Helpers (extra bluebirds helping parents)

Earlier posts on this topic are probably found under Bluebird Behavior or Fledging

On my southern California urban trail, there were two sites where three Western Bluebird adults were feeding clutches this season. In both instances, it was two adult males and a female. Nestings are very successful with the help of the extra adult.

Linda Violett
Yorba Linda, Calif.

Linda,

Do you think the second male is an unattached, first-year male - perhaps the offspring of the other male? I've read that this is frequently the case with TRES, and I see "extra" TRES hanging about in my back yard in addition to those nesting in my nestboxes, but have never seen it in Bluebirds. I wonder how common this is?

Cher

From: lviolett
Sent: Thursday, July 13, 2006
Subject: Re: Two Males

One instance of two males and a female was at a site where the first female "disappeared" and a new couple showed up on the scene. The male from the new couple helped the single male feed his clutch but the new female did not help. The new couple laid eggs in the box before the single male's clutch fledged (I opened the "bad" eggs) and the female laid a new clutch and the single male reciprocated by helping the new couple with their clutch.

At the second site with the extra male helping, I believe the male had his own nesting nearby in the early stages. I would see him sporadically help a pair feed nestlings during my "mealworm" visits and then he would dart over backyards and across the street in the direction of a nearby nestbox with eggs.

Actually I had a third instance of an extra male helping at a site. That particular male could have been unattached because he was always nearby helping to defend and feed the clutch along with the pair.

Linda Violett
Yorba Linda, Calif.

From: marciebp"at"adelphia.net [mailto:marciebp"at"adelphia.net]
Sent: Thursday, July 20, 2006 3:11 AM
Subject:

I have observed something quite interesting. There are three male bluebirds and the female feeding a clutch of five babies. The first two hatched on the 6th of July. The four adults have continued to feed the youngens since that time. It is comical to see them line up on the telephone wire adjacent to the nest. There have been times when the adults were bumping into each other at the entrance of the nesting box; one entering and the other exiting. Is this a common occurance?
Warmly, (yes it is hot)
Marcie Fallbrook, CA

From: Steve Murphy Home [mailto:thcri"at"qwest.net]
Sent: Thursday, July 20, 2006 8:23 AM
Subject: RE:

Marcie,

Well not three males but I do have two males always around the female. I have three eggs in a second brood and the three of them look like they are going to bring up the second brood.

But I can't say if this is normal as this is my first year.

Steve Murphy

Hi Marcie,

I have also observed so-called "helper" birds at bluebird boxes. Not only do they help feed the nestlings, they also help "mob" potential predators and rival birds such as woodpeckers and blue jays. Based on the plumage, I'm guessing that the extra bluebirds are the offspring from the first nesting helping their parents raise their younger siblings.

This behavior is seen in several species of birds and other animals. It was once thought to be purely altruistic behavior (they helped their parents out of "the kindness of their hearts", so to speak). It is now believed that this behavior is beneficial for all concerned. Not only does this behavior give the parents get a much-needed rest, and increase the amount of food given to the nestlings, it also allows the older youngsters get some practice at nesting, which makes it more likely that their own first attempt at nesting next year will be successful. It also allows the youngsters to remain in their parent's territory, avoiding having to look for a new place to live. Assuming the territory contains enough food for the extra birds, a pair of bluebirds with a tendency towards helpful behavior of this kind is likely to produce more offspring than other pairs. If some part of this behavior is genetically based, ! birds that possess this "helpful" gene will pass it on to their offspring, and each succeeding generation will include a greater and greater percentage of birds with this trait. This is evolution in action. Of course, evolution is just a theory...

Linda Ruth
Coventry, CT

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