Personally if I were you I would remove the cowbird egg, those other babies will surely die if that cowbird hatches.

Others might tell you different that you can't legally do that however what you do in your yard is your business and if you want to see the poor Chipping Sparrow around your yard running themselves ragged trying to feed that one cowbird, that is up to you. Good luck!!

Donna

Do you think it's worth waiting until the cowbird hatches (it's supposed to hatch about one day earlier than the others)then remove it and try to raise it myself? I could feed it mealworms, etc. I've had some success with this.

Why would you want to let it survive just so it could go on to do the same thing in another birds nest? I would throw it out but you do what you want. Waiting for hatching could still mean death to the others if you don't see that it has hatched right away, it will always get the food whereas the others won't and will die. I am sure you will get other advice but I guess you can do what you want to do.

Donna

Agree on Donna's advise

I would toss the cowbird egg. Cowbird numbers are booming. Many governmental bodies are actively trapping and destroying them to save other species, just search "cowbird control".

Shake or freeze the egg so it will not hatch and return it to the nest. Some say the Moma Cowbird will return to the nest and destroy the other babies if her egg goes missing. I have no clue if this is true or not. Definatly do not let that egg hatch!

This Nova Video pretty much proves that the mother Cowbird will destroy the other eggs if hers is missing.
She wants the other bird to lay new eggs so she can lay hers again.

Wow bob414 that video was really interesting!! Yep I change my vote to take that cowbird egg and shake it to death or freeze it and then put it back.

Donna

Thanks Bob for that video link. I watched it twice. I have those cowbirds daily at my bird feeders and never really knew what they were called. I am new to this birding thing and love it. Who would have guessed this nice looking bird could be so nasty and mean?
Thanks again.......Russ

Very interesting video! I wonder how they do cowbird control? At least they can provide nest boxes with small holes for the Prothonotary Warblers and keep the Cowbirds out.