Expert: Julia Booth - 6/14/2008

Question
QUESTION: I had morning doves lay and hatch on my porch light a April and then a another nest was built again last weekend.
She laid 2 eggs and a heat wave started. I was worried that they seemed to be gone and I looked in the nest, no eggs. Can the dove move its eggs? It doesn't look like they had been broken. What else could happen, I don't live where there is traffic by my door and someone would take them.  I am concerned please let me know.  Thanks Debra


ANSWER: The dove cannot move her eggs. If they are gone, then they either hatched and fledged or something ate them. Many animals will eat eggs whole and leave no mess behind.

Sadly, that is part of the circle of life

It's possible that they hatched and fledged. Incubation is about 2 weeks and fledging happens between 11-15 days.



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I doubted that they could move them. What type of animal would eat the eggs? I am wondering about larger birds, it is to difficult to reach for much else. It was also way to soon for them to hatch and I found a little bit of yolk spilled on the stairs.  I was sick over it and would like to protect them from future harm. Thank you for your very prompt answer I truely appreciated it. Debra

Answer
Lots of other animals eat eggs: Reptiles, snakes, cats, foxes, coyotes, raccoons, possums, rats, other various rodents. The list goes on.

It's not too likely that you can completely protect the nest from all harm. But there are some precautions you can take while putting up nest boxes to deter some prey. Either way, posting a nesting box will encourage the birds to use that instead and they are usually safer than the alternative.

I this sites covers that-

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/attracting/nest_box/box_bios