Photo ©
Glenda Simmons
What Should You Do About Bird Blow Flies in the Nest?
Bird blowflies are an unwelcome blood-feeding parasite found in the nests of many species of birds. Their presence is often blamed for nestling deaths, but there is little scientific evidence that they commonly reduce nestling survival, suggesting that their harmful effects are below a lethal threshold. What—if anything—can or should we do about them when monitoring nest boxes?
How are people managing invasive birds at nest boxes?
A new study from NestWatch investigated how many people had experience with non-native birds in their nest boxes. The study explored peoples’ knowledge of House Sparrows and European Starlings, and their attitudes towards managing them, especially if people encountered these non-native birds in their monitored nest boxes.