After guarding the nest box since mid-January, my pair of blues started nest building 5 days ago. I've got a nest cam in the box and I've watched nest building over the years but this is crazy!!! So far, during a few of the days, the female brings nesting material IN and the male takes some OUT!!! And there are days where because they are 'matching' each other, there's been little progress. In the past, I've seen this behavior (males taking out nest material) but not to THIS degree!

Has anyone else seen this behavior?? I have one person who has video of the behavior but I'm trying to find out how common it is. Let me know if you've seen this.

You can watch my day-by-day videos at the link below.

Bluebird blessings, Linda...

Sure we've seen Mr.B remove bits of nest sometimes. Before she began laying he was making multiple daily inspections with her seeming to appreciate his approval:

He's been even more active in the nestbuilding stage this year than last. And he also chose bits of grass for the nest... Never taking them into the box himself, but offering pieces to her which she most often accepted.

You're doing a very nice blog btw... We watch ours from outside the box only, so it's fascinating to see the inside from your nestcam.

Best luck to us all,

Kenn :)

Kenn & Temple
Backyard Birders in St.Louis, MO

I have seen my male(s) remove nesting material and was told that they do it in hopes of getting the female to speed up nest building.

I have seen both birds take nesting material out before. I always thought they took a piece in and it didn't "fit" and they took it out- who would have thought they are actually going in and taking pieces out without bringing any in!

I wish you the best of luck and no HOWR to be seen!

AWESOME photos! Thanks for sharing.

Janie, I read that too (about the male taking out materials to encourage the female to speed up nest building). I'm not so sure that applies to this male and female though :) If you watched the first 4 or 5 days of the videos, Daddy took out more than Mama brought in!!!! And today is Day 14, so if it's supposed to get Mama to make the nest faster, I don't think it worked :) I know I'm over simplifying this...I know that they respond to a complex combination of clues like supply of food, etc. And our weather has been up and down and up and down, too.

As far as the female taking out nesting material, with this pair only the male has done it. And in the early days of nest building, I could see that what Daddy was taking out "didn't fit." But also in those early days, he took out as much as she brought in!!! Some days it was hysterical seeing him in the box taking out stuff with her at the hole 'chattering' then her going in with him only to have him slide quickly out with his 'treasure' LOL

But yesterday's little piece of ? that he took out...really now! That's a bit obsessive :) I have to watch not to anthropomorphize too much!

I'm hoping Mama will start egg laying SOON (as in this week). But I've been fooled by birds before...they don't seem to take MY feelings into their egg laying decisions!!

Bluebird blessings, Linda...and may none of us have to deal with HOWRS or HOSP!

I'm not sure which of the 13 days of nest building videos you are referring to...can you tell me what day that was?

We've never seen nor heard any House Sparrows here but their range map shows that they 'should' be here year round. So if you think you heard one, I really NEED to know.

Thanks...waiting to hear which day it was.

Linda...