Feathers and Fuzz

one woman's cure for the empty-nester blues

All the Others

Hermit Thrush Winters in Georgia

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I chuckle every time I see Vermont's state bird, the Hermit Thrush, perch on the mealworm feeder.  He migrated south for warmer temps and more-plentiful food.  I think the Thrush's face says it all:  

It's a sad, sad day.  The Retreat's temps are dropping into the teens at night ... and the menu stinks!  Seriously?  Who over-cooked these mealworms?! *

Hermit Thrush Front
Hermit Thrush Side
Hermit Thrush Back

*The birds get a bit of an attitude when I switch from live to dried mealworms (which I do soon after fledglings mature in the late summer).  They'll descend on the worm feeder, expecting a juicy tidbit.  One-by-one, they'll toss the dried worms overboard in search of something squishy.  Eventually they leave without eating a morsel -- a pile of dried mealworms on the ground.  When alternate food sources begin to disappear, however, the struggle ends.  Most of the mealworm crowd chows down.  I'm experienced at this.  I raised teenagers once upon a time.  

Nesting Challenges: House-Sitting Hawks

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Hawks Like to House-Sit Baby Birds

Okay, so truthfully, hawks don't actually appear to be aware of the presence of young birds inside a house.  I have never seen a hawk peer inside, or otherwise show interest in the house's content.  I'm sure hawks just view birdhouses as the perfect perch from which to hunt birds and rodents who are out and about in the surrounding open areas. 

Nonetheless, when a hawk lands on a house full of nestlings, the nestlings immediately quiet down and remain still.  I don't know if the parents signal the nestlings of a threat, or if the youngsters just instinctively respond to the loud thud on the roof of the house - or both.

Looking at the hawks landing on these birdhouses, I imagine the thud is notable!

Hawk on BB N
Hawk Landing on Chickadee House
Hawk on Flicker House

In the images below, we see a hawk (well, part of a hawk) perched on a house occupied by Momma Titmouse and her nestlings.  Momma is clearly aware of the hawk's presence!

Hawk on Titmouse House
Momma Titmouse Defending Nest

The last two pictures are of a hawk who spent considerable time hunting from the roof of this occupied Bluebird house.  When the hawk FINALLY left, Daddy Bluebird was quick to check on his brood -- then head off to procure food; reassured all was well.

Hawk BB S
Daddy BB Checks on Nestlings

Overall, bird parents are on the watch 24/7.  When the female is spending nights in the house (sitting on eggs or on young nestlings), it is clear the male is nearby -- prepared to warn her of any danger.  I have observed nestlings huddling, still, in the corner of a birdhouse when a hawk is in the area -- warned by the parents to be quiet.  Finally, I've watched the parents fly up and down in front of the house, loudly calling out a warning, when a snake or other predator threatens.

And yet, interestingly, when it comes down to the final straw, the parents will back away from a threat they can't control -- saving themselves.  As a human parent, this is a bit hard to come to terms with -- but, in the wild kingdom, survival of the species depends on the survival of those who are able to reproduce.