This is Bird Noir, I'm Prime and I, Michael Stein.

Recently my local park put up nest boxes for tree swallows, so I head over to see these

lovely new neighbors, but instead I get an eye full of a house sparrow shoving her way

into the box.

It really burns my biscuits to see these low-lifes steal nest cavities from other birds.

But then, bang, the house sparrow bolts back out like she sees something dreadful inside.

I peek through the hole myself and see white belly feathers strewn about, as if a weasel

made a meal out of a swallow.

But when I step away, a pair of tree swallows fly right in, like this is home sweet home.

What in the world is going on here?

Only one way to find out, stake out time.

Finally, I spot the swallows carrying white feathers and dropping them in the box.

Then it hit me.

These birds are staging their own murders.

When intruders like house sparrow see the mess of feathers, they fear they're next,

and they think twice about nabbing this hunted nest box.

Turns out, tree swallows have a twisted imagination, just like this hard-boiled detective.

For Birdnut, I'm Michael Stein, private eye.