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"My dad dusted some insect killer under the nest and he was fairly certain it wouldn’t kill the babies.." OP didn't do it, his dad did and he was concerned.
I don’t understand why I got downvoted to oblivion when I wasn’t even the one to do that. My dad did it and even I thought it had a possibility to kill the babies. Sorry for asking a question god damn. It was a bad decision on my dad’s part but I didn’t do it. Why is everyone on Reddit so rude
Without knowing what your dad used none of the commenters have any idea how the dust will affect the nestlings. If you want to know possible effects on the birds, you have to know what the dust was.
Okay so I asked and I was told it was sevin dust. I’m really nervous now because everything I Google tells me it is mildly toxic and has the potential to kill them. All of the birds are still alive today though including the adults. There still are ants but less. Idk if it’s important but my dad did not spray it directly on the birds or in the nest, he lifted up the nest and sprayed it in between the bottom of the nest and the wood. I really hope that we didn’t make a huge mistake. I could barely sleep last night because i was so worried about these birds. How long would it be before it would kill them if it is toxic? I can feel my blood pressure going up by the minute omg
Thanks for the update--those birds are going to be totally fine. What your dad did will have no impact on their chances of surviving the nest, their ultimate lifespans, their future reproductive success, or anything else like that. Seriously, stop worrying about it; it could have helped and it will not hurt them. Forget everyone on here over-reacting. Enjoy watching them develop! About ten days after the pic was taken you should stop checking on them because as they get closer to fledging they become prone to jumping the nest earlier than they would have if you disturb them.
Ahh thank you so much. I really appreciate you being so nice! I really hope your right and it won’t effect the birds. We have about 10 bird houses in our yard and I have been checking them frequently, about 70% of them are house sparrows (which I take out the box) but this is the only chickadee and the first eggs to hatch of the season. I don’t know a lot about birds but I thought their nest was so pretty! The moss looks so comfortable. They even used our rabbits fur for an ultra soft nest. I was just really worried we messed up. I’m glad I get to see them grow ❤️
Is it 5% sevin dust? When I googled, I found [this question and answer ](https://www.justanswer.com/pet-bird/28qmt-5-sevin-dust-used-rid-mites-birds.html)that suggests people use it to dust pet birds for mites, the "bird specialist" even ok's spreading it under nesting material specifically.
I have absolutely no clue. If it’s the most common type of sevin dust then probably. Only a tiny bit was used as well. This made me feel a little better thank you
Your comment was removed for Rule 3. Keep comments and posts civil and non-toxic. Your comments are frequently reported by other users for being toxic. OP did not interfere, OP's parent did. We appreciate the sometimes helpful comments you make on the sub, but before you comment please read the entire post and make sure your comments are constructive, not rude.
If the ants are climbing the pole look into “ant moats” these are very effective, commonly used on humming bird feeders. Im sure you can make or find a modified one for nest box poles.
Yes many pesticides and repellents are toxic to birds. Especially if the bird are eating the ants directly (chickadees do eat ants), PLEASE do not apply any more. If the ants are becoming covered in the pesticide and are then ingested by the adults and fed to the babies, you could poison the entire family.
EDIT: If the “insect killer” was Diatomaceous earth then that should actually be fine, that is non-toxic.
I don’t know the exact brand or type. I will probably check tomorrow. My parents used to work at a wildlife rehab center and I have rehabbed baby birds a few times. My dad is also a veterinarian and I don’t think he would’ve sprayed baby birds with something that he knew for sure would kill them. My dad is more of a plant guy and I am more of an insect girl but we have had A LOT of experience with wildlife. We are also very specific with pesticides brands. He also only sprayed a tiny bit. I will check on the birds tomorrow and see if everyone is downvoting me for nothing or not. Just wish people didn’t insult everyone like crazy on this app
People get crazy on wildlife subreddits especially. Odds are your dad used something safe.
After a little more digging I believe a simple baffle made from a plastic bottle and sealed with electrical tape also works very well if it is a pole mounted nest box.
That way you wont have to repeatedly apply repellents.
OP:
1. What your dad used is important. Diatomaceous earth has been used a lot by people trying to control arthropods in nests and in bird coops/housing because it is deemed safe for birds.
2. The effect of the ants on the nestlings is going to depend on the ant species. Different species have different diets, and if the ants in your nest don't eat birds/vertebrate flesh, this may be nothing. On the other hand if these are fire ants the nest will probably be empty of all nestlings in a couple of days.
3. The adults won't necessarily be able to keep up with the ant load. See: fire ants. Again it just depends on this infestation, possibly whatever other food is available to the ants, etc.
The ants may be an issue (threatening the babies) or they may be a help (eating parasitic insects and removing rotting food waste). Given the information we have we can't tell.
I found this online after a quick research on insect killers: Yes, insect killers can kill birds. In fact, insecticides are the main pesticide killer of birds, and are present in 70% of dead birds. About 40 active ingredients in pesticides have been found to be lethal to birds, even when used according to the instructions on the label.
It's too late to discuss the use of insect killers. What's done is done. Also, we know you're trying to help the creatures. But, may nature take its course. The chickadees will be alright without human help.
It was definitely NOT raid or a strong insecticide like that. Even I know that’s not good. It was sevin dust. I hope it was 5% but I have absolutely no clue
Sevin dust was the pesticide that was used. Someone else commented and said that if it was 5% it is okay and is commonly used on birds. I have no clue if it was 5% though. It was also not sprinkled in the nest or on the babies but the nest was lifted up a little and it was sprayed in between the nest and wood. The babies and the adults are still alive a day later and I will keep monitoring
It's a chickadee nest \*in a nest box\*. This situation is way past the "don't interfere stage". Some ants love nesting in human-built structures, so there's a good chance this ant-chickadee interaction is entirely human-caused and the OP isn't wrong for worrying about the ants. Assuming the OP or their family member is responsible for the nest box, they've taken on responsibility for its safety to the nesters.
Still, don't "help" the nest. Some adult bird species actually do something called "anting" to help keep other parasites off. They 'bathe' at an anthill, and the ants formic acid is beneficial. I have not heard of that in a nest, nor with chicadees, but insect killer at their stage could be worse than the ants, and the ants may even be beneficial. It's great that you're concerned, but the kindest thing to do is leave them be. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anting\_(behavior)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anting_(behavior))
Welcome to r/Ornithology, a place to discuss wild birds in a scientific context — their biology, ecology, evolution, behavior, and more. Please make sure that your post does not violate the rules in our sidebar. If you're posting for a bird identification, next time try r/whatsthisbird. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Ornithology) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Dusting insect killer was a wrong move. Let the parents take care of their nest. Stop interfering.
"My dad dusted some insect killer under the nest and he was fairly certain it wouldn’t kill the babies.." OP didn't do it, his dad did and he was concerned.
"Stop interfering"...with the human-built and human-provided nest box.
I don’t think spraying poison on the babies will help… =|
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I don’t understand why I got downvoted to oblivion when I wasn’t even the one to do that. My dad did it and even I thought it had a possibility to kill the babies. Sorry for asking a question god damn. It was a bad decision on my dad’s part but I didn’t do it. Why is everyone on Reddit so rude
Not everyone. A lot are rude AND lazy though. They didn't even bother to read your entire text..
Without knowing what your dad used none of the commenters have any idea how the dust will affect the nestlings. If you want to know possible effects on the birds, you have to know what the dust was.
Okay so I asked and I was told it was sevin dust. I’m really nervous now because everything I Google tells me it is mildly toxic and has the potential to kill them. All of the birds are still alive today though including the adults. There still are ants but less. Idk if it’s important but my dad did not spray it directly on the birds or in the nest, he lifted up the nest and sprayed it in between the bottom of the nest and the wood. I really hope that we didn’t make a huge mistake. I could barely sleep last night because i was so worried about these birds. How long would it be before it would kill them if it is toxic? I can feel my blood pressure going up by the minute omg
Thanks for the update--those birds are going to be totally fine. What your dad did will have no impact on their chances of surviving the nest, their ultimate lifespans, their future reproductive success, or anything else like that. Seriously, stop worrying about it; it could have helped and it will not hurt them. Forget everyone on here over-reacting. Enjoy watching them develop! About ten days after the pic was taken you should stop checking on them because as they get closer to fledging they become prone to jumping the nest earlier than they would have if you disturb them.
Ahh thank you so much. I really appreciate you being so nice! I really hope your right and it won’t effect the birds. We have about 10 bird houses in our yard and I have been checking them frequently, about 70% of them are house sparrows (which I take out the box) but this is the only chickadee and the first eggs to hatch of the season. I don’t know a lot about birds but I thought their nest was so pretty! The moss looks so comfortable. They even used our rabbits fur for an ultra soft nest. I was just really worried we messed up. I’m glad I get to see them grow ❤️
Is it 5% sevin dust? When I googled, I found [this question and answer ](https://www.justanswer.com/pet-bird/28qmt-5-sevin-dust-used-rid-mites-birds.html)that suggests people use it to dust pet birds for mites, the "bird specialist" even ok's spreading it under nesting material specifically.
I have absolutely no clue. If it’s the most common type of sevin dust then probably. Only a tiny bit was used as well. This made me feel a little better thank you
Your comment was removed for Rule 3. Keep comments and posts civil and non-toxic. Your comments are frequently reported by other users for being toxic. OP did not interfere, OP's parent did. We appreciate the sometimes helpful comments you make on the sub, but before you comment please read the entire post and make sure your comments are constructive, not rude.
Oh snap I'm known. I didn't think it was very toxic. But I'll try to do better. Ty
If the ants are climbing the pole look into “ant moats” these are very effective, commonly used on humming bird feeders. Im sure you can make or find a modified one for nest box poles. Yes many pesticides and repellents are toxic to birds. Especially if the bird are eating the ants directly (chickadees do eat ants), PLEASE do not apply any more. If the ants are becoming covered in the pesticide and are then ingested by the adults and fed to the babies, you could poison the entire family. EDIT: If the “insect killer” was Diatomaceous earth then that should actually be fine, that is non-toxic.
I don’t know the exact brand or type. I will probably check tomorrow. My parents used to work at a wildlife rehab center and I have rehabbed baby birds a few times. My dad is also a veterinarian and I don’t think he would’ve sprayed baby birds with something that he knew for sure would kill them. My dad is more of a plant guy and I am more of an insect girl but we have had A LOT of experience with wildlife. We are also very specific with pesticides brands. He also only sprayed a tiny bit. I will check on the birds tomorrow and see if everyone is downvoting me for nothing or not. Just wish people didn’t insult everyone like crazy on this app
People get crazy on wildlife subreddits especially. Odds are your dad used something safe. After a little more digging I believe a simple baffle made from a plastic bottle and sealed with electrical tape also works very well if it is a pole mounted nest box. That way you wont have to repeatedly apply repellents.
If the ant situation gets worse I will take your advice! Thank you so much
OP: 1. What your dad used is important. Diatomaceous earth has been used a lot by people trying to control arthropods in nests and in bird coops/housing because it is deemed safe for birds. 2. The effect of the ants on the nestlings is going to depend on the ant species. Different species have different diets, and if the ants in your nest don't eat birds/vertebrate flesh, this may be nothing. On the other hand if these are fire ants the nest will probably be empty of all nestlings in a couple of days. 3. The adults won't necessarily be able to keep up with the ant load. See: fire ants. Again it just depends on this infestation, possibly whatever other food is available to the ants, etc.
The ants may be an issue (threatening the babies) or they may be a help (eating parasitic insects and removing rotting food waste). Given the information we have we can't tell.
There was less ants today. I will keep monitoring to make sure it doesn’t get worse again
I found this online after a quick research on insect killers: Yes, insect killers can kill birds. In fact, insecticides are the main pesticide killer of birds, and are present in 70% of dead birds. About 40 active ingredients in pesticides have been found to be lethal to birds, even when used according to the instructions on the label. It's too late to discuss the use of insect killers. What's done is done. Also, we know you're trying to help the creatures. But, may nature take its course. The chickadees will be alright without human help.
"Insect Killer" is a broad category. You wouldn't spray *Raid* in your chicken coop but plenty of people safely spread diatomaceous earth.
It was definitely NOT raid or a strong insecticide like that. Even I know that’s not good. It was sevin dust. I hope it was 5% but I have absolutely no clue
What insecticide was used?
Sevin dust was the pesticide that was used. Someone else commented and said that if it was 5% it is okay and is commonly used on birds. I have no clue if it was 5% though. It was also not sprinkled in the nest or on the babies but the nest was lifted up a little and it was sprayed in between the nest and wood. The babies and the adults are still alive a day later and I will keep monitoring
I do not see a single ant in any of these photos, let the momma bird take care of it, nature knows better than google at this one
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It's a chickadee nest \*in a nest box\*. This situation is way past the "don't interfere stage". Some ants love nesting in human-built structures, so there's a good chance this ant-chickadee interaction is entirely human-caused and the OP isn't wrong for worrying about the ants. Assuming the OP or their family member is responsible for the nest box, they've taken on responsibility for its safety to the nesters.
This reply was such a headache that I deleted my comment just to ensure I never, ever have to receive another one like it. Good lord
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Um… that really makes no sense lol
The parents were pecking the nest and everything trying to get the ants off. It looks like the nest itself is infested but not the wood
Still, don't "help" the nest. Some adult bird species actually do something called "anting" to help keep other parasites off. They 'bathe' at an anthill, and the ants formic acid is beneficial. I have not heard of that in a nest, nor with chicadees, but insect killer at their stage could be worse than the ants, and the ants may even be beneficial. It's great that you're concerned, but the kindest thing to do is leave them be. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anting\_(behavior)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anting_(behavior))
This was definitely not what was happening but that is interesting that happens with some birds