>
>This morning, four adult swallows were having a rather serious
>confrontation in the area around the box. It looked like one pair was
>fending off the other pair. I have also seen this behavior on the other
>side of the house, away from the nest box.
>
>I was wondering if this is common behavior. Do you know what it
>indicates?
>

It is common enough, this is exactly what we observed just before "our" VG
swallows fledged. I don't have a clue what it means.

Here is Clarice's theory:

I think that you are seeing juveniles from another family get excited about
seeing food delivered and hang around the box, getting underfoot. The adults
trying to feed the nestlings drive them off. It happened here after Box #1
fledged about two weeks before Box #2. There was lots of fluttering around
the hole by what looked like adults until the parents showed up and they got
rid of the hangers-on very quickly.

-------------------------------------
Name: Jerry Broadus
jbroadus at seanet.com
901-16th. St S.W.
Puyallup, Wa. 98371
206-845-3156
07/25/96
15:25:39