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Abandoned nest with 4 eggs

13 years ago

My blue had already laid 4 eggs. I believe a hawk got the female one day. She had been sitting on the eggs for 3 or 4 days. Saw a couple a little after the hawk got the bird (feathers looked like a female blue). Female does not go in the box. Marked the eggs, have not been turned in 3 days. Couple is still around, but she still doesn't go in the box. I assume it is another pair. How long do I wait to see if another female will adopt the eggs or dispose of them?

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Comments (5)

tmann05
13 years ago
Always wait it out when in doubt. Checking your other post you say you have 2 other boxes. If this is a new female, she will most likely start a nest in the other boxes or on top of the existing nest. Only if she begins a new nest on top of the current nest would I remove it. If you see no changes after 2 weeks, it would be ok to remove in my opinion. Just wait it out and let nature take its course. Do you have any other birds interested in the boxes?
sagrinin
Original Author
13 years ago
No other pairs, just the one. No nest building yet in the other two boxes. They go in and out of the other two at times. Every once in awhile I see a chickadee checking out one of the empty boxes. Will wait it out, but it is hard to do.
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Judy, I would observe the box for a couple hours at a time and make sure you know if anyone is showing up. Also, you can place an obstruction like a blade of grass in the hole, and if it's gone you may have activity. Make sure the wind can't also remove it. It's hard to say exactly what happened to the mother. Hawks, owls, pesticides, car accidents, etc. All possibilities. Unless you find a body, you might never know. I've had several parents go disappearing and I know the sad feeling and thought about what may have happened. I've lost several female bluebirds, and just this year, my first couple male bluebirds. It's a tough world they endure. If they're truly abandoned, try to find the number of a local wildlife rehabber and give them a call. You should look into this BEFORE an emergency occurs. Its good that you're feeding, but don't force feed them! ~Tim~ Here is a link that might be useful: Bluebird Widows, Widowers and Orphans
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renee_2006
13 years ago
If incubation had started and you haven't seen the female for three days (since the eggs are in the same positon after marking them) they will not hatch. Another female will not adopt them and even if one did they will not hatch since incubation had been interrupted. If you are POSITIVE something happened to the female I would clean out the box.
sagrinin
Original Author
13 years ago
The eggs were never turned and a HOSP got two of them. Emptied the box. Have another nest with 2 eggs. Have a sparrow spooker to put up. Did put fishing line on the box. Male blue defends all three boxes even though only one has eggs. HOSP does not like that fishing line.
renee_2006
13 years ago
You should get that sparrow spooker up asap. Thats what I have always used with no problems.

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