Birds nest

[Weber905]

We noticed a birds nest on our front door wreath a few days ago.  The first day there was only 2 eggs, and now there are 7, and 2 look like from another bird.  We live in London Ontario.

I have 2 questions:

1.  Can we relocate/move the wreath/nest?  We just want to move it the wall right beside the front door but don't want to do it if it will disturb the mother bird or the nest.  We are trying to avoid using the front door as much as possible right now.  

2.  Will the mother bird care for the 2 other bird eggs which have been left in the nest?  I have read that birds often care for other babies which are left in the nest.

Thanks!

[Paul O'Toole]

Unfortunately, no. If you move the nest the parents will most likely abandon the nest/eggs. Likely if the 2 odd eggs hatch the parents will raise them.

[KraftDinner]

The two odd eggs look like brown-headed cowbird eggs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown-headed_cowbird#Brood_parasitism

[Reuven_M]

Looks like a House Finch nest (I think) with two cowbird eggs. I wouldn't expect much issue with moving the wreath slightly... just try to do it sometime when the adult(s) aren't right there.

Personally I would take out the cowbird eggs. House Finch feed their young seeds and plant material, which cowbird young can't survive on, and almost always starve. They might kill/push out some of the finch eggs or young before they do, and chances are there won't be any surviving young in the nest at all.

[Walter Fisher]

I totally agree with Reuven, remove the two Cowbird eggs.

FYI - House Finches are a fairly new arrival in Ontario, the first bird sighted was in 1970 and the first nesting birds were in 1978.   Extracted from Ron Pittaway's 2014 OFO article entitled 'Winter Finch Basics'.

Walter

[Paul O'Toole]

I never thought about removing the other eggs, good idea.