Author Topic: Isn't nature cruel  (Read 2166 times)

Pescador

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Isn't nature cruel
« on: May 02, 2017, 17:53:27 »
Had a robin sitting tight in a new nest box for 2 weeks. This morning I couldn't see any sign of them sitting or feeding.
Then I saw the remains of the chicks on the lawn!
Last year I saw a blackbird turfing the eggs out of another blackbirds nest. I hope it wasn't them again!!
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Beersmith

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Re: Isn't nature cruel
« Reply #1 on: May 02, 2017, 20:33:38 »
A very interesting question.

I was aware of aggressive behaviour between birds of the same species - for example, Robins and Blackbirds are notorious for fiercely defending their territory against rivals, but generally they seem to go for the same species, although sometimes species with similar diets.  The commonest behaviour is simply singing as it signals intent, threatening posture,  chasing and as a last resort actual fighting. Magpie are known to attack nests but do so to eat the chicks rather than just throw them out of the nest.

At the risk of being prosaic, are there many cats in you neighbourhood? I might be about to offend a few of the many cat owners on these threads but regrettably they do kill a lot of garden birds. Our neighbours, next door but two, have a cat that is a very efficient hunter and has ripped out nests well hidden in our rather untidy hedge on more than one occasion.

I'd be most interested to read more comments. Any ornithological experts got a view?
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Jayb

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Re: Isn't nature cruel
« Reply #2 on: May 02, 2017, 21:37:45 »
Oh what a shame, poor little things. I've not seen anything like that here.

Do you think you might have disturbed whatever was attacking the nest?
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Redalder

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Re: Isn't nature cruel
« Reply #3 on: May 03, 2017, 09:23:40 »
Magpies are a possibility, every year we find at least one nest raided the headless parent and the dead chicks on the grass. Realised it was magpies one morning when I was up early and saw them from the window. Dog deals with cats - taught him to pee at strategic points where they get in when out on his late night comfort session.
« Last Edit: May 03, 2017, 09:26:26 by Redalder »

Paulines7

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Re: Isn't nature cruel
« Reply #4 on: May 03, 2017, 09:33:15 »
Woodpeckers often raid nests too.  They widen holes in bird boxes to get to the young and one year they had all the great tits nesting in our box.  We now have a metal ring over the entrance hole.

Unfortunately cats are the main predators.  I praise my two when they bring me a rodent,  I take it away from them and give them some cat treats.  If they bring a bird, they get told off.  They have brought in two fledged thrushes recently: one was dead as its neck was broken, but the other one, a week later, was unharmed.  I put it out on the flat roof away from the cats and it flew away eventually.

Beersmith

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Re: Isn't nature cruel
« Reply #5 on: May 03, 2017, 15:01:23 »
I would like this thread to continue because I'm still in doubt about the culprits and would value further insights.

While Magpies (and other birds too) attack nests they do so as predators with the aim of eating the eggs and chicks. Magpies are certainly on the increase so at some point the effect on other garden birds may become serious enough to warrant some form of control.

On the other hand the RSPB reckon the UK has 600,000 Magpie breeding pairs, whereas the UK has 7,500,000 domestic cats. So that's  12 cats for each breeding pair. I'm still unsure which animal is having the bigger impact.
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Pescador

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Re: Isn't nature cruel
« Reply #6 on: May 03, 2017, 16:59:17 »
Thank you al for your replies.
To answer some of the questions raised;- cats do visit the garden; lots of magpies around; 2 of the chicks were undamaged and the 3rd seemed to be torn apart but not consumed; there were no scratch marks around the nest box; no dead adults.
To answer your point Jaybe, I don't think so, as I approach the garden from the furthest point and watch the nest for a few minutes before going into the real line of site, so I think the dead was completed before I arrived.
I have frequently seen thingy blackbirds flying closely past the nest and after witnessing last years event I'm tending to think they mght be the guilty party.
That will take all the pleasure out of waking early and hearing their beautiful song in the spring!
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