A Classic Example Of Old Birds Moving To Other BHs In Kuantan !!!

This might sound strange but there must be something strange that can lead to old birds leaving and staying at other BHs.

Normally we assumed that once those birds says "I do" they will stay in that particular BH forever.

This was a kind of assumption that once they have laid their eggs they will incubate them and later the eggs will hatched.  The parent will then look after the babies until they are able to fly and be on the own.

We than assumed that after about 10 days or so those parent will then start their breeding cycle all over again at the same spot or the same nest.

This might be true to the majority but let me tell you this strange story obtained from two BH owners in Kuantan, Pahang.

The first person owned about 4-5 BHs and he complained that the number of birds coming back to his BH located in Kuantan town proper is dwindling.

"Pak Harry if you look at the sky nowadays you will see very little birds flying around low or high up in the sky.  Even after a  heavy shower.  This should not be if all those birds are flying back home every evening.  It seems that other town like Pekan, Rompin, Kuala Trengganu and many other towns, their skies are filled will birds at most of the time but not Kuantan."

He hinted to me that his monthly harvest in his BH located in Kuantan town is getting lesser as compared to about three to four years ago.

This gives me a kind of strange feeling and how come the numbers are going downward.

The second person I met have a brother in law who claimed that his monthly income came down from about 30 kg down to 20 kg. A loss of 10 kg which is equivalent to about 1200 nests a month within less than 2-3 years.

His B-I-L BH was at the fringe of Kuantan town and according to him the current harvest is getting lesser and lesser every month.

It seems that all his neighbors were facing a similar nests reduction.  Yes there were at least 10 to 15 BHs in this row of shop houses.

This strange happenning is something that will happen to any area when the number of new BHs are getting too many.

When there are too many new BHs were erected of agricultural land, those birds might have preferred to stay nearer to their food sources.   By doing so they will travel lesser distance to find food for the young chicks.

The next possible reason might be the food production is not adequate to support the growing population.

To have a better chance to breed with a healthy chicks is to stay as closed as possible to the food source.

But my question is "Will they abandoned their first BH that they say "I do"?"

The answer seems to be leaning towards "Yes".

So to those who own BHs with a full house or a reasonable number of nests just be cautious and try to make sure your BH is in perfect condition.

Try not to allow those wild birds to give any excuse to move house.

You need to evaluate all the possible reasons and come out with a list of things that can help to ensure that those birds will have little reasons not to move out.

Good examples are:

1) May be start those insect generating barn.
2) Make sure the nesting rooms are wet.
3) Make sure the temperature of the BH is always below 30*C
4) Make sure you maintain the birdshit on the floor and do not remove them.
5) Change the sound if you have never done it before.
6) Perhaps look at some ways to get those birds to populate other floors which have very little nests.
7) Monitor your BH progress regularly and make sure they are always new nests in your BH.
8) Get an expert opinion on what should be done to increase the nests population.
9) Use new technologies that are proven to help in increasing the nests population.
10) Attend new seminars that can help you to maintain the BH yourself.

Worse case is to get Pak Harry to drop by and give his opinion what can be done to help the situation.

Call him at +6017 755 1318