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Originally Posted by maviskw
(Post 7836478)
We were given a talk on bluebirds just last month. She had a bluebird house with a "cage" mounted on the front. It was a piece of chicken wire with about a half inch or so mesh. A piece of that about 6 in. by 26 in. was folded into a square box with the sides being 6 in. and 7 in. There is no top or bottom to this box. The wire box was mounted onto the front of the house so that the bluebird had to fly through it in order to get into the house. She said the birds had no trouble doing this, but coons could not reach in to get the eggs. I'm sure that would keep cats out, too, and maybe even snakes.
It is almost sure the Callie cat got the eggs as they were right at the bottom of the entry hole. Will be making a cage next. Thank you |
I would guess it was possums or raccoons rather than your cat. Both will take the eggs but cats usually wait for the baby birds. Squirrels also eat bird eggs (ate our quail eggs).
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I know we all love wild birds AND our pets, but let's face it, outside cats are the #1 cause of death of wild birds.
http://www.audubon.org/news/cat-owne...-pets-violence |
[QUOTE=ptquilts;7836631]I know we all love wild birds AND our pets, but let's face it, outside cats are the #1 cause of death of wild birds.
I'm with ptquilts. All our family cats are rescued and INSIDE. I trap the ones around our home and take them to animal control. Feral cats have been responsible for more than 30 species of the birds of the Hawaiian Islands going extinct with about that many more endangered. These birds are no where else in the world. It's getting this way all over the mainland United States. Please keep your pets inside, there is no such thing as outside pets. We have feeders and birdbaths, just last month, we lost another beautiful Red Winged Black Bird at the bath. The cat left the headless carcass in the stones. This is the 3rd one................:thumbdown: |
After doing a lot of research online about what might have gotten the eggs, I feel my cat was not the one guilty.
I am going to make a new house and get it very properly constructed before putting it out for my Bluebirds. Have lots of information now from those who are all about helping the Blues. My cats are 'farm workers', during the day they spend time keeping rodents under control and spend the night in my garage for their own protection. I do have raccoons because of the crops that are planted and also am near wetlands. Do not know if snakes are a problem as I have not seen them but will snake proof the new house. So your information got me going, to go deeper and find the correct solutions. Thank you |
If you have wetlands, you most probably have snakes.
This year, we have had cardinals fighting with the bluebirds right at the bluebird house! I like the cage idea...we had 3 bluebird eggs last week, but try not to check too often so we don't draw attention. There is a hawk who seems to know when the babies will fledge, but fortunately, the blues do that before dawn, so far the blues seem to be increasing despite the hawk. |
Try lining the dog cone collar with something she can't see through.
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Might this approach not also freak out the Bluebirds???
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We put our blue bird houses on a pole about 8 to 10 feet of the ground. To keep snakes out, yes we have had to remove a snake from the bb house, we got some bird or sometimes sold as deer netting and tied it around the pole about 3 ft from the ground. Had to remove a snake from that too, but we did save the birds. I don't think a cat could get to the eggs, but get the small babies.
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