alisoncooks Posted May 21, 2016 Share Posted May 21, 2016 Poor baby birds! We just watched (horrified) from the kitchen window as a snake slithered into our bluebird house. I've left it alone; circle of life and all that jazz... What I want to know is: will the birds return to that box...or is it rubbish now? Last year, we had 2 clutches of baby bluebirds disappear from our front bush, and no bird tried to build a nest there this year. I wonder if the birds will smell the snake in that box and avoid it now. Anyone know? Should I wait a few days and then clean it out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted May 21, 2016 Share Posted May 21, 2016 I would install a predator guard (see link). The same pair may or may not return, but they have several clutches each season so you may attract another pair, if not the original. If after watching a few days, you don't see nesting activity, then clean it out. FWIW most birds have a very poor sense of smell. http://www.nabluebirdsociety.org/PDF/FAQ/NABS%20factsheet%20-%20Predator%20Control%20-%2024May12%20DRAFT.pdf 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamiof5 Posted May 21, 2016 Share Posted May 21, 2016 :( No idea! But :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted May 21, 2016 Author Share Posted May 21, 2016 I would install a predator guard (see link). The same pair may or may not return, but they have several clutches each season so you may attract another pair, if not the original. If after watching a few days, you don't see nesting activity, then clean it out. FWIW most birds have a very poor sense of smell. http://www.nabluebirdsociety.org/PDF/FAQ/NABS%20factsheet%20-%20Predator%20Control%20-%2024May12%20DRAFT.pdf Thanks! I've been looking at different predator guards ever since seeing that snake slip in. :p The problem is that we don't have a "traditional" set-up. Our bluebird box is mounted on a 4x4 post that's part of a lean-to on the side of our shed. I could probably rig up a cone around the bottom (squared post, though)...but I think this snake dropped in from above, from the roof of the lean-to (which is near trees). :( Maybe I should just relocate the box (though I don't have a better place, really). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted May 21, 2016 Author Share Posted May 21, 2016 :( No idea! But :( I know! I saw a dark blob on the bird box from the kitchen window, and when we went out to investigate, it finished slithering on in. Youngest kiddo was quite upset about any baby birds/eggs that were in there. :( (I get that snakes have to eat, too, but I feel awful that I basically lured these poor birds to that fate! :crying: ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamiof5 Posted May 21, 2016 Share Posted May 21, 2016 I know! I saw a dark blob on the bird box from the kitchen window, and when we went out to investigate, it finished slithering on in. Youngest kiddo was quite upset about any baby birds/eggs that were in there. :( (I get that snakes have to eat, too, but I feel awful that I basically lured these poor birds to that fate! :crying: ) I have goosebumps!! Not sure what I'd have done? Well... I kind of know. If dh wasn't home? Let it be (I'm a scary chicken when it comes to stuff like that). If he was home I'd have had him try to kick out the snake and save the birds (and he'd have rolled his eyes and probably not even mess with it). I know snakes have to eat too, but not in my yard :( I like birds better :). Don't feel bad, I know it's part of nature's cycle. Not sure how you can totally avoid it :( 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 Oh yes, if you are really interested in bluebird conservation, you need a stand-alone pole. You must have a really good habitat otherwise, because the birds did choose to nest in that box. When I was first starting out I had mine on trees, and wondered why the birds weren't interested. The North American Bluebird Society has a lot of great info, and if you want to count it as school, monitoring bluebird boxes is a wonderful citizen science project. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaisyDay Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 Ugh. Now I've got the willies. And right before bed too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 I wouldn't have been able to let nature run its course, lol. I totally would have been throwing rocks at the da*n birdhouse to get the snake out. I'm far more partial to birdies than snakes, though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 (edited) The good news is that it's probably a rat snake of some kind-harmless to humans. They're pretty aggressive nest predators, and can climb very well (I've heard bird houses called "rat snake feeding stations" for that reason". A smooth metal, fairly thin pole should keep them out, but anything wooden or fancier, like a trellis, won't, and many of the predator guards don't necessarily work against snakes well. And you definitely do not want your birdhouse under trees or under a roof, because the snakes are good climbers. They aren't a completely arboreal species, but they're quite happy going up. The bad news-the birds will likely come back, but so will the snake, now that it knows there's a meal likely to be waiting. If you can, move the bluebird box. If you can cut back bushes so they're off the ground by 6" or so and avoid brush and good hiding spots, that will help deter snakes from your yard in general. Edited May 22, 2016 by dmmetler 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 EEEEK :crying: I'd hate to watch that just like I hate to watch the cat hunt a mouse and catch it but I know they have to eat. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanier.1765 Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 We just had a rat snake eat our baby cardinals (at least I think that's what was nesting) but they were in a tree and way out of my jurisdiction. :( The stupid snake later scared the crap out of me by falling out of the tree directly at my feet. I screamed like the girl that I am. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted May 22, 2016 Author Share Posted May 22, 2016 We just had a rat snake eat our baby cardinals (at least I think that's what was nesting) but they were in a tree and way out of my jurisdiction. :( The stupid snake later scared the crap out of me by falling out of the tree directly at my feet. I screamed like the girl that I am. :scared: :scared: Wowzers, I'd pee my pants. I'm pretty sure this snake came from above (overhanging trees/shed roof). It sure has changed the way that I look at that back edge of our yard -- too many overhanging branches for snakes to drop down from! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 FWIW, usually they don't fall down :). They can definitely drop down to get to something they want, but just falling out of a tree onto a person (or into a boat) is actually fairly rare. Usually they do a good job of holding on. They're basically a tube of muscle, after all :). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanier.1765 Posted May 23, 2016 Share Posted May 23, 2016 FWIW, usually they don't fall down :). They can definitely drop down to get to something they want, but just falling out of a tree onto a person (or into a boat) is actually fairly rare. Usually they do a good job of holding on. They're basically a tube of muscle, after all :). The branch that it was on broke. It was a windy day and I was picking up the dead branches and sticks which had already fallen out of the tree when one breeze was one too many for the snake's branch to hold. I'm pretty sure the snake was just as scared as I was as it slithered it's way back up the tree. But wow, it was huge and afterwards it kept a very tight hold of the tree and a very close watch on those of us under it. The only bonus was the ability to capture some great pictures of the monstrosity, I mean snake. The downside is that I have to go under that tree to get to the garbage cans. Shiver! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.