Looking for ideas...

[zippy-kat]

Hey guys -

I don't know if you guys remember the blue jay I raised last summer. These guys moved into our tree shortly after we bought this house (about 10 yrs ago) so we've become REALLY attached to these neat birds.

Ok, long story short, this year a flock of large brown birds (I've always heard them called 'cow birds' have no clue what the really are) uprooted our jay family (they moved across the street). I've never been found of "The Browns" but tonight's episode takes the cake. Apparently The Browns are now robbing the jays nest as we just found (neked) baby jays in our swimming pool.

Is there ANYTHING we can do to get rid of The Browns and entice the jays back over? We just had our tree "clipped" and I was reeaalllyyy hoping that'd shake 'em up (and out!) but it didn't work.

Any ideas? Anyone? Pleaaasseee??!!

(FYI There's doves living in our "side yard" pines - The Browns don't seem to be bugging them.)

[Karen]

Gosh, blue jays are usually the nest robbers around here ...

No ideas, really - do you know what the "cow birds" are eating? Would a scarecrow bother 'em?

[Corinna]

Cow birds are worse than blue jays. They will lay there eggs in a nest and let others hatch them and they grow faster and crowd out the other babies . we used to try and find the eggs in other nests and get rid of them. Cow birds DO NOT raise their own young. The little parents of the adoptees wear them selves out caring for the intruders. Not sure what you can do about it.

[Vermontcat]

Corinna is right, here is a link that may help you.
cowbird

[zippy-kat]

I have NO CLUE what they are eating.

I thought these guys had a nest as we found a dead baby right underneath the front-yard tree earlier in the spring. But now, I'm wondering if it was in fact a "misplaced" dove. (ie The Browns disposed of it)

EDIT: Thanks VC - I'll check out the link.

[zippy-kat]

Ok, maybe they aren't cowbirds; "The Browns" are just that - solid brown and the body is shaped a bit differently. Mom thought maybe they were grackles but I thought grackles kinda resembled crows; if that's the case, they aren't grackles either.

I don't know what they are but I don't like 'em.


Maybe I can get a pic of one tomorrow.

[lv4dogs]

Well sorry I can't help you out much but I have a similar problem with one of my trees.
I feed birds & love birds and they (especially morning doves) nest in my trees. No biggie, they have for years. Except they have alwyas stayed away from my front tree. Well this year they decided that the front tree is great. I am not sure if they have a nest in it as the tree is pretty big & I can't see a nest. They may just be hanging out in there. I think a combination of birds visit the tree (robins, morning doves, etc)
But there is bird poop everywhere. Now this normally would not be a problem but it is right above my porch, patio, entrance door, driveway, walkway & car! And I mean everywhere!
Yup you guessed it, I & visitors get lovely white & black "presents" dropped on us daily!!!! Also my walkway, porch & car is a mess, bird poop everywhere!!!!! This is rediculous, it looks as if I have a heard of seagull living right above me.
I did have the tree trimmed slightly but that obviously did not disturb them.
Does anyone have any ideas on how to keep the birds away from this tree?

[Vermontcat]

Well at least that link I posted tells you what they eat, insects, seeds and berries.
There is another kind of cowbird that seems to be in the southwest of the US.
Maybe it is a Bronzed Cowbird, check out the link.
Bronzed Cowbird

[lbaker]

I've heard that you can buy fake owls to keep unwanted birds scared away. They do this in cities to keep pigeons off window sills. Of course that would scare your blue jays from coming back, but maybe if you could get rid of the Browns you could remove the "owl" and the blues would return. Should work for the front tree bird poop problem too. Fake snakes might work too.

[lv4dogs]

Originally posted by lbaker
I've heard that you can buy fake owls to keep unwanted birds scared away. They do this in cities to keep pigeons off window sills. Of course that would scare your blue jays from coming back, but maybe if you could get rid of the Browns you could remove the "owl" and the blues would return. Should work for the front tree bird poop problem too. Fake snakes might work too.

Thanks for the idea, I may have to give it a try. Do yyou think that it would scare the birds out of neighboring trees though? I really don't want htme to leave all the trees, the closest tree is about 40-50 feet away. The others are even further.