Comments for Blue Tit Big Brother

Comment on Chicks! by Tori

Tori — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 22:16:56 +0000

Love you’re colorway and layout! I bet those chicks are so hungry and humorous!

*I Donated To Cornell Ornithology!*
http://www.opticsplanet.net/cornell-lab-of-ornithology.html

Comment on Hatch day by Phil

Phil — Mon, 05 May 2008 09:38:21 +0000

Congratulations! It’s great to see the parents switch into feeding mode - they’ve got so much work to do for the next few weeks.

Comment on Overnight stay by Sophie

Sophie — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 20:54:40 +0000

Thanks Phil. I think you’re right- looking back I realise I remembered the different markings wrongly. Whoops. She is so fluffed up that her facial markings look different as well—that’s my excuse anyway!

Comment on A Busy Day For Karma by Josephine

Josephine — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 20:07:10 +0000

Looks like he/she is knitting!

Comment on Overnight stay by Phil

Phil — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 19:36:04 +0000

Odds are it’s the female roosting. You might be able to tell by how clean the box is after they leave - males poo a lot more than females, and they don’t clean up after themselves!

Comment on Intruders and building frenzies by Josephine

Josephine — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 07:36:37 +0000

He really does look too big for the box!

It’ll be great to see the rest of the nest building!

Comment on Who’s who? by The Black Rabbit

The Black Rabbit — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 19:28:41 +0000

Well, after looking at your video with BOTH birds in the box, your first bird (the cowering bird) is the Male.
The second to enter is the female.
Almost certainly.

Hope THAT helps?!

Comment on Who’s who? by The Black Rabbit

The Black Rabbit — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 19:00:04 +0000

Great site. Unfortunately I am at work right now and cannot view your videos. (I’ll have a look when I get home).
If you are in doubt as to the gender of each bird, ie if Karma is the han or the cock, then you COULD visit my site (or my youtube channel - see link on Blue-Grey) which shows very well documented sexual behaviour in Blue Tits prospaecting a nest box.

In a nut shell though, if both birds are in the box together (BEFORE the nest building starts) , the female will ofen hiss at the male and the male will leave the box immediately, and let the female have a wee lokk about and leave a few seconds later.

Generally the male finds the box, lures the female inside, she comes in, tells him to get lost, he leaves, she leaves. This is repeated in a daily fashion in our box at present!

Hope that helps. (Bit difficult when I can’t see the videos!)

Comment on Two’s a crowd by Phil

Phil — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 23:05:07 +0000

Nice video guys.
In my own box it’s always the male who crouches just before the female enters. It’s either a respect thing, or him trying to avoid getting trampled on… can’t decide

Good luck with the rest of the season!

Comment on Two’s a crowd by Josephine

Josephine — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 09:41:02 +0000

That is so lovely to see! How exciting to watch their behaviour so close up. Looking forward to what happens next.