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I have had a nest box in the garden for a few years. for the past 2 years it has been used by a pair of great tits.
Unfortunately both years the chicks appeared to be doing well then I noticed that the adults were leaving the box still with the food in their beaks. On checking I found all the chicks had died. They were quite well grown with feathers .
The box is in full sun early in the morning but quickly becomes shaded. Does anyone have any idea what is going wrong?
Could be that you need to get it out of the sun in the morning?
Mine, that is also used by the Great ones has been used for a good few years now, it is facing east but is under the huge branches of an ash tree so less heat is getting through and I would imagine helping keep the temp regular through out the day :o)
I may even pop a thermometer on it this year to get an idea.
GT
Suppose it could also be another bird going in and attacking the young ??? (Maybe because they want to use the box themselves) Especially if the parents are busy collecting food and not actually staying with the young.
Which may answer why they get to the feathered stage each time (parent no longer sitting on full time) :o$
Just thoughts that pop into my head :o)
Maybe give the box a dam good clean and pop it out i a different position :o)
Hi lupen1 and welcome to the Forum. Enjoy yourself here
It is good news about your Great Tits feeling so at home in your nest box. Birds like to be familar with a nesting area and I am sure that the Great Tits will be the same pair year after year (or one of a pair)
So sad to hear about the demise of the chicks, and sadly that is part of nature in the raw and things happen which we will never find the answer to.
Did you see both adults at any one time, especially the time when you found the chicks had died?
The reason why I asked this is that birds such as members of the Blue Tit family tend not to do well if one adult only remains I have heard that if a bird loses a mate, the other bird abandons the nest and neglects the chicks - everything simply becomes too much and the bird abandons the nest
The bird is simply fighting for survival of the species and neglecting a nest of chicks will open the door for another successful brood over the brood that is not got 100 per cent parenting by 2 adults.
I am sure that all will be well with the nest this year. Make sure that the bird box is cleaned out and all signs of the dead chicks are removed for the sakes of hygiene and disease.
Regards
Kathy and Dave
lupen1 said: I have had a nest box in the garden for a few years. for the past 2 years it has been used by a pair of great tits. Unfortunately both years the chicks appeared to be doing well then I noticed that the adults were leaving the box still with the food in their beaks. On checking I found all the chicks had died. They were quite well grown with feathers . The box is in full sun early in the morning but quickly becomes shaded. Does anyone have any idea what is going wrong?
Many thanks for all the replies. In fact last spring the birds were evicted by a large bee who took over the nest (before the eggs were laid). I have since replaced the box with a new one (exactly the same) so hopefully no bacteria or germs to cause illness. looking forward to this spring and will keep watch.
If you ahve space and suitable places to fix boxes it is always worth having a few so that birds can choose their favourite. A few different designs may also encourage other species to nest in the garden as well. We have a bit of information about where to locate them on our website.
Try to avoid open south facing aspects, north or north east is usually the best direction to face the entrance hole.
Fingers crossed they have a good season.
Warden Intern at Otmoor.