Martha Davis
Lawrence, IN, USA
The box is in the corner of my yard and I have been carefully monitoring the activity. The incubation (5 eggs) lasted exactly 14 days as is customary in this part of Indiana (outside of Indianapolis). I live in a cottage in a retirement community and each week I submit an article and photo to our newsletter. I also understand that there is another nest box with eggs in my community. I will be including this data as another site in the ‘Westminster Village North Retirement Community” nest watch group. I will continue to add data and descriptions and photos here to share with everyone. I will submit additional photos as they continue to grow. All chicks seem robust and, at this point, appear likely to survive.
I have my power water gun loaded and ready! I have used this successfully to chase predators — wrens, cowbirds and starlings!
I’m new to this what would we end snowbirds and starlings do?
We love starlings in our yard.
Harassing Cowbirds and Wrens is illegal.
As native species, Brown-Headed Cowbirds, Wrens, and European Starlings are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and harassing, killing, removing baby birds from the nest, and destroying the nest is illegal. So any person who violates the Migratory Bird Treaty Act by harassing birds is subject to a criminal penalty of up to $5,000 for each bird unlawfully taken, harassed, killed, or possessed; civil restitution fee for each bird unlawfully taken or possessed; and a license suspension or revocation