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chickadee nesting box behavior (1 Viewer)

fox3

New member
I live in southern Michigan, USA. I've had a nesting box in my small suburban backyard for at least 15 years and have black-capped chickadees nesting every year. Something curious is happening this year. I set the nest box out on 31 March and chickadees moved in within two days. Now, a couple weeks later, chickadees are removing nesting material from the box. I don't see nesting material going in, just coming out. I wonder if more than one pair is competing for the box. I don't see chickadees fighting.
 
This sounds strange and not sure what is going on in your bird box. Hopefully someone will have some suggestions for you.

Hi there and a warm welcome to you from the entire staff here at BirdForum. Please enjoy yourself ;)8
 
Hi fox3 and a warm welcome from me too.

I'm sure you will enjoy it here and I hope to hear about all the birds you see when out and about. I can't think what's going on either, so I'll move your post to the Garden Bird Nestboxes forum - perhaps they've have some ideas for you in there.
 
I have a question concerning chickadees and their nests. We have a tall butterfly house in which the chickadees have made a nest. Their nest sits at the bottom of the house, probably a foot or more below the hole they made to gain entrance. How will the fledglings make their way out of the nest? If it is unlikely they can make their way out can we help by making another hole in the box?

Thanks,
KH
 
As you undoubtedly know, chickadees construct their nests out of moss (with a hair lined nest cup). Is it possible that they are removing material deposited by a nest box competitor?
For example, if the material being removed is mostly twigs, I'd suspect a house wren in the picture.
 
I have a question concerning chickadees and their nests. We have a tall butterfly house in which the chickadees have made a nest. Their nest sits at the bottom of the house, probably a foot or more below the hole they made to gain entrance. How will the fledglings make their way out of the nest? If it is unlikely they can make their way out can we help by making another hole in the box?

Thanks,
KH

You don't want to go anywhere near the box or try to make another hole as the parents will wind up abandoning the nest.
 
The chickadees were removing chickadee-type nesting material. Since all chickadees look alike I couldn't tell if this was a competing pair. The story has a sad ending. I noticed a wren coming out of the house and feared the worst. When I looked inside there was a dead and partially dismembered adult chickadee and no sign of the babies. Now that at least one wren knows where this house is I worry that he will return next year. I have been reading about wren excluders and did fashion one to put on the house once the chickadees have established their nest. The excluder works by hiding the entrance so that wrens won't know it's there. But if the wren already knows then it won't be effective.
 
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