Odd sparrow nest egg hatch

[Porshaah]

Hi All

First post and I'm by no means a bird expert but I have been watching birds curiously for more than 40 years mostly in Southern Ontario Niagara region. About a month ago what I believe was a Sparrow made a nest in one of my Juniper topiary's where I was able to view the nest from my front porch. First there was a beige with brown speckled egg layed then about a day later 3 slightly smaller turqoise colored eggs appeared. I thought this strange as I believe birds lay all the same colored eggs and size. Well, after a week or so all 4 eggs hatched and all the baby birds looked similar - I think all baby birds look the same when they don't have their feathers. For the next few weeks I observed them being fed by the parents and growing. I would get within inches of the nest to push back branches to get a better look at the babys inside the nest and I believe the parents at one time or another seen me doing this. One day I seen a squirrel around the area and I was concerned that maybe the squirrel would get into the nest and kill them as I've had Cardinals nest a number of past seasons and lay there eggs in nearby shrubs only to discover that something had killed the babys or eggs each time. I observed that the parents chirp would arouse a flury of chirps from the babys knowing that food was on its way. Even when I pulled back branches to get a closer look the babys would stretch there necks and open there beaks for food but would not make a sound unless I simulated a chirp, a good defence mechanism I thought, not to alert any predators to there where abouts. One day when I was getting close to take a look one of the baby's flew out (i.e.  I assume it may have been the one from the beige/brown speckled egg, but who knows. One evening around dusk, I heard a lot of chirping coming from the nest and I just assumed they were being fed and were really hungry. The next day when I looked in the nest 2 of the remaining 3 baby's were lying dead and the 3rd was nowhere to be found. I didn't look too close at the dead baby's being a bit disturbed by the situation but I belive there were no real signs of trauma except for a few marks which maybe consistant with bird pecks rather than a critter/cat killing them. My questions: Are there birds around here which will lay there eggs in other bird's nest for them to raise? Did my presence cause the parents to kill the baby birds (i.e. I was always told to never touch a birds egg as the parents will sense this and kill/abandon the eggs) or is it a characteristic that Sparrows have to only allow the strong to live (i.e. the babys that flew away or are unaccounted for) - survival of the fittest. And they killed the babys? If it was a critter that killed the babys, in the future can I place a cage around the nest which will have holes big enough for the birds to access but keep critters out?

Sorry for the long post
Bill

[birddog]

The brown headed cowbird is one of a few birds that will lay its egg in another bird's nest and leave it there to be raised by the nest owner.I believe the cuckoo is another bird. I just seen  an example at my cottage where a sparrow was feeding a chick about twice her size, probably a cowbird. The chick will usually dispose of any other chicks in the nest, so I don't believe you had any bearing on the result. This is mother nature at work, I would just accept it.

[Porshaah]

Thank you Birddog for the explanation

I thought that maybe the case having remembered the Cuckoo did this but never new the Cowbird or any other local birds did this.
So if I understand you correctly one of the 3 chicks left in the nest after the 1st of the initial 4 left, disposed of the other 2 chicks? What do you think of my idea of protecting a nest with a cage having holes large enough for the birds to pass thru but keep anything larger out, like cats, squirrels etc. I'm sure some animal has been getting to the Cardinals which have been nesting the past few seasons because I found the chicks/eggs gone as well as the nest ripped apart. If I build the cage after the bird builds their nest and lays their eggs, will it disturb the birds?

All responses welcomed
Bill

[Christine]

Hi Bill,

Regarding the cage - my opinion is that you should leave the nest alone.  I know it is tempting to try and help, but we don't really know the impact of our actions on nature, despite our best intentions.

I had an experience this summer as well.  Two of my birdhouses - each with families - had been knocked to the ground and all the nesting material had been pulled out.  Likely a raccoon.  Fortunately one family had fledged the day before, and the second had fledged earlier that morning.  The only thing I can think of to do is keep the branches trimmed in such a way as to make reaching the houses more challenging for other critters - though that wouldn't help a topiary!

I would be concerned that introducing any structures could cause the parents to abandon a nest, or otherwise alter their natural behaviour - not worth the risk.

Just my two cents

Chris