We have been privileged to have a blue tit roost in a camera box for almost 2 years and 3 months. The box is left of my patio doors and a few months ago we put up a box on the opposite side and within a few weeks another blue tit started roosting. As a big fan of protecting the birds I bought another few boxes and stupidly thought if they were put up near the others it would attract more blue tits as it must be a good location. So, at the weekend we put up three more boxes, one with another camera in. Unfortunately tonight my rooster hasn’t come home and I’m really upset now that I’ve read it could be because I’ve put too many boxes up and too close together. There has been a sparrow hawk in the garden regularly and I have saw this twice in the last two days - now I’m worried, is it more likely the roosting tit has been killed by predator, died of old age, moved out because he doesn’t want neighbours or maybe, just maybe he could have moved boxes. I think I should take the other boxes down in the morning and go back to just two and see if he comes back what does everyone else think?
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What have I done 😪😢 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Birdyb
- Start date
Hi birdyb and a warm welcome to you from all the Staff and Moderators.
It might be an idea for you to ask in the Nestboxes forum, I'm afraid I have no experience with them, but people reading that forum will have.
Sparrowhawks are all a part of our rich natural tapestry, so try to learn to appreciate them. Where there's small birds, Sparrowhawks will be around somewhere.
Small birds like Blue Tits don't generally live too long, but I've no idea what their normal life-span would be, I'm afraid - though someone here will!
I hope you enjoy your time here with us.
It might be an idea for you to ask in the Nestboxes forum, I'm afraid I have no experience with them, but people reading that forum will have.
Sparrowhawks are all a part of our rich natural tapestry, so try to learn to appreciate them. Where there's small birds, Sparrowhawks will be around somewhere.
Small birds like Blue Tits don't generally live too long, but I've no idea what their normal life-span would be, I'm afraid - though someone here will!
I hope you enjoy your time here with us.
Hello and welcome to the forum, enjoy and all the best.
markspirito
Well-known member
Hi There , I think you could be right on the fact he does not like the idea of neighbours, its a territorial thing, I think two boxes would be fine as long as they are far apart as possible
Mark
Mark
Thanks for the responses guys - I took down two of the boxes first thing this morning and can you believe there was evidence of bird poops in one of the new boxes. Tonight a blue tit is on the newest camera box and the old camera box remains empty but I think it’s the same bird. Maybe it did just fancy a change of box......whatever it is I’m just so relieved that I haven’t scared it away and it isn’t deceased ��
MTem
Well-known member
I don't think you'd have any problem with many close nest boxes in autumn or winter as tits will roost close together (I see several going into adjacent holes under the tiles on my roof), but you will find only one box gets used for breeding, and if nest holes are scarce lots of fights and hassle amongst pairs attempting to breed, and probably failed or disrupted breeding .....
so.... OK for now, but for UK tits the boxes need to be 30+ m apart for breeding if you are not to unduly stress the birds (again assuming sufficient food supply), ideally 60m+
Mick
so.... OK for now, but for UK tits the boxes need to be 30+ m apart for breeding if you are not to unduly stress the birds (again assuming sufficient food supply), ideally 60m+
Mick
Welsh Peregrine
Well-known member
As for life span - very much down to luck; for every family at the end of the breeding season, all but one parent and one offspring (on average) will die by the start of the next breeding season - thus most die in their first year, but once they reach adulthood it's a fifty:fifty chance of surviving for the next year, with no real difference with age.
I suppose I’ll just leave the current boxes where they are now since I know at least two blue tits are regularly roosting in them and I like the idea of providing some shelter during the cold nights. It’s probably fortunate that we can at least view one in the camera box. I’m not sure I could cope with the emotional side of seeing any new chicks being abandoned or dying so I’ll make do with the fluffy roosters ����
