Birding/Purple Finches

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Expert: - 3/29/2010


Question
For the 2nd year, a purple finch built a nest in the wreath beside my door. She just starting laying eggs yesterday, but when I came home today, I realized she was lying next to the nest, dead. She doesn't look as if she'd been attacked. What could have happened?

Answer
I suspect it was a House Finch and not a Purple Finch, but that's beside the point. I can't tell you what happened - there are all kinds of possibilities - poison, parasites, disease, starvation, cold, infection, injury, or just old age. Can't tell without seeing the bird and handling it.

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Roger Lederer

Expertise

Any and all about WILD birds - the science of ornithology. Information about birdwatching, ecology, conservation, migration, behavior, banding, rehabilitation, feeding, songs, binoculars, identification, and careers in ornithology. No questions about pet or caged birds, please.

Experience

Have a PhD and over forty years as a professional ornithologist - research, teaching, author, speaker, webmaster of Ornithology.com . Have written thirty scientific papers, three bird field guides, a textbook in ecology and two recent books entitled "Amazing Birds" and "Birds of New England". Have traveled to over 90 countries watching birds.

Education/Credentials
PhD in Zoology/Ornithology; Emeritus Professor of Biological Sciences; former Dean of the College of Natural Sciences at California State University, Chico

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