Great tit nesting failure

[Monkey Orchid]

We've got a great tit nestbox on a dead birch tree in our garden, which has been there for about 8 years. It's been used every year by great tits: they have always reared broods, sometimes two in a year, and have got most of their nestlings fledged and away successfully.

This year they started nesting in mid-March, I think. There was a lot of activity (sounds of baby birds, parents flying in with food) in April; then all went quiet in early May. I hadn't noticed any signs of parents and young birds in the garden, so last weekend I checked the box... To find three dead fledglings inside. They looked fairly well feathered but not quite ready to leave the nest; there were no obvious signs of parasitic infestation or disease. I wondered if the cold weather had reduced insect prey to the point where the parents were not able to feed their young, leading to their starvation? The only other explanation I guess would be the death of both or one of the adult birds... I'm hoping that this is the case.

I've cleaned the corpses and the old nesting material out of the box, and I'm hoping that a second brood may still happen. What do people reckon?

[Picidae]

Originally Posted by Monkey Orchid

I wondered if the cold weather had reduced insect prey to the point where the parents were not able to feed their young, leading to their starvation?

I'd say this was the most likely. We've had a rather wet cold early spring and only now is it beginning to get a lot warmer. You did right to clear out the box. Great Tits will readily start a new brood about this time and this will encourage them. Although they may find a new home and you may find a new pair also on a second brood attempt!

[feathered-friend]

we have a great tit currently siting on eggs, second brood.

The first brood died, I cleaned the box out a week ago last Sunday and by the following Thursday the nest was already rebuilt with 2 eggs in it!

Good chance you will have another brood I think.

We are getting visits from a pair of great tits and a blue tit to our camera box as well, so i hope we will see action there too!

[Monkey Orchid]

Thank you, both. No signs of great tits using the box again yet, but I'll keep my fingers crossed.