Birding/Cardinals

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Expert: Julia Booth - 7/3/2008


Question
I have had a female Cardinal build a nest under my backyard umbrella. She has been sitting there off and on (mostly on) for about the last ten days. I assumed that there would be little ones any day, but I have not seen her since yesterday morning so I got worried and looked in the nest. There is nothing there. No eggs no chicks, and no sign of disturbance. When I have seen her she appears to have been panting. Could she have been trying to lay eggs and been unsuccessful? Or what was she doing in the nest all that time? Thanks so much.

Answer
It's likely that she's panting from the heat. It could be that she hasn't laid the eggs yet or that she already did and something ate them (seems unlikely from the location you described)

Cardinals continue nesting through August. She's got plenty of time.


Julia

Birding

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Julia Booth

Expertise

I can answer questions about bird identification (by sight or sound), behavior, distribution, population, conservation, mating, nesting, fledging and feeding. I do have some practical knowledge about foreign species, but identification skills are limited in that arena. Bear in mind that as much as I know, it's possible that at least some of you will ask a question that I am unable to answer. At which point I would direct you to wherever or whomever I thought could provide you with that information.

Experience

I have 15 years birding experience in Southern California.

Organizations
Audubon Society

Education/Credentials
My education is in art and photography -but I have a substantial portfolio of nature related work.

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