Cicadas in Nestboxes

In addition to Messages that have appeared in the Bluebird Mailing Lists on this topic, the following are on the Audubon Society of Omaha website:  Predators and Problems On The Bluebird Trail

Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2000 07:13:19 -0700
From: "Nicholas A. Zbiciak"
Subject: RE: cicadas in nest boxes

This was food that the parents brought to the young that did not get eaten; probably too big.

Nicholas

From: Gary Shore [SMTP:gds4141"at"mitec.net]
Sent: Monday, July 17, 2000 21:00
Subject: cicadas in nest boxes

Yesterday while monitoring our trail we found 3 cicadas (all dead) in the nest box where the babies fledged sometime during the week. Never seen this before. any ideas what this is about?

From: Tyler Mann [mailto:t_mann05"at"hotmail.com]
Sent: Saturday, May 15, 2004 3:30 PM
Subject: hello all

I have a question. i live in west central ohio and we are supposed to have cicadas anytime now. when they do come, would it be good to capture them and put them in bluebird feeders for the EABLs to eat or feed to the young. anyone ever see adult EABL eating them at all? just wondering thanks tyler

From: Don / Ruth Edwards [mailto:pinecrestfarm"at"earthlink.net]
Sent: Saturday, May 15, 2004 9:00 PM
Subject: Re: Cicadas

Tyler, the cicadas are much too big for the bluebirds to be interested in them. Ruth Edwards, Westport, MA

Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2000 23:18:25 -0500
From: "Bob Walshaw" robert.walshaw"at"gte.net
Subject: Gary Shore - Cicadas left in box

Gary asked about finding dead cicadas in a box after fledging. I often see this as well as other very large insects. My theory is that sometimes the parents bring insects that are either too large or that are unpalatable to the young and they remain behind in the nestbox after fledging. Bluebird Bob, Northeast Oklahoma

From: plkldf"at"comcast.net
Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2004 10:04 AM
Subject: Cicada remains in bluebird nestbox

BTW, I remember seeing earlier on this list that bluebirds don't eat cicadas. ...In that self-same box that I described where the parents were giving what now appears to be an alarm call, we found a piece of bug that I would bet is 17-year cicada -- it looks like the dead bugs and bug parts that seem to be everywhere. So I'm saying I think EABL *do* feed 17-year cicadas to their young. Sorry if this has already been resolved. best, Paul in Baltimore

From: MJShearer [mailto:eshearer"at"comcast.net]
Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2004 10:51 AM
Subject: Re: Cicada remains in bluebird nestbox

I don't know about cicadas, but my bluebirds love grasshoppers and crickets! .... MJ

From: Debbie Patton [mailto:karmadog"at"closecall.com]
Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2004 4:25 PM
Re: Cicada remains in bluebird nestbox P

aul, I watched a pap bluebird eat a cicada this morning. I found it's wing on my sidewalk. The oddest thing is, is that we don't have any here in Darlington, MD (north of you). I believe that the EABLs do eat them. Debbie Darlington, MD

From: Paula [mailto:PaulaZ"at"columbus.rr.com]
Sent: Wednesday, June 02, 2004 12:30 AM
Re: Cicada Remains in Nestbox

Paul, I found a pair of cicada (17-year Brood X) wings in my nestbox too so our EABL must be feeding them to their older chicks. Paula Powell (Central) Ohio

From: Phil Kenny [mailto:philkenny1"at"cox.net]
Sent: Tuesday, June 08, 2004 7:01 AM
Subject: Egg increase in second brood

Every time a pair has had a subsequent brood the number of eggs laid is one less then the previous brood's eggs. E.g. the pair may have a first brood with 6 eggs, second 5, and occasionally a third brood with 4 eggs. Over the weekend I checked my trail and discovered that a pair of Bluebirds that had laid 5 eggs in their first brood, laid 6 eggs for their second brood! I think this must be due to the enormous number of cicadas we have locally and what all that extra food translates into for the all of the birds. Of course, this could be a second pair that moved into the box after the first pair moved out, however, there are lots of other empty nestboxes on my trail in very similar habit, and the pair that has been using this box, has been using it for at least three years. I think it would be highly unlikely to have a second pair move in less then two weeks after the previous brood chicks fledged. Possible a new female? I'm curious if anyone else has experienced the egg number increasing from brood to brood, or if they have any anecdotal evidence of cicadas being good for Bluebirds. Phil Phil Kenny ...

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