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Old 05-17-2013, 09:34 AM
 
Location: Chapel Hill, N.C.
36,500 posts, read 51,420,879 times
Reputation: 47815

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Last week we noticed a robin's nest with 3 eggs on our front porch. Days later we saw only 2 eggs. the mother has been extremely attentive. Could she have known one egg was a dud and removed it? Would another bird take it away?

Last year we had a similar nest and suddenly one morning we discovered it completely torn apart and eggs splattered on the porch. We figured it was a snake cause we have seen a snake on the porch and know they can slither vertically up the side of a house.

Any answers? How can we protect the other eggs?
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Old 05-17-2013, 10:24 AM
 
Location: Somewhere over the rainbow in "OZ "
24,502 posts, read 26,787,139 times
Reputation: 32280
Your theft ....


Blue Jay steals a Robin egg from nest - YouTube
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Old 05-17-2013, 10:52 AM
 
Location: Kanada ˁ˚ᴥ˚ˀ
124,724 posts, read 17,564,241 times
Reputation: 72235
Quote:
Originally Posted by no kudzu View Post
Last week we noticed a robin's nest with 3 eggs on our front porch. Days later we saw only 2 eggs. the mother has been extremely attentive. Could she have known one egg was a dud and removed it? Would another bird take it away?

Last year we had a similar nest and suddenly one morning we discovered it completely torn apart and eggs splattered on the porch. We figured it was a snake cause we have seen a snake on the porch and know they can slither vertically up the side of a house.

Any answers? How can we protect the other eggs?

Kudzu we have noticed Grackles or Crows steal eggs all the time, no matter what type of bird it comes from. We caught them in the act.
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Old 05-17-2013, 11:12 AM
bjh
Status: "Happy New Year 2023 !" (set 10 days ago)
 
Location: Memphis - home of the king
51,984 posts, read 28,312,783 times
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Another bird or predator.
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Old 05-17-2013, 12:32 PM
 
Location: Tennessee
37,096 posts, read 38,705,368 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Almrausch View Post
Kudzu we have noticed Grackles or Crows steal eggs all the time, no matter what type of bird it comes from. We caught them in the act.
Why do they do it? What do they do with them?
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Old 05-17-2013, 12:46 PM
 
Location: Chapel Hill, N.C.
36,500 posts, read 51,420,879 times
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I'm guessing it is to promote their own kind? or is it just meanness?
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Old 05-17-2013, 12:48 PM
bjh
Status: "Happy New Year 2023 !" (set 10 days ago)
 
Location: Memphis - home of the king
51,984 posts, read 28,312,783 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LauraC View Post
Why do they do it? What do they do with them?
Some birds eat the eggs of other birds. Otherwise to diminish the population of the other birds in order to have less competition for food int he future. Of course, they don't sit down and think this out. They're acting on long established instincts.
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Old 05-17-2013, 02:57 PM
 
Location: Somewhere over the rainbow in "OZ "
24,502 posts, read 26,787,139 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by no kudzu View Post
I'm guessing it is to promote their own kind? or is it just meanness?
Correct too promote their own kind... and a easy meal.
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Old 05-17-2013, 03:16 PM
 
Location: Somewhere over the rainbow in "OZ "
24,502 posts, read 26,787,139 times
Reputation: 32280
Then you have this reason for missing eggs..
"Mafia Birds" Make Others Raise Their Young ... Or Else
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Old 05-17-2013, 03:17 PM
 
Location: Victoria TX
42,661 posts, read 83,170,458 times
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To answer your question, I might submit an alternate question: From what threat would the parent robins have evolved to instinctively protect the nest?
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