Actually, a nest box is a place where a bird's life begins. An early death is not actually intended here. Nevertheless, it sometimes happens that bird lovers discover dead young tits while cleaning the nest box. On this page you can find out what the reasons for dying can be and how you can prevent them.
If the parents die, the young titmice starve in the nest box
Dead tits in the nest box - a cause for concern?
Death is part of life. Natural selection also prevails in nature. Accordingly, it is not surprising that too weak a bird brood does not survive the first few years. If you find dead titmice when emptying the nest box in summer, that's a pity, but it shouldn't cause you a headache. It is different when the whole clutch is dead in the nest. Then one of the following grievances could be to blame.
Possible causes
- To starve
- poisoning or virus
Prevent
To starve
There are two possible reasons for an undersupply of food:
- too little food supply
- death of parents
Tits feed mainly on insects. If bad weather prevails over a long period of time or particularly icy temperatures in winter, the population decreases enormously. Provide the tits with sufficient food in the form of fat balls or a feeding bowl.
Unfortunately, you are powerless against the death of your parents. Not only because they often go unnoticed, but also because hand-rearing young tits is almost impossible.
poisoning or viruses
Migratory birds from the south often bring diseases. If these get into the nesting box (€49.85), the young birds in particular fall ill quickly, as they have not yet developed sufficient resistance. You should therefore thoroughly clean your nest box twice a year and remove the remains of abandoned nests. They offer an optimal breeding ground for parasites.
You should also impregnate the nest box to prevent mold from forming due to moisture. But only use environmentally friendly paints for this, because toxic substances can also lead to the death of a titmouse.