Chipping Sparrow Nest

[Axeman]

Every now and then a chipping sparrow nests in a blue spruce topiary in front of our porch. This is our lucky year. The nest contains 3 very small light blue eggs with black spots....and one larger white egg with brown spots.

                        :shock:

[thouc]

Hmm, could it be Cowbird infiltration?

[Axeman]

It is a cowbird -- I found an exact image on the net.

[Howieh]

It is a cowbird -- I found an exact image on the net.

Are you going to remove it?...just wondering.

[Axeman]

No...I have an 8 yo daughter watching the nest...and I've told her that in this one, we should let nature take its course. Plus it opens up a fascinating new area of biology to show her.

She was pretty concerned and asked if we should remove it.

Now, does the cowbird hatchling remove the chippy eggs ?

[Trillian Flummox]

Here's what Cornell Labs says:

Cowbird eggs hatch faster than other species eggs, giving cowbird nestlings a head start in getting food from the parents. Young cowbirds also develop at a faster pace than their nest mates, and they sometimes toss out eggs and young nestlings or smother them in the bottom of the nest.

Nature can be so cruel. Do you think your daughter can bare witness to these possibilities? I have an 8 year old daughter too - I'm really not sure how she would cope with the death of cute little birds. Officially I don't think you're supposed to remove the egg since Cowbirds are a native species and Chipping Sparrows are not endangered, however it's something to consider. I suppose trying to incubate and raise the Cowbird separately would be too much work?

Best of luck!

-kris

[Rob'in'To]

That's a tough one there.  I've seen enough with adult birds trying to feed baby Cowbirds; and last year was the worst with one female Yellow Warbler having 2 baby Cowbirds on her rear through Humber Bay and a constant attempt to feed these birds.  No little Yellow Warblers following her, just these Cowbirds that were nearly twice her size.  Crazy!

[Axeman]

Well, this evening, the first egg hatched. It was a chipping sparrow.....awwww soooo cute...little tiny helpless thing...the cowbird egg was laid the day after the first CS egg. I understand they hatch almost 3 days earlier than typical host eggs.

[Axeman]

Well there are 3 nestlings -- I thought one had disappeared but all the young that have hatched are there. The cowbird nestling is MUCH bigger than the other two. There is still one egg to go. I think it's overdue now.

[Scottydont]

Another thing to consider is that while cowbirds are native to north america, they are NOT native to southern ontario. I'm not advocating one way or the other, just throwing that out there.

[Axeman]

Point taken -- but they are no different from say, starlings....

Anyway, at this point they are getting ready to fledge..won't be another week I think...lol the poor sparrows...two of them...they keep casting looks at the BHCB chick...as he overcrowds them.

I think to be frank, I'm good with not turfing the egg. The third CS egg did not hatch...the two that did are healthy...and my daughter is thrilled with the whole thing...she calls the BHCB "Ugly Duckling"....

[Axeman]

As it turns out, the fledged -- I think -- on Saturday some time after 9:30 a.m. Unless they were predated but the nest looks good.