In such situations the female is easily captured by approaching very
stealthily and covering the entrance to the nest. The bird seldom
makes any effort to escape, seeing how hopeless the case is, and keeps
her place on the nest till she feels your hand closing around her. I
have looked down into the cavity and seen the poor thing palpitating
with fear and looking up with distended eyes, but never moving till I
had withdrawn a few paces; then she rushes out with a cry that brings
the male on the scene in a hurry. He warbles and lifts his wings
beseechingly, but shows no anger or disposition to scold and complain
like most birds. Indeed, this bird seems incapable of uttering a harsh
note, or of doing a spiteful, ill-tempered thing.
The ground-builders all have some art or device to decoy one away from
the nest, affecting lameness, a crippled wing, or a broken back,
promising an easy capture if pursued. The tree-builders depend upon
concealing the nest or placing it beyond reach. But the bluebird has
no art either way, and its nest is easily found.
About the only enemies of the sitting bird or the nest is in danger of
are snakes and squirrels.
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