Last week, I posted a photo of three little blue eggs I found in one of my bluebird houses.
I have been watching the male and female around the house. They are not going in and out like they did before, in the last house. The female goes in every now and then, and comes right back out. She sits on the fence beside the house, and peeks into the hole of the house. I thought this was strange behavior. But I checked on the eggs a couple of days ago, they look fine, little blue eggs.
Today I peeked in again. To my surprise, the nest is almost to the top of the house, and no eggs!! I panicked. With gloves on, I gently picked up the nest just a little, to see if the eggs were there. And there they were, on the bottom of the nest. The female has built a nest on top of the three eggs. Now why would she do that?
According to my reference guide... http://www.sialis.org/eggsunhatched.htm
...if the females think the eggs are not viable, they sometimes will build a nest on top of the eggs.
These eggs are only about a week old, how does she know they are not viable? There is a lot to be said about the maternal instinct.
I wonder what will happen now. Will she be back to lay more eggs on this newly built nest? Time will tell.
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Comments: 45
i didn't know that. they build on top, that's strange. your photos are always lovely.
Thank you Dawn. I didn't take any photos today, it was an empty nest. I am not sure what the female is up to. It is very strange.
The maternal instinct of animals is just amazing. I can't wait to see if she comes back.
i agree
It is amazing Melanie. Just when I think I have it all figured out, a new surprise. She has come back on the fence but not inside the house, that I have seen, not yet anyway.
hmm~ Odd I wonder what she is doing
Don't know, but I am watching her!
good info, thanx
Almost an insite to our lives and certainly a usable metaphor. Thanks for this.
You know David, it's a funny thing. This whole bluebird experience can be related to life. From the excitement of finding the first tiny blue egg, to the heartache of seeing the dead babies on the ground. It is an amazing journey, and it continues to surprise me.
My Cockatiel use to have eggs all the time with out a male in sight I use to use them in craft progects .The children were all amazed at how they could see though them when held to the light
I wonder what she would do if they hatch below the newly made nest?
I don't know, I hope that doesn't happen. I would hate to see disfigured babies. I read where they sometimes knock the eggs out of the nest. But since she has built this big nest on top, it's like she has tried to bury them. Interesting.
Interesting...that is odd....maybe she knew that the first set of eggs wouldn't hatch...I do hope she lays some more though.
I think she did know, and with the big nest she built, I hope she will lay more. It takes awhile to build these nests, one piece of grass at a time.
you just know these thing, like you say mom instincts
I think you are right Steph. It is still so interesting the more I learn.
Hmm, maybe they are not blue enough. It seems that the last ones you took pics of, were really blue, compared to these... Just guessing
I don't know Randall. Who really knows when it comes to mother nature. Good to see you.
we raised love birds and they also know when the eggs are not good and will roll them from the nest. (they have good ears they can hear blood flow/heartbeat etc going on inside the shell) we then remove the "dead eggs" to prevent bacteria from getting the other eggs. Before she lays new eggs I think you should remove the "dead" ones it may save the lives of the new checks because if those eggs rot and crack it came destroy the new eggs too.
I will Angela. I just discovered them today. I don't like to go around the nest very often, so if they are still there in the morning, I will dispose of them. Amazing isn't it?
I wonder if it has to do with the ambient temperature. Perhaps the nest on a nest gives better heat control than sitting on the eggs--I don't know, just a thought. It will be interesting to see. You're becoming a "blue ornithologist", Carol.
LOL John. Maybe I am. I haven't thought of the temps, but when the other babies were in the house, it was our hottest week of the year, in the 90s every day. So, I don't know.
It is all so amazing.
If they would have normally hatched by now, it sounds like Angela is correct.
Well, I found them on June 26th. They were probably a few days old. It takes 10-14 days to hatch. So, again, I don't know John. Either way, if they are still there tomorrow, I will dispose of them.
How interesting... maybe they needed to be fertilized and something happened to the male before that happened.
Very interesting.
I think she will lay more eggs
well now that is odd. Off to read the other posts about this subject matter!!
I commend you! You're obviously certain it wasn't a sparrows nest and you've learned so much to be confident to make a decision on what to do, great job! I know me and no matter what I don't think I'd be able to decide anything for certain there, lol
You are right Ruth, I knew it was my bluebird's nest. I knew I had to make a quick decision, especially with the new nest already built So, I disposed of the eggs. Keep your fingers crossed that she will lay more.
Wow! Good for you, I never would have been able to make up my mind on that, always doubting myself, that's great! Bet she does lay eggs within a few days!
Check it out Ruth....
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977730131
Now that's interesting, Carol. I had never heard of them building a nest above or abandoning what they decided were bad eggs.
I am learning as I go, it is all interesting. With everything I have read, I apparently missed this chapter. I disposed of the eggs and hope she will return to lay more.
Very interesting. Nature seems to know best, and somehow the Bluebirds must have some kind of ESP about it, LOL. That is also a very neat website... informative.
Glad I tracked this post down. I'm not online here as much as I used to be, spending some time at my old haunts, but don't want to miss anything, ha ha. Thanks.
It is that maternal instinct John. ;) The website is packed full of info. I have talked to a couple of the contacts and they too are amazed at some of the things I am experiencing.
Good to see you, don't be a stranger.
Hmmmm... very interesting, Carol! Have never heard of them building a nest on top of eggs that they feel are not viable. As I mentioned in a comment on one of your other bluebird articles, I found two unhatched eggs in a nest early this summer after the bluebirds fledged. I remembered that it had been very cold (near freezing) in the Spring when the female was laying her eggs. Apparently two of the four eggs froze before she started sitiing on them. The other two babies must have been standing and laying on the other two eggs in the nest.
According to the bluebird "expert" I have been talking to, she said the female knows when the eggs are not viable. Angela also commented the same thing above. Very interesting. I am learning as I go.
Thanks for posting to *My Bird Shots*!
Hi Carol! You and I share a love of bluebirds. I hope the eggs are viable and there are more of these beautiful birds in the world. Please keep writing, you are an education on our aviary friends.