "This is my location. Where are you. Talk to me now. Find my location and fly over here, NOW. I don't care if you are frightened, come NOW." And sure enough they found each other and all is well. I've NEVER heard a EABL sound that firm and solid. H

Date: Tue, 9 May 2000 00:16:36 EDT
From: I2LuvBirds"at"aol.com
To: BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu
Subject: First EAstern BLuebird fledglings

Our first of three nesting pair of EAstern BLuebirds fledged today.

First of five eggs were laid on April 3, incubation began on April 7, and they hatched on April 20...14 days later; today they are 19 days old.

The other two boxes are currently 15 and 11 days old...looking forward to the next fledge and new nests.

Edie Lotz
Milford, Ohio
N. W. Clermont County
25 miles northeast of Cincinnati

Date: Tue, 9 May 2000 07:07:42 -0400
From: "Brenda Best" jabbest"at"dreamscape.com
To: hpandtl"at"crocker.com, "BLUEBIRD" BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu
Subject: Re: tonal qualities in EABL call/song

Haleya,

Your post is one of the best examples I've seen that demonstrates why baby birds SHOULD BE LEFT WHERE THEY ARE. So many people think fledglings have been abandoned and pick them up and then don't know what to do with them.

Brenda
--
Brenda Best
Durhamville, NY
(between Syracuse and Utica)
jabbest"at"dreamscape.com

The Nature Club of Central New York
http://natureclubofcny.8m.com/

...

Date: Wed, 10 May 2000 00:08:51 -0400
From: "REBECCA AULT" BJAULT"at"worldnet.att.net
To: BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu
Subject: normal fledging behavior?

Hi Everyone!
I thought that one of my backyard nestlings decided to pop out of the nest a little early. Mom and Pop were carrying on like crazy. I watched for several minutes and finally saw the object of their distress. One of the babies was in some high weeds at the edge of my property. They would hop onto a dead pokeberry plant above him and then fly back to the nest. He finally hoped the several yards back to the base of the nest. He didn't make any attempt to fly at all. I decided to pop him back in the nest. To leave him on the ground for any length of time in this area is very dangerous. My neighbors cats are frequent unwelcome visitors. However, mom and pop were not happy with me. Upon later observation the parents were repeating their befavior. They evidently wanted that little guy out of the nest and I intervened. I feel so guilty! This was the first fledging that I've witnessed. Was this normal fledging behavior? Do they
sometimes spend a lot of time on the ground? Could he be injured? Help please! Worried in New Philadelphia, Ohio Sincerely, Becky Ault

Date: Tue, 9 May 2000 22:04:40 -0700 (PDT)
From: Horace Sher hjsher1"at"yahoo.com
To: BBlist Bluebird-L"at"Cornell.edu
Subject: I found 2 of 4 fledglings

Hi everyone. Many thanks to the few people who suggested I keep an eye on the parents, & they would lead me right to the fledglings. (They fledged Sat.) It's taken me several days, but I finally located 2 of the 4 fledglings today high in a pine tree after following a parent to that general area. I definitely agree..there is no other way to find them. To the naked eye, they looked no different than a couple pine cones on that tree. Anyway, was very happy to locate them... but what about the other 2 ? Could they have split up? Didn't see them anywhere near the tree. Has anyone ever seen this? There are lots of predators around here...Blue Jays, Crows, an Owl, Hawks, snakes, cats, posum, squirrels, you name it. I guess I won't know for sure about the other 2, until & when the parents start to bring the young back to the yard. The parents are showing up more & more in the yard now for food & water. A friend of mine says, hers have started on their 2nd nest after about 2 weeks. Stokes says the female can start on her 2nd nest within hours or a day. I'm curious how soon some of you have seen her start on her 2nd nest. Has it been within hours, days, or maybe weeks in your observation? Oh..by the way for anyone looking & having difficulty locating their fledglings...when the parents are carrying the food to them, the parents make a sort of chattering or tweetering call as they are approaching the young..very unique...as I've only heard these EABL do this(1st noticed it when parents were feeding young in the box)....no other of our backyard birds have I heard this unique call. (Other birds may have their own unique call.) This has greatly aided me in locating the young, in addition of course to keeping an eye on the parents & following them..... Horace in NC.

Date: Wed, 10 May 2000 07:46:40 -0400
From: "birdlady" birdlady"at"netstorm.net
To: BJAULT"at"worldnet.att.net
Cc: Bluebird-L"at"Cornell.edu
Subject: Re: normal fledging behavior?

...

Hi Rebecca: You did right by returning premature fledgling to box. It sounds as if the nest is VERY CLOSE to the entrance hole. You did not mention age of active nestling but I would assume about 14 or 15 days. They are too old to handle now but in the future make certain nest is at least 4" from entrance hole
so the active ones remain low. Keep us posted on their progress.

Betty Nichols, Middletown, MD

...

Date: Thu, 11 May 2000 10:55:19 -0500
From: Judy Schaumberg jimnjud"at"usmo.com
To: BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu
Subject: where are the fledglings??

This is my first experience with nestboxes and eastern bluebirds. I put up two boxes and was lucky enough to have one pair nest sucessfully! 5 sweet babies born April 19 or 20! I observed them daily and monitered the box weekly and didn't see any problems. The box is baffeled with no sign of violation or foul play. Last weekend, May 5 or 6, everyone was gone, including mom and dad. I know it was the time frame for fledging. I did not see any bluebirds again until this morning, May 11, a pair (?same pair?) in the usual feeding location. No babies though. I watched the male fly up into a large oak so I looked everywhere in that tree to locate the babies without success. I have read about babies staying up in trees for 11 days and also read about babies coming to the bird bath with parents quite soon after fledging. The nest box was located in a 3 acre field with their own bird bath and several perches. Usually they were the only birds down there so I am confused as to why the parents were not hunting in the same location to feed the babies after fledging. I need to start the mealworm supplement too! Am I just worrying too much? I really hope the babies are safe. I want to make sure if there was a problem that I can take steps to correct it fast for futute nestings! Thanks
Judy
Missouri
jimnjud"at"usmo.com

Date: Thu, 11 May 2000 13:30:18 EDT
From: LRBPERF"at"aol.com
To: BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu
Subject: Re: where are the fledglings??

Hi Judy, What you are seeing sounds quite normal to me, they always take the babies away from the "usual" spots for a week or so, If they are still hanging around you can be quite sure that the babies are near. Keep watching where they are flying to after picking up a bug, sometimes they land on another branch first looking for danger then onto the branch with the babies, by now they should have them all together or very close together, Your clutch was hatched the same day as mine and mine also fledged on Sunday, Yesterday was the first peek I got at them, This morning all 4 (1 egg did not hatch) where together on a branch waiting for their mealies, Mama moves them closer in the Mornings and further away in the evenings, She started her 2nd nest yesterday so I think she does this so she can build and feed and keep a watch on the little ones. You just keep watching and you will see the babies very soon! Hope this helps
Shawna B NW NJ Zone 6

Date: Sat, 13 May 2000 08:07:59 EDT
From: MLieb20810"at"aol.com
To: Bluebird-L"at"cornell.edu
Subject: success

I'm happy to report that all 5 bluebirds fledged on Friday on their 20th day of life. I continue to feed the parents who fly off to the woods now to feed the babies.

My house is back on the market!

Many thanks,

Mike
New Castle, DE

Date: Sat, 13 May 2000 21:33:03 EDT
From: MLieb20810"at"aol.com
To: Bluebird-L"at"cornell.edu
Subject: Fwd: success

Barry,

I did clean out the box today and they have already been going in. What's strange though is last year they rounded up the birds and took them out to the woods and for a few weeks only the male would return for mealworms and i would watch him fly to the woods.

But today i saw two babies flying all over the neighborhood and both parents trying to round them up and feeding them etc. But for starters i don't know where the other 3 babies were all day. I hope something didn't get them and is this normal for the babies to be flying around on landing on fences and houses.l I thought they would stay in high trees for a few weeks.

Any thoughts on this is appreciated.

Thanks,

Michael L.
New Castle, DE

Date: Wed, 7 Jun 2000 11:19:29 -0700
From: "Tena Taylor" tenataylor"at"tycom.net
To: "BLUEBIRD LIST" BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu
Subject: Babies on the ground!!!

Tena Taylor, Calhoun County, Mississippi

I was on my way out to the mailbox this morning around 10 and mamma and papa were so agitated! I noticed 3 babies on the ground, very still. Two still in the box. I immediately gathered up those 3 and put them back in the box. THEN got my Stokes to read up. Maybe the parents coaxed them out because of a predator? Nothing but the 2 babies in the box. Now I'm wondering if I did the right thing. There are plenty of trees and perches around, so why were those babies so still on the ground? My dogs would have loved to 'play' with them so I just couldn't leave them on the ground. Parents settled down quickly, and are making numerous trips to the box and calling continually. Will those that I replaced leave the box again? I watched for an hour, but life does go on, darn it!

Date: Wed, 7 Jun 2000 13:15:55 EDT
From: LRBPERF"at"aol.com
To: BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu
Subject: Re: Babies on the ground!!!

Shawna B. - NW NJ Zone6

Hi Tena, You do not say how old the nestlings are, it is quite possible they are ready to leave the nestbox, If they are at least 17 days old then it is time, would be nice if they where 18 days or older but 17 is OK. Sometimes they do end up on the ground, and instinct tells them to be very quite, it may take all day for the parents to round them up but they will, with no trouble and believe me they know where each and every baby is at all times. I know how hard it is not to do (anything) but Ma and Pa Blue don't need or want your help when the babies are fledging. It is OK that you put them back into the nestbox, but if they fledged because it was time then they wont stay for very long.

If on the other hand they fledged because of fear, then YES it is best to put them back into the nestbox but it still may be hard to keep them there, I sure hope that they are ready 17-21 days old. And tell the dog he/she just has to wait, LOL my dogs always get so mad when the birds are fledging because I make them go inside, they lay right by the nestbox in the Garden all the time and the birds never pay any attention to them until it is time to fledge then they swoop the dogs and say please move for alittle while. And mine would just love to "play with them too." Best of Luck and let me know how you make out

Date: Fri, 9 Jun 2000 13:23:17 EDT
From: HeatonPG"at"aol.com
To: Bluebird-L"at"cornell.edu
Subject: Courage wins! Shy soars at dusk!

Pam Heaton, Atlanta, GA T-80 F.

Dear Bluebirders,

TRUE of FALSE: Bluebirds fledge on a nice quiet day, first thing in the morning after breakfast. FALSE Now, this was the assumption I had until yesterday. I couldn't have been more surprised. Yesterday was day 19 and the babies began peeking out, bill only, of the nestbox. Parents were feeding. Everything was normal. Except, it bagan to be the noisiest day of the week--deliveries, trucks, cars in and out and even the lawn was mowed, edged, weeded and the driveway blown. Busy, noisy all day. I thought, well they won't fledge today, there's too much commotion.

Went out with my son for pizza and when I returned at 8:00 PM, I noticed all was still. Something had happened. There were no parents around. No one came for a mealworm treat. Nothing. I HAD to look. As I approached the birdhouse, I heard a tiny, pitifall chirp, then again and again, from the bluebird house. I looked in and found one last bird, there had been five, huddled in a corner, so forlorn, perfectly still and breathing rapidly. My heart went out to it. I put several mealworms beside it on the nest rim. I went to the house and sat on the porch steps, watching, waiting. Still nothing, except for the sad little chirp coming from the nest box. Ran inside and check my books(this is my first fledgling). Stokes says they usually fledge within a few hours of each other, but sometimes one waits until the next day. Whew! My mind was racing, Then, I looked out the window and saw papa at the box hole! I thought, there's hope! I should have known they wouldn't abandon him. I sat on the porch again with my binocs and watched and prayed and prayed for this wonderful little baby to fledge and be with the others. It continually chirped, followed by parent bluebird song and little chirps from the trees. I really feel the "family" was encouraging him. Next, it began sticking its heat out of the hole and chirping. Then its shoulders were out, then back in and disappeared. Finally, after about 30-45 minutes,,,it was now dusk, the little baby bluebird stuck its head out, gathered it's courage and energy and soared to the trees! First there was silence, and I felt sad that they were gone. Then, there began singing and "chip, chip, chips" from the trees and I laughed and rejoiced at the wonder of life.

This morning, papa was waiting,came for mealworms and I found my reward, a blue feather in the birdbath-they had found it.

P.S. From your experiences, what time of day does fledging occur? I never dreamed it would be so late in the day, I would think they would get lost. The bluebirds are such conscientious parents.

Date: Fri, 9 Jun 2000 12:12:41 -0700 (PDT)
From: Koby Prater koby_2004"at"yahoo.com
To: HeatonPG"at"aol.com, BLUEBIRD-L"at"CORNELL.EDU
Subject: Re: Courage wins! Shy soars at dusk!

Hello Pam and all,
I have only witnessed 9 nestlings fledge (two differrnt times). From both times they fledged st dusk, so I think that is when most chose to let their babies fly.
 

=====
Koby Prater
Seneca, MO (two hours from Tulsa, OK(Up Interstate 44)
koby_2004"at"yahoo.com
Reference Guide- http://www.crosswinds.net/~bluebirdguide/
Best of Bluebird-L- http://members.aol.com/bestofbbl/bblindx.htm

Date: Fri, 09 Jun 2000 17:33:56 -0400
From: "Katherine S. Wolfthal" kate"at"nirvana.ziplink.net
To: Bluebird-L Bluebird-L"at"cornell.edu
Subject: Time of fledging

I have had two fledgings this year - chickadees and titmice. Both times the birds fledged very close to dawn. I now have two nests with eggs, titmice and house wren, and I shall be interested to see what time these fledge.

But I would be interested to know from other people on this list what your experience is, with bluebirds and other cavity nesters, as regards time of fledging. I, too, was under the impression that it usually happens early in the day, but - again - the birds don't read books.

...

--
Katherine
Weston, MA
-------------
kate"at"nirvana.ziplink.net

Date: Fri, 09 Jun 2000 18:23:12 EDT
From: "Kevin Bloom" kjbloom20"at"hotmail.com
To: Bluebird-L"at"cornell.edu
Subject: Fledgeing times-longer than I expected

Kevin Bloom
Sunbury PA (55 miles North of Harrisburg)
E-mail: kjbloom20"at"hotmail.com
Lat: 40:50:29.735N Lon: 76:40:58.375W
Member of North American Bluebird Society and......
BSP,OBS,BAN,MBT,NCBS,NYSBS,EBF,BAM,NHBC,VBS,BBRP,IBS,IBP,TBN,PBRP,BCBST THE BLUEBIRD-L REF-GUIDE: http://www.crosswinds.net/~bluebirdguide/
Current Temperature for 6/09/00- 95*F today....guess thats cold in TX.

Having a nice day today everyone???

With my experiences in the past.....whatever years, I have only witnessed a few Bluebird fledgings and usually cold not watch the whole thing as I am busy most of the time. They usually occur at more so sunset. I happen to think that bluebirds are smart and when I thought of this it made reasonable sense to me. Here is what I think that I think that the Bluebirds think. --Say that 5 times real fast!

If the babies fledge at that time then here is the advantages, hawks are done for the day, owls(if there are any out) usually could care less about a bird especially if it just woke up and is grumpy. Raccoons, if not rabid, are not out at this time yet and are not as awake if are out. So either, all the day animals are just going to "bed" and all the night animals are coming out or are on their way out and just stretching and not ready to eat dinner. Maybe Keith,Dean, or Gary could comment further on this but that is what I think. Who knows what the blues think. Now, I have had some morning fledgings and some midday fledgings, but not as many as at dusk. As Katherine said, her chickadees and titmice have fledged in the morning. Which is common for them for most live in woods or near them, not out in the open as bluebirds. Now some may say what about the Tree Swallows. I have witnessed many, if not all of their fledgings!! As they make such a rucus not only by their parents but also by many other Tree Swallows that are probably not even related. My Tree Swallows have almost always fledged in
the early morning hours or somewhere abouts. If you watched a baby TRES first fledging you would see the advantages over a Bluebirds fledging. Of course all of you know that TRES are gliders and so they do not land on anything nearly as much as bluebirds do. Let me cut to the chase. When TRES fledged they are not as easy for predators to get, mostly ground predators, because they don't land on the ground and they are pretty good fliers for the first time. That is probably why some Tree Swallows, besides their aggressivness, populate or survive better then bluebirds and they only have 1 brood a year. Let me also add that they are faster fliers than bluebirds....much faster!!

Date: Fri, 9 Jun 2000 20:25:06 -0400
From: "Brenda Best" jabbest"at"dreamscape.com
To: HeatonPG"at"aol.com
Cc: "BLUEBIRD-L" BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu
Subject: Re: Courage wins! Shy soars at dusk!

Pam,

I watched a bluebird box fledging on Wednesday at about 11 a.m. My neighbor's bluebirds fledged earlier this week on a rainy day in the early afternoon. I've also seen bluebirds fledge over the course of one day, and I've heard people tell of some fledging one day and some the next. I guess it varies!

Brenda
--
Brenda Best
Durhamville, NY
(between Syracuse and Utica)
jabbest"at"dreamscape.com

The Nature Club of Central New York
http://natureclubofcny.8m.com/

...

Date: Sat, 10 Jun 2000 11:43:30 -0700 (PDT)
From: Horace Sher hjsher1"at"yahoo.com
To: Bluebird-L"at"cornell.edu
Subject: The time of day my EABL fledged

To anyone interested in fledging times...On May 6 my 4 EABL nestlings fledged sometime between about 1 pm and 5 pm. Horace in NC.

=====

Date: Wed, 14 Jun 2000 19:47:41 -0700 (PDT)
From: Koby Prater koby_2004"at"yahoo.com
To: BLUEBIRD-L"at"CORNELL.EDU
Subject: Fledging accident, need help! Please read and try to respond fast.

Hello everyone,

I saw the nestlings peeking out of the hole this afternoon, and they would try to come out. I watched til I could still see a little bit. One of the nestlings popped out on to the Noel guard, but it acted like it's foot was stuck. I watched for a little while, and thought if this little one doesn't get off the Noel gaurd it will be the meal of a raccoon. I walked up to the box, and it just sat there. Momma was yacking, but I think daddy was already to his roost. I saw the little nestlings foot was stuck in between the gaurd and the box. I went to get a screw driver to remove the staple that was holding the guard and was causing the babie's foot to be stuck. I came back, and pulled the staple out a little bit. The baby flew out right toward me, and that is the last I saw of it. I think, I THINK it made it to a limb, but I couldn't hardly see. I walked toward where I assumed it landed with a flashlight, watching where I stepped and momma came over and got real upset. I later heard a babies' cry out in front of the nestbox a little ways. I know that no other nestlings fledged. I am now assuming it is ok, with momma, and it will still be alive tomorrow morning. Is this a fair assumption? While I am at it, where do momma Bluebirds roost? Do they roost very close to the nestbox? Do fledglings roost near parents or maybe even right beside them? Does anyone answers to these questions. I am planning on getting up before the sun tomorrow, I am guessing the others will fledge early tomorrow morning? Please tell me if I should be so worried about this. I was practicly crying. I don't know if I will be able to sleep tonite.

=====

Koby Prater
Seneca, MO (two hours from Tulsa, OK(Up Interstate 44)
koby_2004"at"yahoo.com
Reference Guide- http://www.crosswinds.net/~bluebirdguide/
Best of Bluebird-L- http://members.aol.com/bestofbbl/bblindx.htm

Date: Wed, 14 Jun 2000 20:34:35 -0700
From: Linda Violett lviolett"at"earthlink.net
To: "Bluebird-L"at"cornell.edu" Bluebird-L"at"cornell.edu
Subject: Re: Fledging accident, need help! Please read and try to respond fast.

Linda Violett - Yorba Linda, Calif.

Koby, there are often emergency decisions to make and it sounds like you did what you could. The parents know where to find the fledgling and have probably already tucked it into some thickets by now so the night critters can't reach it.

Something similar happened to me last week. A nestbox with two nestlings was just a few days from the anticipated fledge and I saw dozens of honeybees swarming around the nestbox and some entering and exiting. I thought the box had been taken over by bees (I had this happen to a nestbox with eggs). I had been bringing mealworms to this troubled site because it had a single female, two had died from hunger and another fostered out (it eventually fledged). The female knew me well, so I took down the hanging "bee" box and transferred the 2 nestlings into a 1/2 plex roof box and left the original solid roofed box for the bees. When the box was rehung and I was just about to remove the lifter box, the female THEN decides to give her shrill 3-note calls . . . one nestling bolted but the other stayed.

I thought thought the immature fledgling was doomed, it didn't make it to tree branches, just into some undergrowth. When I brought mealworms the next day, the female was taking food to only the nestbox chick and I had now given up hope on the fledgling's survival. The following day, she was feeding two chicks in the trees

So get a good night's sleep, Koby, and let the parents take it from there.

...

Date: Thu, 15 Jun 2000 10:00:42 -0400
From: "Virginia Stephens" auntgennies"at"mindspring.com
To: koby_2004"at"yahoo.com, BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu
Subject: Re: Fledging accident, need help! Please read and try to respond fast.

I see Linda Violett has already responded with an encouraging note. I too had a similar experience with a Titmouse. The titmouse family had nested in a box on a trellis near the dining room window. Something got to the box (probably squirrel) and got all the nestlings but one. This one tried to fledge each day for the nest three days, and finally made it. It fledged at around 8:00 P.M with only a half-hour of daylight left. It could not fly well, and hopped/skipped/flew towards a thicket in the fenced back yard, where I lost sight of it. I was worried sick about it all night. The next morning I looked out and saw the fledgeling in the open grass almost exactly where it was the night before! A miracle nothing found it. Both parents were right on deck, and they were busy shooing it towards a shrub in the flower bed. Happy ending -- I have seen the SSBT (single surviving baby titmouse) off and on since. The parents (I think the same ones) have a new nest in a safer location now.

Moral of story -- don't put your boxes on a trellis!!

...

 

Date: Thu, 15 Jun 2000 08:54:29 -0700 (PDT)
From: Koby Prater koby_2004"at"yahoo.com
To: lviolett"at"earthlink.net, BLUEBIRD-L"at"CORNELL.EDU
Subject: Re: Fledging accident, need help! Please read and try to respond fast.

Linda and all,

I went outside at 6:00, and the fledgling had made it to a very thick bush. The parents were feeding it, and then it flew into the tree above it. It then flew the the tree about 15 feet away from the box. The parents are still feeding it, and the 4 other babies in the box. I am expecting the others to fly tonite.  Today is day 17 of their life so.... I'll let everyone know how it goes. Thanks for all the replys. When I went to bed I thought it is ok, so I got a good sleep.

...

=====
Koby Prater
Seneca, MO (two hours from Tulsa, OK(Up Interstate 44)
koby_2004"at"yahoo.com
Reference Guide- http://www.crosswinds.net/~bluebirdguide/
Best of Bluebird-L- http://members.aol.com/bestofbbl/bblindx.htm

Date: Thu, 15 Jun 2000 20:18:02 -0700 (PDT)
From: Koby Prater koby_2004"at"yahoo.com
To: BLUEBIRD-L"at"CORNELL.EDU
Subject: Fledging, and yet another thing I could worry about, and MY STORY

Hello all,

The other 4 fledged around 5:15 this evening. The first 3 did fine, but the last one was the runt.  First he couldn't make it to the nearest perch, he landed on the ground. Then he hopped across my yard about 50 feet, on the road, and then crossed it. He made it to a tree (he had already passed several. He then climbed up the tree, flitting every once in a while. He stayed for about 10 minutes, then tried to fly to another tree. He didn't make it. By now the parents were busy feeding the other 4, so they didn't see him fly. Now, he landed close to a wood pile, and went in it. I am worried the parents will not hear him, and he will starve to death because he can't fly very well at all, and a wood pile is an endless maze without the help of his parents. I am not worried though because I trust his parents. So far they have been very good parents, and I think they can handle it. I guess I will find out when there is daylight tomorrow. Well just wanted to let you guys no that everyone made it out of the nestbox.

Someone asked about my story. Here it is:

It all started last late winter. I put up a bird feeder and that made me notice more birds. I just watched the feeder until mid May. When school got out, I got bored and started talking to my neighbor.  He said he had Bluebirds in his birdhouse. I looked at them, and saw the parents, and fell in love with the BLUEBIRD. One day I walked to my neighbors, and he was outside. I said what is that in the hole of your birdhouse. We walked to the box, and it was a baby hanging out of the hole dead. His cat had climbed the tree, and got that baby. Then his cat got the rest later in the day. The next day I noticed Bluebirds in my yard "looking for a home". I hurried my mom into taking me to the nearest Wal- Mart, 15 minutes away. I got the box and put it up. 2 days later they began building a nest. And that is what REALLY REALLY hooked me. By this time it was the 10th of June. They only had one brood, and I watched the whole process. Last fall I bought the Stoke's book, and found out my birdhouse wasn't very good. I searched all winter, and then bought A WBU box. No takers by mid- March, and I noticed they were building in my other neighbor's house. It was a piece of crap.  I was heart broken. Then I bought a house from Gary Springer, and put it up hoping for another pair, but a few days later I got the pair at my neighbor's (I am guessing because they have 2 cats that sit on the window sill, and the house was connected to my neighbor'e house on the same side). They fledged 5, and now 5 more. That will get you up to right now.

Thanks for the interest.

=====
Koby Prater
Seneca, MO (two hours from Tulsa, OK(Up Interstate 44)
koby_2004"at"yahoo.com
Reference Guide- http://www.crosswinds.net/~bluebirdguide/
Best of Bluebird-L- http://members.aol.com/bestofbbl/bblindx.htm

Date: Fri, 16 Jun 2000 17:33:32 -0700
From: Linda Violett lviolett"at"earthlink.net
To: "Bluebird-L"at"cornell.edu" Bluebird-L"at"cornell.edu
Subject: Fledgling Helper

Linda Violett - Yorba Linda

Last season, the List debated whether fledglings from first clutches helped feed second clutches. Rarely have I witnessed this, but today I saw it again.

In this instance, the nestbox was overdue to fledge and I made a closed-box visit; the female parent came to the tree when she spotted my approach. Shortly thereafter, a female fledgling from the first clutch flew to the nestbox tree with an insect (caterpillar?); she hesitated when she spotted me, but went into the nestbox with the insect and was greeted by a chorus of nestbox cheeping. She stayed in the box for almost a minute, stuck her head out but went back down into the box for several more seconds before exiting (she didn't come out with a fecal sac as I was expecting). She then flew over to join the parents in another part of the tree.

(The male came to the tree during this sequence but both parents were calm and just kind of kicking back watching.)

Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2000 08:22:22 EDT
From: JaneHopeC"at"aol.com
To: Bluebird-L"at"cornell.edu
Subject: weather affects on fledglings?

I have been reading on the list a lot about how this cold wet weather is affecting nestlings and it has made me wonder if anyone knows how it affects recent fledglings. Do they fare better when they are out of the nestbox? Can they keep dry enough in the trees? What kind of losses on fledglings does unusually cold wet weather have?

Thanks
Jane
Pound Ridge
NY

Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2000 09:27:51 -0400
From: "Elizabeth Nichols" birdlady"at"netstorm.net
To: Bluebird-L"at"Cornell.edu
Subject: weather affects on fledglings
 

Hello All:

A recent posting by Jane Hope questioned survival of fledglings. As long as both parents are feeding available insects & are aided w/mealworms during rainy spells, survival rate of recent fledglings is good.

I noted with interest a local rehabber "spritzes" caged nestlings just prior to release. This action is to encourage nestling to preen feathers & release oil for distribution on feathers providing a waterproofing. The dew accumulation on feathers while huddled together in trees causes the same action by fledglings to release oil and protect against saturation. Pretty smart little rascals!!

Betty Nichols, Middletown, MD

Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2000 12:17:53 -0400
From: Haleya Priest/Thom Levy hpandtl"at"crocker.com
To: BLUEBIRD BLUEBIRD-L"at"cornell.edu
Subject: S.O.S EABL babies

Haleya Priest Amherst MA

Need ideas - OK: I went back to the site and sure enough both remaining EABL jumped the box. I found what I imagine to be the first to jump that I couldn't find dead just below the box. Didn't see parents anywhere. But just as I got into my car I heard a very scared little baby. It didn't even SOUND like an EABL, but there it was all scared in the tall grass. I tried to put it on a very tree limb right there next to me but it was so freaked it just fell. I saw then, the other baby, about 2' off the ground perched on a little branch of a weed. This one looked relaxed and on top of the situation. Then I saw dad with a bug coming, so I knew
he was tending to them - or the one of them.

So, what should I do???? Thank god for you all :-) I am remaining calm (Bruce would be very proud of me) and decided to come back and ask you all. I figure I'll bring them a good batch of mealworms. I might try to feed the little scared guy, but I have a feeling he isn't going to make it. He just looked too raggy. Anyway, I will try to feed him if he'll take right away, but I figure I should leave well enough alone if not.

I'll leave mealies for the parents to feed them if nothing else. The healty one must be ready to fledge very soon if up off the ground like that. The area is good - no house cats - 99.99% of raccoons were killed off from rabies a few years ago - so we might be in luck with that. It is off a main drag kind of road with a Staples, Howard Johnsons, etc.. fieldy and watery, and next to a huge, huge farm. Anyway, give a holler! :-) I think we might get one out of this batch,
anyway!

Fledging and Fledglings - after they leave the nest (Part 2)

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