Date: 6/12/26 6:15 pm From: Jack Saba <jlsaba001...> Subject: Re: [MDBirding] Bluebird and Red-bellies
Sorry for the confusion. Those are species BOTW says are preyed on by RB
Woodpeckers.
On 6/12/26 18:29, Steve Long wrote:
>
> 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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>>
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>> Jack Saba
>> <jlsaba001...>
>>
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--
Jack Saba
<jlsaba001...>
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