You are here:

Birding/bluebird feathers on ground

Advertisement


Question
A pair of eastern bluebirds just finished making a nice nest in a bluebird box in my back yard. Today i came home and found a huge amount of bluebird feathers on the ground near the box and no body. Also appeared to be a half a dozen or so other feathers on the ground that appeared to be robin feathers. What would have happened to the bluebird body and could a robin have done this. Thank You

Answer
This could have been a cat or a hawk - they have many predators and it is part of natures plan. One pair can raise as many as 15 or more young in a year and if they all survived we would be up to our hips in Bluebirds. Predators usually get the slow and less smart which helps to keep the species strong. Send me your mailing address and I will send you my free 20 page Bluebird book - walshaw1@cox.net

Birding

All Answers


Answers by Expert:


Ask Experts

Volunteer


Bluebird Bob Walshaw

Expertise

I can answer almost any question on Eastern Bluebirds and small cavity nesters such as Chickadees, Titmice, Wrens, etc. Also general questions on other songbirds. No pet bird questions please.

Experience

I have had a 100+ nestbox trail for more than 20 years, I do a lot of writing, public speaking and educational work in this field. My hands-on Bluebird talks include more than 1000 people each year.

Organizations
Oklahoma Bluebird Society, North American Bluebird Society, National Audubon Society, Oklahoma Audubon Society, Oklahoma Fur Bearers Alliance

Publications
Bluebird Magazine, Oklahoma Today, Fur-Fish-Game, Birds & Blooms, Nature Society News,Back Woodsman Magazine, Tulsa World, Broken Arrow ledger, Teaching Tolerance magazine,Trappers World, OK Hole Story, Birders World

Education/Credentials
Degree in Mechanical Engineering, an MBA, Graduate of the Home Study Course in Bird Biology from the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, Oklahoma Master Naturalist. I am also a pofessional speaker and writer.

Awards and Honors
Chosen as a public speaker for the North American Bluebird Society, Bluebird trail accepted as part of the Transcontinental Bluebird Trail, Chosen as a panel speaker at the 2006 NABS Convention.

Past/Present Clients
Many

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.