Fecal Sacs

[Evelyn Cooper]

The little tiny white blob you see in the female and male bluebirds' mouth when they leave the box after feeding babies is the fecal sack. Some folks call them disosable diapers. Watching on the nest cam, every time the nestling is fed, the parent waits for the fecal sac and then leaves to dispose of it. The bluebird parents are very fastidious in their housekeeping up until a couple of days before the babies fledge and then it looks like the inside walls have been whitewashed. The nest is flat and dirty with poop.

I had read that many species including bluebirds will take a fecal sac a distance from the nest box and attach it to a power line. I saw a Carolina Wren do that about two years ago right outside my den windows. Last year, I saw the female Bluebird hang one there.

One year, I had a pair of Barn Swallows that built right above the den door. It was my first experience. In the beginning, the parents removed the fecal sacs and everything was great! Then, all of a sudden, there was bird poop on my steps every morning! These little fledglings know to hang their little behinds over the rim of the nest and poop outside it at a certain age because the parents plan to use the nest again. Wow! I had to put newspapers on the steps and change it often. I fell so in love with the little pair and their babies, I didn't mind it. But, with my husband, it was a different matter.

I corresponded with a birder that had a House Finch pair nest in her bluebird box. She sent pictures of all stages to me. The nestlings would poop around the rim of the box and when they were ready to fledge, it had several rows of poop around the rim of the nest. I later read that they would use the nest again, poop and all.

The majority of my boxes are really a mess when the cycle is over. I always have an extra nest box or two with me and I just take the dirty one down and put up the clean one. I take the dirty box/boxes home to where I can scrub them down and hose them with the nozzle and they are nice and clean. I find the Bluebirds really like clean boxes.

Evelyn
Delhi, LA

Mentoring is a gift that changes both lives.......for the better........