Also, to discourage rats from feeders; use only hulled sunflower seeds because the rats eat the shells and seed coats. Also, remove fruit skins and any food from the ground especially at night; and use tighly sealed storage bins and garbage containers.

Report predator patterns to bird sanctuaries.

This year we lost many bluebirds and hummingbirds; due to the Florida fires, West Nile; and to cat, crow, and hawk predation.

Just walking around your local nature preserves at varying times on a regular basis, you will see the patterns of predators and can report them to local bird sancuatuaries. Their jobs should be actively protecting endangered bird populations by entering these patterns into databases; and taking appropirate action based on local situations, and not just based on one size fits all strategies; not just only pushing papers; making nice speeches; and creating pretty websites; these agencies need to be continually reminded to be constantly pro active based on local situations.

As some funds have been cut for wildlife protection agencies, the concerned and educated public needs to help protect threatened and endangered species. And sometimes species like bluebirds and orioles are not considered endangered by authorities due to lack of effective monitoring and appropriate action in local areas. The concerned and educated public can bring their local observations to the attention of wildlife agencies and bird societies to encourage pro action. Their job should be to actively protect birds in addition to collecting money; and we need to keep them appropriately informed.

These agencies need to employ the concerned and interested public on a volunteer basis to get out there on a daily basis studying patterns; recommending effective changes as discouraging and removing predators from bluebird and other songbird nesting sites; planting trees and shrubs song birds need to nest and feed; providing food; and building bird houses for threatened species.

Since funds have been cut it becomes imperative that these wildlife agences be creative so they can do more than less; and this means getting bird lovers to help.

Retirees would be an excellent resource to help save the birds. On their daily walks retirees could observe and report back what they see. Each person would go at a different time of day or evening to get a clearer picture of what is really going on in any affected locality. Unfortunately, bureaucracies have often failed because they have refused to enbrace creativity, effective pro action, change; and ways of becoming efficient without spending lots of money. Once people know that the money they donate is not being used efficiently or wisely; they stop donating. The public can use the internet and other means of creative pro action as powerful tools for making positive changes.

I am secretly planning to hang up some birdhouses/nesting boxes to surprise my daughter Amy
and my 10+ year old grandson Philip this week while my daughter is at work and Philip is in school.

I have been a nature and animal-lover for all my life. I find tremendous peace and serenity in watching our wonderful feathered friends, as well as other animals, wild and domesticated. Our world would be a much lonelier place to live in, without these wonderful creatures that GOD gave us! It’s not asking a lot to place birdhouses and/or nesting boxes for our birds to
stay safe and warm and to raise their baby chicks in, out of harms’ way.

Thank you for having such a wonderful website for all of us bird-lovers to send our comments, questions, and/or reviews to.

Happy Bird-Watching!
Mary S.

Please reply. Thanks.

Thanks,

DBR

Please respond.

Thanks,
CWB

Please respond.

Thank you, and our home is 2.23 acres in a very wooded subdivision east of Jackson, Miss.

We have 4 blue bird houses, but only two have had broods or families this Spring. The other two are empty for some reason.

I love the birds and I try to feed them all. I am very new at “caring” for birds or having feeders and nesting boxes, only been at our new home for two years. I read about the wrens and house sparrows destroying blue birds.

We are going to try moving the houses further from house and yards. I don’t know if I could destroy any bird, but I might try my hand at nets or cages! I read about those.

Thank you for your email. I enjoy something in my life other than work!!

Laura L

It’s my guess that they decided to nest someplace else after all. It does seem a little crazy that they went to all the trouble of building a nest within, only to abandon it, but many factors could have moved that pair on. And, it’s not uncommon in the bird world for them to change their minds about their habitat.

Has anything been (in or outside the home or nearby the nesting box) changed? For instance did a teenager in the home get a new stereo? Raccoons and snakes coming out of dormancy may also have raided the nest.

There are just so many factors…

Is there any chance you are missing their coming and going? Some birds build their nest in advance, then are out all day hunting, drinking, etc. Although if it truly has been a month since they’ve been around it’s pretty unlikely they’re coming back.

If it were my nesting box, I’d peek inside (but not disturb anything), then check back in a week and see if anything has been changed.

If it remains unchanged and unhabitated, clean it out and wait on another pair.

To make your yard and boxes more appealing (so the birds stick around) ensure the nesting boxes are placed out of harm’s way and provide food and water nearby.

Good luck and have fun with your wild birds!

Veronica Bond
http://www.attractwildbirds.com

- Jennifer

Thanks
Steven