Unusual blue bird behavior

or not. My blues hatched their third batch for the year. Unfortunately, by the time they hatched, Mr. B disappeared. I was so upset, Im sure something must have gotten him, he was very dedicated to the box. Mrs. B has done a great job feeding them and keeping their didies clean. They are 10 days old today. So this morning a bluebird juvenile mob showed up. Must be the earlier kids. I counted 8 of them. All sitting on the box, on the banana trees next to the box. They were on the box, peeping in the hole. Mrs. blue chased a couple away, so she could get thru the crowd and feed. Is this normal?

I can't speak from personal observation, but I remember reading in a National Geographic that bluebird older siblings sometimes help out feeding the next batch. I certainly have never heard of that in any other birds though.

Keep us posted on how this turns out.

Susan

Several birds where that is known - some jays and swallows in particular.

Also known for several species is where a pair of birds that have lost their own nest or young will help out at the nest of a related pair.

A more recent and somewhat related discovery is grandparenting in Greenland White-fronted Geese; as far as I know that's the only bird where grandparenting is currently documented.

Resin

Kathy I hope everything works out; please be sure to keep us posted!

We had several houses of sparrows and wrens. When the sparrows left their nest they went over by the wren house and hung around. When mom wren comes to feed her babies the sparrow babies try to grab the food. The wren got so mad at one of them that she flew from about 4 feet away and body slammed it, knocking it right to the ground!

I am so excited....it seems the baby blues are about to fledge! Theres at least 2 healthy babies in there poking their heads out today, peeeeping that plantive little peep that baby blues do. Tomorrow is 17 days; Momma has been just wonderful. Ive seen groups of 10-12 blues around here this year; soon there will be a couple more. It has been so wonderful seeing momma blue take care of her kids by herself. Im so proud of her; but Im sure she's about ready to call it quits!

Thats great news Kathy! If you get any pics of them please be sure to post them!

Well, this is about the funniest thing Ive ever seen. I laughed til I cried this morning. Baby blues still in the box....its 17 days guys, c'mon.....and Im watching the box, and the mob of former blues comes, some on the box, some on the banana tree next to it. They are all cheeping away, some climbing on the box, peeping in the hole, just like they are saying "c'mon guys!!! get yer butts in gear and get out of there!". Unfortunately I had to go to work, and hopefully they will be gone when I get home, but Im sure they will have plenty of family support to help them. Too too funny.

LOL, That is funny! Talk about group support.

Babies still in the box this afternoon, peeping their little beeks out. No sight anywhere of the mob, tho.

You will not believe what happened! So Im sitting behind my window watching little baby poking his head out. He's hopping up and down, poking his head out; hopping up and down, poking his head out. So Im watching this for a while thinking, hmmm, either he's really chicken about getting out that hole, or he's too fat or something! So me, being "dont help Mother Nature at all".....Im watching ...watching....watching....so I think, what the hell, he's 17 days, it cant hurt to just open the box and let him go. So I go out to the box and open it. He flutters out and drops and starts swinging back and forth like he's a bungee jumper. Apparently when Mommy built the nest she found some fine wire or string, and his little leg got wrapped in it and he was stuck! So I took him in the house, with Momma screaming and diving at me. Got the scissors, and cut that nasty wire off of him. I put him back in the box. I waited a while, and he didn show his beak. Momma landed on the box a few times, but made that "danger!! danger!!" squeak that they do. So I figured she was scaring him. It was getting late, and I didnt want him in there by himself, so I opened the door and he flew away! Poor little bugger. Im sure hoping they dont build another nest. Im exhausted!

LOL, Thats so funny!! He's so lucky you were overseeing the situation and took action. I'll bet you are exhausted, thats nerve wracking!
Glad everything worked out well!

Halo, I am glad you were there to help. I have a mockingbird around my yard, with the use of only one leg, and I wonder how it happened that she hurt herself.

Nice example of why all the info sheets advise one to make sure that fibres put out for birds to collect for nests is clipped fairly short! Good thing you were there to help out.

Resin