Expert: Julia Booth - 3/14/2008

Question
I FOUND A SMALL WHITE BIRD'S EGG ON MY FRONT STOOP THIS NOON.  IT
MEASURES APPROXIMATELY 1" IN LENGTH AND IS ALMOST TRANSLUCENT.  IT
WAS NOT IN A NEST AND NO BIRDS WERE AROUND. CAN YOU I.D. IT AND WHAT
SHOULD I DO WITH IT? I HAVE WASHED MY HANDS AND WILL HANDLE IT WITH
PLASTIC IN THE FUTURE. I LIVE IN ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI. THANKS.

Answer
Is the egg broken? Does it look like it sustained a fall? If so, what might have happened is that another larger bird or predator tried to snatch it from the nest and dropped it.

The fact that you don't see a nest means that it probably came from a bird that is a "cavity nester." They nest in holes, cracks and crevices. Many cavity nesters have white eggs of varying shape and size. It would be impossible to know which it was unless I could see the egg in person. Given the size of about one inch, I would guess it belonged to a woodpecker of some sort.

Sorry I can't give you a more definite answer.