Bird Experts! Help Please?
June 7, 2010 Bird House Feeder
So, In my Garage my dad found a box with a little bird nest in it. With some white down feathers, twigs, and some trash. The diameter of the HOLE of the Nest was, eh, about 8cm. The nest itself, about Diameter 14cm. And in a different box nearby there were 3 little eggs. They are whiteish Pink, with reddish brown speckles on it. They have a length of 1.4cm. and with of 1.1cm. Tiny. I researched a bit and found out it was probably a House Wren, who’s eggs and Nest it was. I live in The north west. And I’m pretty sure the nest and Eggs are abandoned. There was a cat who lived in the garage, and Who knows what happened.
So I was wondering, We have an incubator, and If anyone knew what the humidity should be, temperature, and how long to incubate them for! Or I we should even try to hatch them at all.
Oh and what the babies eat? And information you would need to know to raise these birds until they’re good enough to go in the open. We raised Turkeys before(: Thanks so much If you have any helpful information!
Pics!
http://images5b.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp6325%3A%3Enu%3D5%3B%3C8%3E%3B84%3E259%3EWSNRCG%3D329396%3C%3A7334%3Anu0mrj
http://images5b.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp63267%3Enu%3D5%3B%3C8%3E%3B84%3E259%3EWSNRCG%3D329397879834%3Anu0mrj
http://images5b.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp63262%3Enu%3D5%3B%3C8%3E%3B84%3E259%3EWSNRCG%3D329397879934%3Anu0mrj
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Comments (5)
Hummingbirds are fun, entertaining, full of energy and it’s easy to attract hummingbirds.
Even if the nest was abandoned , there is very little chance of the eggs hatching,You do not have the facilities nor the knowledge so fetching a young bird into the world would only be to a sure Death,
Leave them alone and let nature take it’s course.
If there were only three eggs in the nest, then the mother bird has not yet finished her laying which means she hasn’t incubated the eggs yet. She could lay up to 8 eggs before sitting on them. This means that she would not have abandoned the eggs, she would just be out feeding at the time you found them.
If you leave them where they are and don’t touch them again, then she may or may not return to them. However I strongly suggest you don’t try and incubate them and then raise them. They are nothing like Turkeys, they are hatched completely blind, featherless and completely helpless. They require feeding every half hour for fifteen hours a day, and there first weeks ablutions are regurgitory which means the feacl sack comes out of the mouth inside of the back end. Incubating such delicate little eggs would be near impossible as even the turning motion of the incubator could break them.
Cougzta; Without even looking at ye links there, I’d be inclined to agree it was a Wren. (Ye have several types in US, of course. Here, in Europe, we have just the one type). Either way; More than one nest is not unusual. Male wrens tend to build more than one nest and invite prospective females to take their pick.
Unfortunately, the close vicinity of a cat would spell the end for any wren making regular trips to a given point, such as a nest.
Game’s over, I’m afraid. The cat probably got both birds. The eggs are now dead, or beyond help. Candle them and incubate them all ye like. No way could ye supply the insects needed to rear the young.
Cats or wild life. Your call. Simple as that.
Leave the eggs alone. The mother could just be waiting for the predator (that includes you
) to leave. Plus, if she isn’t done laying eggs, it’s not time to start incubating them.
According to http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/about/faqs/birds/feathers.htm
your best approach is to take a hands off approach…look but don’t collect. If you find an injured bird or abandoned nestling, call the local game warden before you pick it up
It’s actually against the law to touch the nest. The wording is as such –
"Unless and except as permitted by regulations, …it shall be unlawful at any time, by any means, or in any manner…to pursue, hunt, take, capture, kill, …possess, offer for sale, sell, …purchase, import…any migratory bird, any part, nest, or eggs of any such bird…"
That means, it’s again federal law to take any part of a wild bird’s nest, eggs, etc. You could get in trouble. Look up the Migratory Bird Treaty Act please.
In the lower 48 states, all species except the house sparrow, feral pigeon, common starling, and non-migratory game birds like pheasants, gray partridge, and sage grouse, are protected.
ETA – sorry if telling the law how it is upset someone.
You need to put the eggs and nest BACK where you found them..there is a chance this nest is still being cared for. You can watch it from a hidden location to see if the parents are coming and going. Keep in mind if they see you they will not go to the nest as you are considered a predator. It is illegal for you to take the eggs of wild birds and hatch them. They are protected by law.. you can be fined or jailed for this. IF the nest is abandoned..then these eggs are long dead anyway and you could not even hatch them if it was legal. Let the eggs be and if the nest is active..let the parents do their job. If truley abandoned.. then just toss the eggs.