Nest Box Design Fails To Protect

[GregH]

A story on the ABC radio's current affairs program AM has highlighted the an inadequacy of the nest box design used in the forty spotted pardalote recovery program. As with Gouldians these birds are suffering a lack of nesting hollows. Unfortunately the boxes provided don't have a hollow spout over the entrance and it seems that brush-tailed possums just reach in and take their fill. The birds preferentially take to the artificial nest boxes so this design flaw is actually contributing to the decline of the birds.

[Myzomela]

It begs the question of exactly how large are the entrance holes on these nests?

With a bird as small as a 40 spotted pardalote, surely the required nest hole size would prevent any possum's forepaw from gaining entry.

[Craig52]

I was lead to believe pardalotes dug out a tunnel with a chamber at the end in the side of a cliff and even in a mound of soft earth,with an entrance hole of no more than 30mm,mybe i'm wrong, Craig

[finches247]

I was lead to believe pardalotes dug out a tunnel with a chamber at the end in the side of a cliff and even in a mound of soft earth,with an entrance hole of no more than 30mm,mybe i'm wrong, Craig

Hi Craig,
I think your thinking of Bee Eaters.

[natamambo]

Nah, Craig is right on this occasion . However they do take advantage of other hollows sometimes too.

[Craig52]

I was lead to believe pardalotes dug out a tunnel with a chamber at the end in the side of a cliff and even in a mound of soft earth,with an entrance hole of no more than 30mm,mybe i'm wrong, Craig

Hi Craig,
I think your thinking of Bee Eaters.

No Henry,I have come across quite a few in my travels and locally.A mate not far from me had a pr build in a pile of loam in his back yard,after they had fledged young we dug it up and found the tunnel was 800mm long to the chamber. Craig

[maz]

They built in my parents carport one year in the dirt bank on the side wall, was fantastic to watch them, unfortunately the neighbours cats also found the nest and just sat at the entrance and grabbed them as they came out

[Craig52]

They built in my parents carport one year in the dirt bank on the side wall, was fantastic to watch them, unfortunately the neighbours cats also found the nest and just sat at the entrance and grabbed them as they came out

Yes that would be right,these birds are so confiding.They sit on our clothes line and sing a great little tune and can be approached to with in arms distance with them peering down at you wondering what the hell i am. Craig

[Jayburd]

I think you guys might be talking about Spotted or striated pardalotes not Forty spotted on the mainland

[Craig52]

Yes Jay, Spotted, on the mainland,i know the 40 spotted is in Tassy and is in need of help. I just thought all pardalotes nested in tunnels in the ground. Craig