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Old robin's nest--new use?

15 years ago

Last season we had a robin nest on our deck--top of the privacy fence and against the house. They raised one clutch and we removed the nest. This season, there was another nest. There were four babies in the first clutch. We forgot to remove the nest and there was a second clutch of two (two eggs didn't hatch).

I was getting ready to remove the nest today when I noticed it's being used again! The unhatched eggs have been pushed out. The nest is now lined with dog hair (we have a collie mix and a great pyrenees--dog hair abounds!). The dog hair is new within the last week or so. It's so late in the season. Who would be using the nest? Surely not for another clutch? Is someone making a winter home?

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Comments (3)

Konrad___far_north
15 years ago
Have no idea but it would be late for robin as well.
I never take down the old robin nest when still in good shape, I had them re ruse and build up about 3 times.

Konrad
calliope
15 years ago
I had a catbird using a robin's nest in my perennial g'house (roll up sides, and open to the air) up until last week. The robin had its eggs taken twice and finally gave up the nest for other digs. The poor catbird laid four eggs, and had been sitting for at least four or five days and we had a run of mid-ninety degree weather. She sat on those eggs with her beak open and panting. The structure had to be at least ten degrees above the ambient temperature.

I checked the eggs daily when she left the nest and she deserted it. The last two days I checked, the eggs were cold. I have chickens who sit eggs and occasionally they'll destroy some in their nest and remove the remains. It leads me to believe they must be able to sense when an egg is not viable any longer. Perhaps the eggs from the catbird just simply fried in the heat.

I had a dove try to sit a robin's nest in another location earlier in the year. She aborted it too, as it was in a busy location and I don't think doves are as comfortable with humans scurrying by as robins can be.

You don't give your zone. It's a factor in how late a bird may nest. I have found blue jays babies on the ground dead after falling from their nest after storms in s.e. Ohio as late as October.
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lisa11310
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Only thing nesting around here at this time are Gold Finches, but I have never seen a nest. You could google it.

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