Date: 6/12/26 3:29 pm From: Steve Long <steve.long4...> Subject: Re: [MDBirding] Bluebird and Red-bellies
I doubt that House Wrens prey on Bluebird eggs or nestlings. They will
kill Bluebird nestlings (and even adults that won't leave their nest) by
piling stick on top of the nest, nestlings and even adult Bluebirds. I
have found dead Bluebirds, including adults, under barriers of sticks in
my Bluebird houses. The House Wrens try to monopolize cavity nests in
their "territory". It is a real job trying to keep their sticks out of
mt Bluebird nest boxes.
I also have one that nests in the outside part of my "split unit" heat
pump. It has twice removed the chicken wire barrier I put in the hole
that one of the cooling pipes enters. How it does that I don't
understand, but it must be extremely persistent to bend the wire enough
to do that. One did die by getting into the fan enclosure and getting
pinned against the inside of the fan screen, apparently for quite a
while. So, at this point, I just let them nest there every year and
hope it is far enough from my Bluebird houses that they don't try to
fill those, too.
Steve Long
On 6/12/2026 6:17 PM, Jack Saba wrote:
> The Birds of the World article indicates they do take nestlings as
> well as bird eggs. I would have thought cavity nesters immune, but the
> article specifically mentions House Wren. Nuthatch, titmouse, and a
> couple of other woodpecker species. Bluebirds are not listed but it's
> unlikely the list is comprehensive.
>
> The Downy Woodpecker article does not say anything about this species
> preying on nestlings or eggs.
>
>
>
> On 6/12/26 17:49, '<thbeal...>' via Maryland & DC Birding wrote:
>> I have an active Bluebird nest in my yard in Glenn Dale. When a
>> Red-bellied Woodpecker comes to a suet feeder close by, it is dive
>> bombed by the male Bluebird. It leaves downy wp and all other birds
>> alone. Do RBWPs predate bluebird nests?
>>
>> Tom Beal
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> Jack Saba
> <jlsaba001...>
>
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