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Single Parents (Mate Gone)From: Tina Wertz [mailto:tinawertz"at"bellsouth.net]
Thank you for all your responses. As you all said, she did come back to the nest and continue to feed the other two nestlings and yesterday they both fledged. Now for my new question, since the male disappeared 3 weeks ago, will she stay in her territory and wait for a male to find her, or will she leave in search of a new male to possibly start a 3rd nest??? Thank You, Tina Wertz Woodstock, Ga. From: SCooke [mailto:ncw001"at"nc.rr.com] Hi, Tina I've been reading about your situation with great interest since I have a similar situation with my female. I'm curious, did she seem to also take over the responsibility of teaching the fledglings how to find food? My nestlings should fledge sometime at the end of this week. I actually have a male who has been coming around to get worms assumably for his own fledglings. The first day, he and Mama Blue seemed to be at competitive odds with each other but now have developed a cooperative relationship. It will be interesting to to see if he comes to help her when the fledging day arrives. Let me know what happens with your blues. Sharon in NC From: Bruce Burdett [mailto:blueburd"at"tds.net]
Tina, et al, I don't believe there's any way to predict what this female will do now. If there IS a way, I don't know it. Any number of scenarios are possible. Bruce Burdett From: Keith & Sandy Kridler [mailto:txbluebirder"at"sbcglobal.net] It is getting late now for bluebirds to fledge young, teach them how to feed on their own and then begin a new nest. We still have some bluebirds just now laying eggs but the majority of the bluebirds are finished for the year as they are beginning to molt and the stress of growing new feathers to replace the old ones will prevent a hen from being able to lay eggs and molt at the same time. In your case she also needs to find a male bluebird that is still able and willing to mate and be fertile this late in the season. Studies with House Sparrows have shown that the males lose the urge to mate and be fertile when they are subjected to high temperatures like we experience in the southern states. Normally about two to three weeks of 100*F plus days will see the end to the House Sparrow nesting season. Heat may also affect the male bluebirds fertility. From: SCooke [mailto:ncw001"at"nc.rr.com] Hi, Fellow EABL lovers, My single mom (whose mate disappeared the day before the last egg was laid) has successfully hatched and raised her three babies. They fledged on July 24 much to my great joy. Interestingly, I had been observing what appeared to be a lone male coming to the mealworm feeder, taking as many mealies as he could at one time, and flying off presumably to feed his own fledglings. This happened regularly for about two weeks before my babies fledged. Since that time, he has been actively involved in helping my single mom with her fledglings. I watch them daily taking mealies up in to the pines branches over my deck. What a treat! My local bluebird expert at Wildbirds Unlimited tells me that this behavior is highly unusual. What are your experiences? I would love to know. This has been my first bluebird experience and now I find myself looking around my neighborhood for places to put up some more boxes. Many thanks to all of you who advised me through this wonderful new adventure. Sharon in NC From: Keith & Sandy Kridler [mailto:txbluebirder"at"sbcglobal.net] The story of the "new" single male helping the female feed her just fledged young is NOT that unusual. The Bent article tells of a male bluebird feeding other nearby species of young birds. James Hartshorne's article on Eastern Bluebirds at the nestbox tells of similar happenings where unrelated young just fledged and just learning to feed themselves for about a week were seen feeding unrelated young bluebirds that were unable to feed themselves yet. We normally don't sit out and watch these birds long enough to see these things everyday. They also don't happen with every family of bluebirds! Once again evolution of a species benefits those that help feed and protect others of their own species instead of driving the others off. The best example of this is the European Starling where every adult Starling in the area will help feed any young starling that begs for food. Starlings number in excess of 300 million in North America in the fall months:-)) Actually this is the second best example; Humans are the best as according to the United Nations we are multiplying at a rate of 414,000 net new people every two days here on Earth now. On average, East of the Mississippi, it takes about 1 acre of land to provide food, water and shelter during the summer months for one family of bluebirds and all of their broods. It seems like in California it takes about 2>4 acres per Western Bluebird family and their broods during the summer months. Worldwide last year it took four and two tenths acres per earthling to provide them with food, fiber, fresh water, minerals and energy for one 12 month period, this is excluding ocean produced food and fertilizer. What US president fought for and signed into law the Endangered Species Act? A. Teddy Roosevelt B. John F. Kennedy C. Richard Nixon D. Ronald Reagan KK [Answer: Nixon] |
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