# Reality of nature:  I fed the bluebirds and got them killed :(



## AnnieA (Feb 17, 2021)

Put breadcrumbs out on the snow for the bluebirds.  While they were feeding, crows swooped down, killed two of them and carried them off.   Most of us are so insulated from the brutality of the natural world. Even spending most of my life rural, something like this is still jarring.

I once heard a game warden in the Rockies say that he'd never seen an elderly elk or pronghorn.  In addition to legal hunting (with parameters set each year based on herd management numbers), bears, mountain lions and re-introduced wolves kill the aging animals before they die naturally from advanced age.


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## Aunt Marg (Feb 17, 2021)

AnnieA said:


> *Put breadcrumbs out on the snow for the bluebirds.  While they were feeding, crows swooped down, killed two of them and carried them off. *  Most of us are so insulated from the brutality of the natural world. Even spending most of my life rural, something like this is still jarring.
> 
> I once heard a game warden in the Rockies say that he'd never seen an elderly elk or pronghorn.  In addition to legal hunting (with parameters set each year based on herd management numbers), bears, re-introduced wolves and mountain lions culled the aging animals before they died naturally from advanced age.


I've never heard of this happening before.

Crows and ravens will eat eggs in nests, but I have never heard of them attacking full-grown adults.


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## Aneeda72 (Feb 17, 2021)

That is why I watch my puppy and check on her when she is outside so a bird doesn’t mistake her for a rabbit.

But don’t blame yourself the crows have to eat as well.


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## AnnieA (Feb 17, 2021)

Aunt Marg said:


> I've never heard of this happening before.
> 
> Crows and ravens will eat eggs in nests, but I have never heard of them attacking full-grown adults.



Me neither.  Nor my 83 year old farmer dad.   I think it's the extended, highly unusual snow cover for us this week.  Usually when it snows here, it melts after a couple of days at most.  We're in our fifth or sixth day so all the birds are hungry.


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## Aneeda72 (Feb 17, 2021)

Aunt Marg said:


> I've never heard of this happening before.
> 
> Crows and ravens will eat eggs in nests, but I have never heard of them attacking full-grown adults.


We have a lot of large crows and across the street there is what I call a crow meeting place where at least 15 to 20 of them will show up.  It’s a dead tree.  They kill the smaller birds which I think are called starlings (misspelled probably).  They get enough “food“ that way and leave the other birds alone.

However, we have hawks.  The hawks will kill the doves and the bluebirds and whatever they can get.  We also have a dove tree, at the end of the block, where 20 plus doves roost because a bird feeder is right below it .  Guess they don’t mind bird droppings in their food.


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## Aunt Marg (Feb 17, 2021)

AnnieA said:


> Me neither.  Nor my 83 year old farmer dad.  * I think it's the extended, highly unusual snow cover for us this week. * Usually when it snows here, it melts after a couple of days at most.  We're in our fifth or sixth day so all the birds are hungry.


My bet is the weather is definitely playing a role.


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## Aunt Marg (Feb 17, 2021)

Aneeda72 said:


> We have a lot of large crows and across the street there is what I call a crow meeting place where at least 15 to 20 of them will show up.  It’s a dead tree.  They kill the smaller birds which I think are called starlings (misspelled probably).  They get enough “food“ that way and leave the other birds alone.
> 
> However, we have hawks.  The hawks will kill the doves and the bluebirds and whatever they can get.  We also have a dove tree, at the end of the block, where 20 plus doves roost because a bird feeder is right below it . Guess they don’t mind bird droppings in their food.


I'm surprised the crows have any success preying on the starlings.


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## Aneeda72 (Feb 17, 2021)

I goggled as I was curious.  It is common for crows to kill larger birds and they will ban together to kill hawks and such.  Apparently they stick together as a family with up to 20 related birds.


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## Aunt Marg (Feb 17, 2021)

Aneeda72 said:


> I goggled as I was curious.  It is common for crows to kill larger birds and they will ban together to kill hawks and such.  Apparently they stick together as a family with up to 20 related birds.


Well, I just learned something today. Thankfully, we see few crows.


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## Murrmurr (Feb 17, 2021)

AnnieA said:


> Put breadcrumbs out on the snow for the bluebirds.  While they were feeding, crows swooped down, killed two of them and carried them off.   Most of us are so insulated from the brutality of the natural world. Even spending most of my life rural, something like this is still jarring.


It happens. My first autumn here I hung up 2 hummingbird feeders in a tree outside my back door, unaware that a large colony of feral cats lives here too. It was a slaughter and I haven't hung up any kind of bird feeder since.


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## Aunt Marg (Feb 17, 2021)

Murrmurr said:


> It happens. My first autumn here I hung up 2 hummingbird feeders in a tree outside my back door, unaware that a large colony of feral cats lives here too. It was a slaughter and I haven't hung up any kind of bird feeder since.


Two helpful rules of thumb related to hummingbird feeders.

The first, hang them high.

The second, ensure the feeders are protected by an overhang or by shade to help keep the nectar from becoming overheated in the direct sun.


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## Murrmurr (Feb 17, 2021)

Aunt Marg said:


> Two helpful rules of thumb related to hummingbird feeders.
> 
> The first, hang them high.
> 
> The second, ensure the feeders are protected by an overhang or by shade to help keep the nectar from becoming overheated in the direct sun.


I was amazed at how high these feral cats can jump.

Unfortunately for the hummingbirds, the trees outside my place are currently only about 7 feet tall, maybe just a foot taller than when I got here 6 yrs ago. They're orange trees, so not sure if they'll get much taller.


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## Aunt Marg (Feb 17, 2021)

Murrmurr said:


> I was amazed at how high these feral cats can jump.
> 
> Unfortunately for the hummingbirds, the trees outside my place are currently only about 7 feet tall, maybe just a foot taller than when I got here. They're orange trees, so not sure if they'll get much taller.


That's a shame.

Are you allowed to hunt feral cats in your State?


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## Murrmurr (Feb 17, 2021)

Aunt Marg said:


> That's a shame.
> 
> Are you allowed to hunt feral cats in your State?


Yes, to catch and release. I contacted the local humane society and they sent me 2 spay-neuter vouchers, the maximum pre household, but it's up to me to get a trap. Then I'm to take the animal to a vet who accepts the vouchers, then after it's spayed or neutered I'm to bring it back here to release it.


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## Aunt Marg (Feb 17, 2021)

Murrmurr said:


> Yes, to catch and release. I contacted the local humane society and they sent me 2 spay-neuter vouchers, the maximum pre household, but it's up to me to get a trap. Then I'm to take the animal to a vet who accepts the vouchers, then after it's spayed or neutered I'm to bring it back here to release it.


Not the answer I was hoping for.


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## Murrmurr (Feb 17, 2021)

Aunt Marg said:


> Not the answer I was hoping for.


Yeah. And the problem is there's about a dozen feral cats and kittens here at any given time but you can only get 2 of those vouchers per household per year. That will barely put a dent in the numbers. Plus, if the animal you catch allows you to pet it, they're disqualified, so you have to pay for the spay-neuter. And some of the ones I feed will let me pet them.


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## Murrmurr (Feb 17, 2021)

Murrmurr said:


> Yeah. And the problem is there's about a dozen feral cats and kittens here at any given time but you can only get 2 of those vouchers per household per year. That will barely put a dent in the numbers. Plus, if the animal you catch allows you to pet it, they're disqualified, so you have to pay for the spay-neuter. And some of the ones I feed will let me pet them.


I'm probably not doing them a favor by feeding them


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## Aunt Marg (Feb 17, 2021)

Murrmurr said:


> Yeah. And the problem is there's about a dozen feral cats and kittens here at any given time but you can only get 2 of those vouchers per household per year. That will barely put a dent in the numbers. Plus, if the animal you catch allows you to pet it, they're disqualified, so you have to pay for the spay-neuter. And some of the ones I feed will let me pet them.


Smacks forehead with disappointment.


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## Aunt Marg (Feb 17, 2021)

Murrmurr said:


> I'm probably not doing them a favor by feeding them


You're loving, a highly commendable quality.


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## Glowworm (Feb 17, 2021)

I have my feeder near to the lilac hedge to provide cover and it's in a large wire mesh cage that only the smaller birds can get through. The larger birds like magpies can forage on the ground for the food the small birds discard.


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## Aunt Marg (Feb 17, 2021)

Glowworm said:


> I have my feeder near to the lilac hedge to provide cover and it's in a large wire mesh cage that only the smaller birds can get through. The larger birds like magpies can forage on the ground for the food the small birds discard.


Lovely idea, Glow!

That's how ours is setup, only the little birdies can gain access to the aviary account the fine wire openings.


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## JonDouglas (Feb 19, 2021)

Aneeda72 said:


> [snip]
> 
> However, we have hawks.  The hawks will kill the doves and the bluebirds and whatever they can get.  We also have a dove tree, at the end of the block, where 20 plus doves roost because a bird feeder is right below it . Guess they don’t mind bird droppings in their food.



Yup,  I see this all the time, including doves sitting in trees above our bird feeder.


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## Murrmurr (Feb 19, 2021)

Owls were the predators were I used to live, up in the hills. And also on the farm.


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