This is Bird Noir.

I'm Private Eye, 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's

seen 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.

Steakout 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 sparrows see the mess of feathers,

they fear they're next.

And they think twice about nabbing this haunted nest box.

Turns out tree swallows

have a twisted imagination

just like this

...